| Select Year | ||
A year of consolidation after the Bishopstown nightmare ended with a surprise Intertoto Cup qualification. After a disastrous start a late run was rewarded when City finished fourth. Along the way the team claimed a League Cup final place, but unexpectedly lost on aggregate to First Division Galway United. Crowds began to increase, and the Munster Cup was recaptured, but most importantly a lot of vital repair work was undertaken and the club appeared a lot stronger than 12 months earlier.
Note 1: Shelbourne qualified for the 1997–98 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup after winning the 1996–97 FAI Cup final.
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Derry City (C) | 33 | 19 | 10 | 4 | 58 | 27 | 31 | 67 |
| 2 |  Bohemians | 33 | 16 | 9 | 8 | 43 | 32 | 11 | 57 |
| 3 |  Shelbourne | 33 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 36 | 16 | 54 |
| 4 |  Cork City | 33 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 38 | 24 | 14 | 54 |
| 5 |  St. Patrick's Athletic | 33 | 13 | 14 | 6 | 45 | 33 | 12 | 53 |
| 6 |  Sligo Rovers | 33 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 43 | 43 | 0 | 47 |
| 7 |  Shamrock Rovers | 33 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 43 | 46 | -3 | 43 |
| 8 |  UCD | 33 | 12 | 7 | 14 | 34 | 39 | -5 | 43 |
| 9 |  Finn Harps | 33 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 41 | 43 | -2 | 39 |
| 10 |  Dundalk | 33 | 9 | 9 | 15 | 32 | 50 | -18 | 36 |
| 11 |  Bray Wanderers (R) | 33 | 5 | 8 | 20 | 30 | 59 | -29 | 23 |
| 12 |  Home Farm Everton (R) | 33 | 3 | 10 | 20 | 26 | 53 | -27 | 19 |
