2012 League of Ireland First Division

{{Location map+ |Ireland |alt=Map of the Republic of Ireland with the eight League of Ireland First Division teams |caption=Locations of First Division teams |float=right |width=280 |places=

{{Location map~ |Ireland |lat_dir=N |lat_deg=53|lat_min=26|lat_sec=0|lon_dir=W|lon_deg=7|lon_min=57|lon_sec=0|position=right|background=#FFFFFF|label=Athlone Town|label_size=85}}

{{Location map~ |Ireland |lat_dir=N |lat_deg=54|lat_min=48|lat_sec=0|lon_dir=W|lon_deg=7|lon_min=47|lon_sec=24|position=right|background=#FFFFFF|label=Finn Harps|label_size=85}}

{{Location map~ |Ireland |lat_dir=N |lat_deg=52|lat_min=39|lat_sec=55|lon_dir=W|lon_deg=8|lon_min=37|lon_sec=26|position=right|background=#FFFFFF|label=Limerick|label_size=85}}

{{Location map~ |Ireland |lat_dir=N |lat_deg=53|lat_min=43|lat_sec=37|lon_dir=W|lon_deg=7|lon_min=47|lon_sec=59|position=left|background=#FFFFFF|label=}}

{{Location map~ |Ireland |lat_dir=N |lat_deg=53|lat_min=16|lat_sec=19|lon_dir=W|lon_deg=9|lon_min=2|lon_sec=56|position=left|background=#FFFFFF|label=Mervue United
SD Galway|label_size=85|label_width=7}}

{{Location map~ |Ireland |lat_dir=N |lat_deg=52|lat_min=15|lat_sec=24|lon_dir=W|lon_deg=7|lon_min=7|lon_sec=45|position=bottom|background=#FFFFFF|label=Waterford United|label_size=85|label_width=4}}

{{Location map~ |Ireland |lat_dir=N |lat_deg=52|lat_min=23|lat_sec=6|lon_dir=W|lon_deg=6|lon_min=29|lon_sec=42|position=top|background=#FFFFFF|label=Wexford 
Youths|label_size=85}}

{{Location map~ |Ireland |lat_dir=N |lat_deg=53|lat_min=43|lat_sec=37|lon_dir=W|lon_deg=8|lon_min=11|lon_sec=0|position=left|background=#FFFFFF|label=Longford Town|label_size=85|mark=TransparentPlaceholder.png}}

}}

Due to the expansion of the Premier Division, coupled with the withdrawal of Galway United during the off-season, the 2012 First Division consisted of just eight teams. Applications to join the Division from Cobh Ramblers and Tralee Dynamos, both of whom had played in the 2011 A Championship, were rejected. Each team played every other team four times, totalling twenty eight games.{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/ier2012.html|title=Ireland 2012|website=RSSSF|accessdate=8 August 2016}}{{cite web| url=http://www.kerryman.ie/sport/soccer/dyanmos-face-stiff-opposition-for-league-berth-2943358.html | title=Dynamos face stiff opposition for league berth | publisher=kerryman.ie |accessdate=2011-12-20}}

{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL

|show_limit=5

|res_col_header=QR|sortable_table=y

|team1=LIM|name_LIM=Limerick

|team2=WAT|name_WAT=Waterford United

|team3=LON|name_LON=Longford Town

|team4=WEX|name_WEX=Wexford Youths

|team5=FHA|name_FHA=Finn Harps

|team6=ATH|name_ATH=Athlone Town

|team7=MER|name_MER=Mervue United

|team8=SDG|name_SDG=SD Galway

|win_LIM=20|draw_LIM=2|loss_LIM=6|gf_LIM=51|ga_LIM=20|status_LIM=C,P

|win_WAT=18|draw_WAT=4|loss_WAT=6|gf_WAT=46|ga_WAT=29

|win_LON=15|draw_LON=5|loss_LON=8|gf_LON=42|ga_LON=33

|win_WEX=11|draw_WEX=6|loss_WEX=11|gf_WEX=45|ga_WEX=40

|win_FHA=10|draw_FHA=6|loss_FHA=12|gf_FHA=40|ga_FHA=43

|win_ATH=8|draw_ATH=5|loss_ATH=15|gf_ATH=25|ga_ATH=41

|win_MER=6|draw_MER=5|loss_MER=17|gf_MER=34|ga_MER=49

|win_SDG=5|draw_SDG=5|loss_SDG=18|gf_SDG=23|ga_SDG=51

|note_SDG=Salthill Devon changed their name to SD Galway

|col_PRO=green1|text_PRO=Promoted to Premier Division

|result1=PRO

|col_PR=green2|text_PR=Lost promotion/relegation play-offs

|result2=PR|result3=PR

|update=complete

|source={{cite web|url=http://thescore.thejournal.ie/salthill-devon-set-to-rebrand-and-play-at-terryland-337743-Jan2012/ |title=Salthill Devon set to rebrand and play at Terryland · The Score |publisher=Thescore.thejournal.ie |date=26 January 2012}}

}}

{{#invoke:sports results|main

|matches_style=FBR|solid_cell=grey

|team1=ATH|team2=FHA|team3=LIM|team4=LON|team5=MER

|team6=SDG|team7=WAT|team8=WEX

|name_ATH=Athlone Town

|match_ATH_FHA=2–0

|match_ATH_LIM=0–1

|match_ATH_LON=1–2

|match_ATH_MER=2–1

|match_ATH_SDG=2–1

|match_ATH_WAT=1–4

|match_ATH_WEX=0–1

|name_FHA=Finn Harps

|match_FHA_ATH=1–2

|match_FHA_LIM=1–3

|match_FHA_LON=1–3

|match_FHA_MER=4–3

|match_FHA_SDG=3–0

|match_FHA_WAT=0–1

|match_FHA_WEX=0–1

|name_LIM=Limerick

|match_LIM_ATH=2–1

|match_LIM_FHA=2–1

|match_LIM_LON=1–2

|match_LIM_MER=2–0

|match_LIM_SDG=3–0

|match_LIM_WAT=0–1

|match_LIM_WEX=4–0

|name_LON=Longford Town

|match_LON_ATH=2–1

|match_LON_FHA=1–3

|match_LON_LIM=0–2

|match_LON_MER=4–2

|match_LON_SDG=1–0

|match_LON_WAT=3–2

|match_LON_WEX=1–0

|name_MER=Mervue United

|match_MER_ATH=0–1

|match_MER_FHA=3–0

|match_MER_LIM=1–2

|match_MER_LON=0–1

|match_MER_SDG=1–2

|match_MER_WAT=0–0

|match_MER_WEX=3–0

|name_SDG=SD Galway

|match_SDG_ATH=0–1

|match_SDG_FHA=1–5

|match_SDG_LIM=2–5

|match_SDG_LON=1–1

|match_SDG_MER=2–2

|match_SDG_WAT=0–2

|match_SDG_WEX=1–1

|name_WAT=Waterford United

|match_WAT_ATH=1–1

|match_WAT_FHA=0–2

|match_WAT_LIM=3–1

|match_WAT_LON=0–2

|match_WAT_MER=3–1

|match_WAT_SDG=1–0

|match_WAT_WEX=4–0

|name_WEX=Wexford Youths

|match_WEX_ATH=1–2

|match_WEX_FHA=3–0

|match_WEX_LIM=0–1

|match_WEX_LON=1–2

|match_WEX_MER=2–0

|match_WEX_SDG=2–0

|match_WEX_WAT=6–0

|update=complete

|source=[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/ier2012.html www.rsssf.com]

}}

{{#invoke:sports results|main

|matches_style=FBR|solid_cell=grey

|team1=ATH|team2=FHA|team3=LIM|team4=LON|team5=MER

|team6=SDG|team7=WAT|team8=WEX

|name_ATH=Athlone Town

|match_ATH_FHA=1–1

|match_ATH_LIM=0–1

|match_ATH_LON=1–1

|match_ATH_MER=0–3

|match_ATH_SDG=2–0

|match_ATH_WAT=2–3

|match_ATH_WEX=0–3

|name_FHA=Finn Harps

|match_FHA_ATH=2–0

|match_FHA_LIM=1–1

|match_FHA_LON=1–0

|match_FHA_MER=3–2

|match_FHA_SDG=2–0

|match_FHA_WAT=1–2

|match_FHA_WEX=3–3

|name_LIM=Limerick

|match_LIM_ATH=1–0

|match_LIM_FHA=3–0

|match_LIM_LON=0–0

|match_LIM_MER=4–0

|match_LIM_SDG=1–0

|match_LIM_WAT=0–1

|match_LIM_WEX=1–3

|name_LON=Longford Town

|match_LON_ATH=0–0

|match_LON_FHA=0–1

|match_LON_LIM=0–2

|match_LON_MER=2–0

|match_LON_SDG=1–2

|match_LON_WAT=0–1

|match_LON_WEX=2–0

|name_MER=Mervue United

|match_MER_ATH=2–0

|match_MER_FHA=1–1

|match_MER_LIM=0–3

|match_MER_LON=4–5

|match_MER_SDG=0–0

|match_MER_WAT=0–2

|match_MER_WEX=0–0

|name_SDG=SD Galway

|match_SDG_ATH=3–0

|match_SDG_FHA=2–0

|match_SDG_LIM=0–1

|match_SDG_LON=1–3

|match_SDG_MER=2–1

|match_SDG_WAT=0–1

|match_SDG_WEX=2–2

|name_WAT=Waterford United

|match_WAT_ATH=0–0

|match_WAT_FHA=1–1

|match_WAT_LIM=2–1

|match_WAT_LON=4–2

|match_WAT_MER=1–2

|match_WAT_SDG=3–0

|match_WAT_WEX=1–2

|name_WEX=Wexford Youths

|match_WEX_ATH=4–2

|match_WEX_FHA=2–2

|match_WEX_LIM=1–3

|match_WEX_LON=1–1

|match_WEX_MER=1–2

|match_WEX_SDG=4–1

|match_WEX_WAT=1–2

|update=complete

|source=[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/ier2012.html www.rsssf.com]

}}

The second and third placed First Division teams, Waterford United and Longford Town, played off to decide who would play Dundalk,

the eleventh placed team from the Premier Division. The winner of this play off would play in the 2013 Premier Division.

;First Division

{{football box collapsible

|date = 20 October 2012

|time =

|team1 = Longford Town

|score = 0–2

|report = [ Report]

|team2 = Waterford United

|goals1 =

|goals2 = Peter White {{goal|1}}
Craig Burns {{goal|52}}

|stadium = Flancare Park{{cite web |url=http://www.extratime.ie/newsdesk/articles/9148/longford-town-0---2-waterford-united/ |title=Longford Town 0 – 2 Waterford United |last1=O'Flaherty |first1=Deniese |date=21 October 2012 |work=extratime.ie |accessdate=10 March 2013}}

|attendance = 550

|referee =Kevin O'Regan (Kerry)

}}

{{football box collapsible

|date = 26 October 2012

|time =

|team1 = Waterford United

|score = 1–1

|report = [ Report]

|team2 = Longford Town

|goals1 = Kirby {{goal|?}}

|goals2 = Peter Higgins {{goal|9}}

|stadium = Waterford RSC{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/irish-soccer-league/2012/1026/343327-waterford-progress-to-play-off-with-dundalk/ |title=Waterford United 1–1 Longford Town (Agg 3–1) |date=26 October 2012 |work= RTÉ News|accessdate=10 March 2013}}

|attendance =

|referee =Keith Callanan }}

Waterford United win 3–1 on aggregate

;First Division v Premier Division

{{football box collapsible

|date = 30 October 2012

|time =

|team1 = Dundalk

|score = 2–2

|report = [ Report]

|team2 = Waterford United

|goals1 = Lorcan Shannon {{goal|23}}
Stephen McDonnell {{goal|75}}

|goals2 = Paul Phelan {{goal|50}}
Ben Ryan {{goal|60}}

|stadium = Oriel Park{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/irish-soccer-league/2012/1030/343651-dundalk-v-waterford-united/ |title=Dundalk 2–2 Waterford United |date= 30 October 2012|work= RTÉ News|accessdate=10 March 2013}}

|attendance =

|referee =Paul McLaughlin (Monaghan)

}}

{{football box collapsible

|date = 2 November 2012

|time =

|team1 = Waterford United

|score = 0–2

|report = [ Report]

|team2 = Dundalk

|goals1 =

|goals2 = Michael Rafter {{goal|45|68}}

|stadium = Waterford RSC{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/irish-soccer-league/2012/1102/344086-waterford-united-v-dundalk/ |title=Waterford United 0–2 Dundalk (agg 2–4) |date=2 November 2012 |work= RTÉ News|accessdate=10 March 2013}}

|attendance = 3,000

|referee =Padraig Sutton (Clare)

}}

Dundalk win 4–2 on aggregate and retained their place in the Premier Division. Waterford United appealed the result of the playoff, claiming Michael Rafter was ineligible as Dundalk had incorrectly registered him when they signed him earlier that season. However the appeal was unsuccessful. {{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/irish-soccer-league/2012/1107/344671-waterford-to-appeal-dundalk-play-off-result/ |title=Waterford to appeal Dundalk play-off result |date=7 November 2012 |work= RTÉ News|accessdate=10 March 2013}}{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/fai-dismiss-waterford-protest-1.1079619 |title=FAI dismiss Waterford protest |date=14 November 2012 |work= The Irish Times|accessdate=10 March 2013}}

• 2012 League of Ireland Premier Division
• 2012 League of Ireland Cup

{{Reflist}}

{{League of Ireland First Division}}

{{2012 in Republic of Ireland association football}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2012 League of Ireland First Division}}

Category:League of Ireland First Division seasons

Ireland

Ireland