| Select Year | ||
Glenavon and Tottenham Hostpur were early visitors to Leeside before City faced Torpedo Moscow in the Cup Winners’ Cup, a huge step for a young club. They lost 0:6 on aggregate against the Russians, but the experience fuelled the club’s desire and inspired a fifth-place finish in the Premier Division.
The ambitious experiment of recruiting four Bulgarians in October did not pay off but hinted at an actual desire for achievement.
The FAI Cup and the League Cup proved fruitless avenues to success, but the Munster Senior Cup was reclaimed on New Year’s Day at the expense of Tramore Athletic.
For the first time City were genuine championship contenders, exploding from the traps with a 20-game unbeaten run that lasted until late January, the squad bolstered by the inclusion of five Scots during the season. The only other defeat came when Dundalk stole a 1:0 win and the title in front of 12,000 fans packed into Turners Cross. The consolation was another European berth, this time in the UEFA Cup.
There were early exits in the FAI and League Cup, but the Munster Senior Cup was retained when Limerick City were overcome 3:0 on the last day of the season.
League of Ireland Premier Division 1989-1990
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Patrick's Athletic (C) | 33 | 22 | 8 | 3 | 51 | 22 | 29 | 52 |
| 2 | Derry City | 33 | 20 | 9 | 4 | 72 | 18 | 54 | 49 |
| 3 | Dundalk | 33 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 50 | 26 | 24 | 42 |
| 4 | Shamrock Rovers | 33 | 16 | 8 | 9 | 45 | 37 | 8 | 40 |
| 5 | Cork City | 33 | 14 | 9 | 10 | 35 | 24 | 11 | 37 |
| 6 | Bohemians | 33 | 14 | 7 | 12 | 35 | 32 | 3 | 35 |
| 7 | Shelbourne | 33 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 39 | 39 | 0 | 33 |
| 8 | Galway United | 33 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 39 | 61 | -22 | 29 |
| 9 | Limerick City | 33 | 7 | 8 | 18 | 28 | 50 | -22 | 22 |
| 10 | Athlone Town | 33 | 5 | 12 | 16 | 28 | 53 | -25 | 22 |
| 11 | Drogheda United (R) | 33 | 5 | 8 | 20 | 20 | 44 | -24 | 18 |
| 12 | UCD (R) | 33 | 6 | 5 | 22 | 25 | 61 | -36 | 17 |
