- Connacht Senior League (association football)
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Connacht Senior League is a now defunct, amateur football league that ran in the Irish province of Connacht between 1981 and the summer of 2000, being scrapped when the leading clubs opted to join an under 21 league set up that year by the FAI. Teams from this league also competed in Ireland's top cup competitions including the FAI Cup, the FAI Junior Cup and the FAI Intermediate Cup. The champions or highest placed non-reserve team got to take part in the League of Ireland Cup, the reserve sides in question were those of Sligo Rovers and Galway United. It initially consisted of one division of around 8 teams with some teams dropping out (no relegation system existed)and occasionally new ones joining, however with the increasing popularity of Irish soccer in the nineties it slowly attracted more sides, including teams from Leinster, so 2 divisions were eventually created. However this format lasted only one season and it reverted to one division the following season, becoming known as the Connacht Senior League Premiership. Dropouts by some clubs was one reason for this and the trend continued with the league eventually finishing with only eight clubs. League of Ireland First Division sides Mervue United and Salthill Devon were two of the regular competitors while 'A Championship side Castlebar Celtic also took part. Other intermediate sides who featured included UCG(later NUIG), Tuam Celtic, Ballinasloe Town, Castlerea Celtic, Straide & Foxford united, Ballina Town, Westport United while clubs from Athlone (Gentex and St.Peters) and Longford also took part.
Contents
Champions
Lineup for the first Connacht Senior League eventually won by Sligo Rovers
Connacht Senior League in 1995-96 when it consisted of two divisionsSeason Champion Runner-up Play-off if needed
1981-82 Sligo Rovers Mervue United 1982-83 Mervue United Sligo Rovers 1983-84 Mervue United Salthill Devon 2-2,2-2,3-0[A] 1984-85 Galway United Mervue United 1985-86 Galway United UCG 4-3[A] 1986-87 Mervue United Galway United 1987-88 Galway United Castlebar Celtic 1988-89 Castlebar Celtic Salthill Devon 1989-90 UCG Salthill Devon 1990-91 Salthill Devon Sligo Rovers 1991-92 Sligo Rovers Castlebar Celtic 1992-93 Mervue United Sligo Rovers 1993-94 Sligo Rovers Galway United 3-1[A] 1994-95[B] Straide & Foxford United Castlebar Celtic 1-0[B] 1995-96[C] UCG Straide & Foxford United 1996-97 Mervue United Straide & Foxford United 1997-98 Mervue United UCG 1998-99 Mervue United UCG 1999-00 Mervue United UCG A. ^ Goal difference did not count so play-offs were needed if teams were level on points.
B. ^ League was split into two groups with the group winners (Straide & Foxford Utd. and Castlebar Celtic) in a play-off final to decide the winners.[1] The top 3 to 4 teams in each group would play in a new premiership the following season and the remaining sides would go into a first division.
C. ^ League consisted of a Premiership and a First Division. It would only be a one off with the league reverting to one division in 1996. Ballinasloe Town were the First Division winners.[2]
Sources
- The Connacht Sentinel at the Irish Newspaper Archives'
- The City Tribune at the Irish Newspaper Archives'
- The Connaught Telegraph at the Irish Newspaper Archives'
- The Galway Advertiser Archives
external links
- Collection of Connacht Senior League tables at Flickr [2]
References
Categories:- Association football leagues in the Republic of Ireland
- Defunct association football competitions in the Republic of Ireland
- Defunct association football leagues
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