One of the main topics of conversation in recent times when it comes to the League of Ireland has centred around growth, maximising revenues, and how the game has been growing with fans reacting well to new initiatives and matchday endeavours, and how this has helped drive a consistent increase in attendances across clubs.
Or to give it its technical name, it has achieved ‘more bums on seats’ but whilst that remains true for the large part, the 2024 campaign has been a strange one and in some ways, the answer given by those involved in the wider game would very much depend on their own preferences and bias.
For some it is proof that standards have dramatically dropped across the board, for others it is testament to greater competitiveness, even if it was wildly unpredicted. For those fans who like a small flutter on sports betting at Lottoland, they would not have predicted this season, that is for sure. Either way it has certainly been entertaining for those who follow the domestic Irish game.
You can point at a number of clubs, but let us take hugely successful Shamrock Rovers as an example. They are reigning champions after their 21st title win in 2023, but they have had their worst year in the league since 2017, yet could have banked 5 million Euros given their form and progression in the Europa Conference League.
There is less than a handful of games left in the campaign now, but unlike usual years, the top of the table is far more unpredicted than ever with no real clear front runner for the title, or the available European places after Shelbourne’s collapse. The basic reason for this is that the points tallies built up by clubs is incredibly modest when compared with previous years, and even with only two fixtures remaining in the calendar the top five sides are still only separated by seven points.
On face value, four sides are technically in with a shout of the title, four more for the subsequent European spots, and this is actually clearer than it has felt over the last few weeks. Not least as St Patrick’s Athletic have come from nowhere very late in the day with a string of wins to bring them into the mix, and whilst it had looked like Shelbourne would run away with top spot, three defeats in their last five games (or one win in 13 if you prefer) has massively opened that battle up as well.
It is also worth noting that on November 10th, 2nd place Derry City face 9th place Drogheda United in the FAI Cup final. We have a guaranteed Relegation Play Off candidate 90 minutes from being Cup winners and European football. Can it get more bizarre?
Returning to the title race, clearly it is going to the wire but November 1st will be decision day if Shelbourne cannot take maths out of the equation and confirm that the title is going back to Tolka Park this year. But as fans know, there will be no extension should the season somehow finish in a tie as goal difference now rules, with Title Play Off games consigned to the very distant past.
Such has been the bizarre season, if there is a tie and goal difference and goals scored is still not enough for a decision, we will dip into head-to-heads and aggregate scores across those games if necessary. This additional complication is incredibly unlikely now, but for a while, it has probably been closer to being used than ever before. Irish football is interesting to say the least.