It has been a night of celebration in Dundalk to add to a weekend of the same in and around Tolka Park as Dundalk joined Shelbourne FC in celebrating title winning performances in the SSE Airtricity Premier League and First Division.

Dundalk’s victory over Shamrock Rovers last night, in driving rain at Oriel Park gave them their fifth title in six years. They did so with three games left to play but with a fifteen point advantage over Rovers as their nearest challengers.

The season had started slowly for new manager Vinny Perth with two draws in the opening rounds of matches back in February but with 25 wins and only two defeats so far their progress from that point was relentless.

Victory again qualifies them to take part in the preliminary stages of the 2020 UEFA Champions’ league, the holy grail in terms of performance and financial benefit but for now the celebrations focus on the domestic title.

Oriel park holds a capacity of only 4,500 which was on the mind of Dundalk CEO Mark Devlin in the programme last night. He spoke of a possible connection to a new 14,000 seater stadium for which planning permission has been lodged by Louth GAA.

Devlin joined Dundalk in March of this year from a similar position at Brentford in London. That club is shortly to move into a new purpose built stadium so he has the experience of dealing with property matters as well as those on the field of play.

Last night’s victory completed the title winning season with Shelbourne Football Club having secured the SSE Airtricity First Division Title the previous week at Drogheda United and being presented with their trophy at Tolka Park on Saturday night.

Their season finished with a 7-0 hammering of Limerick FC who have and continue to endure a torrid season embroiled in investigations of betting irregularities and financial struggles.

Shelbourne will now return to the top flight of the domestic game for the first time in six years.

They trail Peamount in the Women’s National League by eight points but with a game in hand and a clash against them on October 12th.

This has been the tenth year of SSE Airtricity’s sponsorship of the League and as Official Energy Partner of the FAI.