First Division Stats
Credit:
GOALSCORERS
Conan Byrne's incredible run of 12 league goals since the start of July has moved him to the top of the First Division goalscorer's chart. The midfielder has edged ahead of early pace setters Graham Cummins and Willie John Kiely, both of whom are suffering a drought of sorts as Waterford's promotion bid hits the rocks.
Shelbourne's David McAllister is the other main mover, while Limerick will wonder where they might have finished had Stephen O'Flynn (10 in 9) been leading their attack from the start of the season.
462 goals have been scored by 145 different players, at an average of 2.67 goals per game.
Nearly a quarter of those goals(23%) have come in the last 15 minutes.
League leaders U.C.D are the best performers in this spell, with an aggregate of 10-2 in their favour.
Mervue United may have only managed more goals than Kildare County, but they do have the largest spread of scorers. 15 of their squad have found the target.
THE CONTENDERS
A quick look at the promotion candidates remaining games and how they fared against those opponents to date:
U.C.D
v Mervue United - Points gained... 6/6 - Aggregate Score...3-1
v Longford Town - 6/6 - 6-1
v Athlone Town - 4/6 - 2-1
v Waterford United - 4/6 - 1-0
Shelbourne
v Athlone Town - 4/6 - 4-2
v Finn Harps - 4/6 - 3-2
v Longford Town - 4/6 - 4-2
v Waterford United - 6/6 - 2-0
v Kildare County - 6/6 - 4-0
Sporting Fingal
v Longford Town - 6/6 - 4-2
v Limerick - 4/6 - 5-2
v Mervue United - 4/6 - 3-1
v Athlone Town - 6/6 - 4-1
Waterford United
v Limerick - 6/6 - 4-1
v Mervue - 6/6 - 4-0
v Kildare County - 6/6 - 4-0
v Shelbourne - 0/6 - 0-2
v U.C.D - 1/6 - 0-1
Longford Town and Athlone Town will have a big say in the destination of the title as all of the top three have to play both of the strugglers in their remaining fixtures. U.C.D look to have a relatively simple run-in, given they have beaten Waterford twice, albeit narrowly, and host the Blues on the final day. A 10-point haul looks manageable.
Shelbourne have dropped points already against all of their next three opponents. A testing trip to Finn Park and another to the RSC look to be pivotal to their chances, as they will probably need 13 points to clinch the title, given U.C.D's far superior goal difference.
Sporting Fingal look the most likely to win their four games, which would put them on 72 points and maybe give Liam Buckley's men crucial home advantage in the play-off, were Shelbourne to slip up. Waterford, who look to be tiring after a multi-faceted season, will need a big change in form to put pressure on those above them. An agonizing fourth place looms, with maybe the consolation of a Cup final place.
Final Table Prediction:
UCD - - - - - - 75
Shelbourne - 74
Sporting - - - 72
Waterford - - 67
Conan Byrne's incredible run of 12 league goals since the start of July has moved him to the top of the First Division goalscorer's chart. The midfielder has edged ahead of early pace setters Graham Cummins and Willie John Kiely, both of whom are suffering a drought of sorts as Waterford's promotion bid hits the rocks.
Shelbourne's David McAllister is the other main mover, while Limerick will wonder where they might have finished had Stephen O'Flynn (10 in 9) been leading their attack from the start of the season.
| Scorer | Goals |
| Conan Byrne | 18 |
| Graham Cummins | 17 |
| Ciaran Kilduff | 13 |
| David McAllister | 13 |
| Willie John Kiely | 11 |
| Karl Bermingham | 11 |
| Anto Flood | 10 |
| Stephen O'Flynn | 10 |
| Noel McGee | 10 |
| Derek Glynn | 9 |
| David McMillan | 9 |
462 goals have been scored by 145 different players, at an average of 2.67 goals per game.
Nearly a quarter of those goals(23%) have come in the last 15 minutes.
League leaders U.C.D are the best performers in this spell, with an aggregate of 10-2 in their favour.
Mervue United may have only managed more goals than Kildare County, but they do have the largest spread of scorers. 15 of their squad have found the target.
THE CONTENDERS
A quick look at the promotion candidates remaining games and how they fared against those opponents to date:
U.C.D
v Mervue United - Points gained... 6/6 - Aggregate Score...3-1
v Longford Town - 6/6 - 6-1
v Athlone Town - 4/6 - 2-1
v Waterford United - 4/6 - 1-0
Shelbourne
v Athlone Town - 4/6 - 4-2
v Finn Harps - 4/6 - 3-2
v Longford Town - 4/6 - 4-2
v Waterford United - 6/6 - 2-0
v Kildare County - 6/6 - 4-0
Sporting Fingal
v Longford Town - 6/6 - 4-2
v Limerick - 4/6 - 5-2
v Mervue United - 4/6 - 3-1
v Athlone Town - 6/6 - 4-1
Waterford United
v Limerick - 6/6 - 4-1
v Mervue - 6/6 - 4-0
v Kildare County - 6/6 - 4-0
v Shelbourne - 0/6 - 0-2
v U.C.D - 1/6 - 0-1
Longford Town and Athlone Town will have a big say in the destination of the title as all of the top three have to play both of the strugglers in their remaining fixtures. U.C.D look to have a relatively simple run-in, given they have beaten Waterford twice, albeit narrowly, and host the Blues on the final day. A 10-point haul looks manageable.
Shelbourne have dropped points already against all of their next three opponents. A testing trip to Finn Park and another to the RSC look to be pivotal to their chances, as they will probably need 13 points to clinch the title, given U.C.D's far superior goal difference.
Sporting Fingal look the most likely to win their four games, which would put them on 72 points and maybe give Liam Buckley's men crucial home advantage in the play-off, were Shelbourne to slip up. Waterford, who look to be tiring after a multi-faceted season, will need a big change in form to put pressure on those above them. An agonizing fourth place looms, with maybe the consolation of a Cup final place.
Final Table Prediction:
UCD - - - - - - 75
Shelbourne - 74
Sporting - - - 72
Waterford - - 67
About Alan Dooley
is one of Extratime's longest serving contributors. Based in County Galway, Alan has been following the League of Ireland since the mid-1980s. His first memory of the drama of domestic football was Vinny Arkins, then … View Full Profile