AS seasons go the 2024 campaign will rightfully live long in the memory for all League of Ireland supporters.
Attendances were up throughout the country and television figures were also on the rise.
And, to be fair, one of the main reasons for that was a pulsating Premier Division title race, which for the first time in a number of years wasn’t decided until the dramatic final night of the season.
Another big factor as to why there was so much interest in the local game was Shelbourne boss Damien Duff.
The ex-Ireland winger guided the Tolka Park men to their first top-flight title in 18 years and while a lot of pundits may not have liked Shels' style, they deserve a lot of credit as they were the most consistent team throughout the year, especially when they won six of their opening seven league games.
To be honest, after their opening night draw at Waterford, Duff’s side picked up 18 points from their next six outings, they never looked back.
The ex-Chelsea title winner had installed a superb never-say-die attitude, something which he certainly took from his former Blues boss Jose Mourinho.
While Duff and Co rightfully grabbed all the headlines, there were so many subplots throughout the division, that the scriptwriters for Eastenders cliffhangers couldn’t have dared to dream up.
Former Ireland manager Stephen Kenny returned to the league to take over at St Patrick’s Athletic and while his side didn’t enjoy a silver lining, they did more than enough to show everyone that they are going to be a major force in 2025.
In fact, their tremendous second half of the season nearly forced them into the title race but, in the end, they just ran out of matches and had to settle for a third-place finish, which secured European football for next season.
Talking of Europe, Shamrock Rovers are still competing in this season’s Europa Conference League, incredibly they face Norwegians Molde in the play-off of the competition three days before they face Bohemians, at the Aviva Stadium, in their 2025 league opener.
Stephen Bradley’s side, who by their usual high standards never really got going in the league in 2024, did managed to run Shels all the way to the end and would have claimed their fifth Premier Division in a row if Duff’s side hadn’t won at the Ryan McBride Brandywell on the final night.
Talking of the Brandywell it really was a dreadfully disappointing campaign for Ruaidhrí Higgins’ squad.
The Candystripes secured their place as Ireland’s version of Spurs, by finishing fourth in a two-horse race!
Yes, that’s right, Derry City were Shels' main title threat right up until the second last league game and they disappointingly ended their league campaign with back-to-back defeats to shockingly finish in fourth place when the biggest prize was there for the taking.
Higgins’ style of play certainly divided opinion amongst the home support, with the majority frustrated that City’s slow tempo possession-based football was, in the end, the big reason why they didn’t win their first Premier Division title since 1997.
Another huge disappointment in 2024 for the Foylesiders came in Europe when they were knocked out of the Conference League by Gibraltar part-timers Bruno’s Magpies and, in truth, they never really recovered from that humiliating loss.
City’s terrible season was summed up in their final three matches, where they knew victories would seal the double, yes the league and cup double, but they suffered defeats against St Pat’s and Shels in the league and they produced a gutless FAI Cup Final performance and deservedly lost 2-0 to Drogheda United.
Those defeats meant there will be no European football at the Brandywell next season and also contributed to Higgins deciding to call it a day.
Derry fans will be hoping that 2025 can be a marked improvement under ex-Larne back-to-back title-winning manager Tiernan Lynch, who is now in the hot seat.
The Maiden City club also suffered heartache in August as arguably the greatest-ever League of Ireland manager and Derry’s treble-winning gaffer and Brandywell native Jim McLaughlin passed away.
As for the rest of the league, every side had their story; Kevin Doherty’s Drogs won the cup and a week later avoided the drop, seeing off Bray Wanderers in the play-off.
Their near neighbours Dundalk weren’t so fortunate and they were relegated, but the Oriel Park outfit are just happy they still have a club.
Alan Reynolds’ Bohemians had a disappointing season and they’ll be expecting a lot more in 2025. Waterford and Sligo Rovers had big players in Padraig Amond and Ellis Chapman respectively throughout the year.
John Caulfield’s Galway United were the big surprise of the season and while they faded away towards the end of the year, finishing fifth was better than expected for a newly promoted side.
In the First Division, Cork City never really broke into a sweat as they eased to the title and their inclusion in the top flight next year is going to improve things.
Darren Murphy’s Finn Harps just missed out on a play-off spot and promotion will be the target for the Donegal men in 2025.
Already the excitement is building for next season with Rovers and St Pat’s joint favourites for the Premier Division title, but they’ll have to be at their best if they hope to take the championship crown away from Duff’s side.
Shels’ have already strengthened their squad having added winger Daniel Kelly from Derry, free-scoring midfielder Chapman from Sligo and former Ireland U21 striker Mipo Odubeko.
Next season skipper Mark Coyle along with the likes of Conor Kearns, Sean Gannon, Paddy Barrett and Sean Boyd will be the men to maintain that hunger, desire and ‘everyone hates us’ mentality, which Duff has installed in his title winners.
Here’s to another season to remember.
