TREATY UNITED host Cobh Ramblers on the final night of the First Division season, with promotion play-off places still to be decided and the Premier Division relegation battle adding another layer to the race.
The SSE Airtricity League of Ireland Men’s First Division reaches its final round of fixtures on Friday, October 16, with Cobh Ramblers travelling to Treaty United knowing their result could determine whether they qualify for the promotion play-offs.
While Treaty cannot reach the top five and will most likely finish in ninth (although eight isn’t totally impossible), Cobh remain in contention alongside Kerry FC, Longford Town and Athlone Town for the remaining play-off places.
Cork City have already secured the First Division title and automatic promotion to the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division (The League of Ireland Men’s First Division is the second tier of Irish football, sitting below the Premier Division). Bray Wanderers and UCD have also more or less guaranteed their places in the play-offs, leaving the final round to decide the remaining qualifiers and the final standings.
Who can still qualify?
Ahead of the final fixture, Kerry sit fourth on 51 points, with Longford and Cobh level on 49 points in fifth and sixth respectively. Athlone are seventh on 48 points.
Cobh travel to Treaty, Longford host Athlone, while Kerry welcome champions Cork City. The results of these three fixtures will determine which teams finish in the final play-off positions.
The top five in the First Division do not all enter the play-offs. The league winners are promoted automatically, while the teams finishing second to fifth compete for a chance to join them in the Premier Division.
The second-placed team faces the side finishing fifth, while third plays fourth in two-legged semi-finals. The winners meet in a one-off final, with the winner advancing to the promotion/relegation play-off against the team finishing ninth in the Premier Division.
The First Division play-off semi-finals are scheduled to take place over the coming weeks.
The picture in the Premier Division
The identity of the Premier Division side that will face the First Division play-off winner is not yet settled, with the top-flight season having up to four games remaining.
As of October 13, Drogheda United occupy ninth place on 34 points, level with Waterford FC, who sit eighth but have a game in hand. That leaves the battle to avoid the relegation play-off open, with both sides still having league fixtures to play. Galway United aren’t totally out of that picture either.
The team that finishes ninth will face the First Division play-off winners in a single match, with the winner playing in the Premier Division next season and the loser competing in the First Division.
Sligo Rovers have been confirmed as the bottom-placed team and will be automatically relegated. The remaining Premier Division fixtures will also determine the league title and European qualification places.
With the First Division play-off race going down to the final round and the Premier Division relegation picture still unresolved, Friday’s meeting between Treaty and Cobh carries significant consequences beyond the Markets Field.