Men's Irish Hockey League
Field hockey league
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Men's Irish Hockey League is a field hockey league organised by Hockey Ireland that features men's teams from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The league was first played for during the 2008–09 season. It replaced the All-Ireland Club Championships as the top level men's field hockey competition in Ireland. Since 2015–16 the league has been sponsored by Ernst & Young and, as a result, it is also known as the EY Hockey League.
10 (Division 2)
Republic of Ireland
Northern Ireland | |
| First season | 2008–09 |
|---|---|
| Administrator | Hockey Ireland |
| No. of teams | 10 (Division 1) 10 (Division 2) |
| Country | Republic of Ireland Northern Ireland |
| Confederation | EHF (Europe) |
Most recent champion | Lisnagarvey |
| Most titles | Lisnagarvey (6 titles) |
| Level on pyramid | 1 and 2 |
| Relegation to | Senior provincial leagues |
| Domestic cup | Irish Senior Cup |
| International cups | Euro Hockey League EuroHockey Club Trophy |
| Website | www.hockey.ie |
History
Format
The league was first played for during the 2008–09 season.[1] Between 2008–09 and 2014–15 the league used pool stages and play-offs to determine the league champion. Teams were divides into two pools with the winners and runners-up in each pool then qualifying for the semi-finals. The league title was then decided by a final. Teams continued to play in their respective provincial leagues and qualified for the next season's national league via their position in the provincial league. However for the 2015–16 season the league was reorganised. The pool stages were abandoned and replaced with a full league programme consisting of 18 rounds of home and away matches. In addition the play-offs were effectively replaced by a new competition, the EY Champions Trophy. Furthermore the clubs no longer entered their senior teams in provincial leagues.[2]
2000s/2010s
The first season of the Irish Hockey League saw Pembroke Wanderers win the league following a shoot-out win against Glenanne, with goalkeeper David Harte saving multiple penalties to seal the victory.[3] They would repeat the feat the next season, lead once again by player-coach Craig Fulton.
Lisnagarvey would win the 2011-12 title following successive final defeats in the previous years.[4]
Graham Shaw guided Monkstown to three successive league titles in 2012–13, 2013–14 and 2014–15.[5][6]
The 2015–16 season introduced a new format, replacing the previous pool-stage system with a full league structure. Lisnagarvey went on to win the inaugural title under the revised format. They would again win the league in the 2018-19 season
In 2017–18 Glenanne won the league title for the first time. They secured the title after defeating Lisnagarvey 4–2. Glenanne were 2–0 down before Shane O'Donoghue scored a hat-trick.[7][8]
2020s
The 2019–20 season began as normal, with Lisnagarvey leading the table after eleven games. The competition was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was later declared null and void by Hockey Ireland, with no champion awarded.[9]
The 2020-21 season would also be cancelled due to the pandemic [10]
The 2020s have thus far been dominated by two Ulster clubs — Lisnagarvey and Banbridge — with the league title alternating between them since competition resumed. Lisnagarvey claimed the league in 2022, 2025 and 2026, while Banbridge won back to back titles in 2023 and 2024.
The 2025-26 season would see the two teams fight for the title once again with Lisnagarvey winning the league after leapfrogging Banbridge on the final day of the season after Banbridge conceded a final play equaliser against Avoca, sending Lisnagarvey top after they came out as 1-0 victors over YMCA.[11]
Division 2
The 2018–19 season saw the introduction of a Division 2. The new division revived the original format of the league. From the initial season until the 2024-25 season the league used pool stages and play-offs to determine the Division 2 champion and which teams get promoted to Division 1. [12][13][14]
From the 2025-26 season the format changed to a singular league with 10 teams, the top two of which would be promoted to Division 1.[15]
Teams qualify for the league by being part of the top three in their respective provincial leagues with the tenth place being alternated yearly between the Ulster and Leinster fourth place team. Division 2 teams continue to play in their respective provincial leagues.
2025–26 teams
Division 1
| Team | Home town/suburb | Home pitch |
|---|---|---|
| Avoca | Dublin (Blackrock) | Newpark Comprehensive School |
| Banbridge | Banbridge | Havelock Park |
| Cookstown | Cookstown | Cookstown High School |
| Corinthians | Dublin (Rathfarnham) | St Columba's College |
| Cork Church of Ireland | Cork | Garryduff |
| Lisnagarvey | Hillsborough | Comber Road |
| Monkstown | Dublin (Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown) | Merrion Fleet Arena |
| Pembroke Wanderers | Dublin (Sandymount) | Serpentine Avenue |
| Three Rock Rovers | Dublin (Rathfarnham) | Grange Road |
| YMCA | Dublin (Ballinteer) | Wesley College |
Source:[16]
For the 2025-26 EY Hockey League Division 1, Cork Church of Ireland and Cookstown joined the league having been promoted from the EYHL Division 2. It is the first time since the 2018–19 season that Cork Church of Ireland have played in the top flight, marking the return of a Munster team to the division. Cookstown had been promoted having spent two seasons in the second division having been relegated from EYHL Division 1 in the 2022-23 season.
Division 2
| Team | Home town/suburb | Home pitch |
|---|---|---|
| Annadale | Belfast | Comber Road |
| Bandon | Bandon | Bandon Grammar School |
| Bray | Bray/Greystones | Temple Carrig School |
| Catholic Institute | Limerick | Catholic Institute Athletic Club |
| Clontarf | Dublin (Clontarf) | Mount Temple |
| Cork Harlequins | Cork | Farmers Cross |
| Instonians | Belfast | Shaws Bridge |
| Portrane | Portrane/Donabate | Donabate Community College |
| Queen's University | Belfast | Upper Malone |
| South Antrim | Lisburn | Friends' School |
Source:[17]
Five new teams joined the EY Hockey League Division 2 for the 2025-26 season with the league moving from a pool format to a round-robin league format. The newly qualified teams are Catholic Institute from Munster, Bray from Leinster and Annadale, South Antrim and Queen's University all being new sides from Ulster.
Annadale had been relegated from the EYHL Division 1 the previous season
Winners
Division 1
Pool Format
| Season | Winners | Score | Runners up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–09 | Pembroke Wanderers (1)[18] | 1-1 [note 1] | Glenanne |
| 2009–10 | Pembroke Wanderers (2)[19][20] | 4–1 | Lisnagarvey |
| 2010–11 | Banbridge (1)[21][22] | 2–2 [note 2] | Lisnagarvey |
| 2011–12 | Lisnagarvey (1)[23][24] | 3–1 | YMCA (Dublin) |
| 2012–13 | Monkstown (1)[25] | 4-3 | Banbridge |
| 2013–14 | Monkstown (2)[26][27][28][29] | 2–1 | Banbridge |
| 2014–15 | Monkstown (3)[30] | 2–1 | Banbridge |
League Format
| Season | Winners | Runners up |
|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | Lisnagarvey (2)[31] | Monkstown |
| 2016–17 | Banbridge (2)[32] | Three Rock Rovers |
| 2017–18 | Glenanne (1)[7][8][33] | Three Rock Rovers |
| 2018–19 | Lisnagarvey (3) | Three Rock Rovers |
| 2019–20 | Season declared null and void due to the COVID-19 pandemic[34] | |
| 2020–21 | Season not played due to COVID-19 pandemic | |
| 2021–22 | Lisnagarvey (4)[35] | Three Rock Rovers |
| 2022–23 | Banbridge (3)[36] | Lisnagarvey |
| 2023–24 | Banbridge (4)[37] | Glenanne |
| 2024-25 | Lisnagarvey (5)[38] | Three Rock Rovers |
| 2025-26 | Lisnagarvey (6)[39] | Banbridge |
- Notes
Source:[40]
Division 2
Since the 2021-22 season both the winner and runner up of the EYHL2 Playoffs earn automatic promotion [41]
In the 2025-26 Season the format changed to a round-robin league format from the previous pool format. The top two sides in the league would be promoted to EYHL1.
Pool Format
| Year | Winners | Runners up |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | Corinthians | UCD[note 1] |
| 2019-20 | [note 2][34] | |
| 2020-21 | [note 3][42] | |
| 2021-22 | Cookstown | Instonians |
| 2022-23 | Corinthians | UCD |
| 2023-24 | Avoca | Pembroke Wanderers |
| 2024-25 | Cork Church of Ireland[43] | Cookstown |
League Format
| Year | Winners | Runners up |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Portrane[44] | Cork Harlequins |
- Notes
- UCD beat Cork Church of Ireland in a promotion/relegation playoff
- 2019–20 declared null and void. Season abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland
- Season not played due to COVID-19 pandemic
EY Champions Trophy
In addition to introducing a new format, the 2015–16 season also saw the introduction of the EY Champions Trophy. The top three placed teams from the league and/or the winners of the Irish Senior Cup all qualify for the end of season competition.[2] The winners of the EY Champions Trophy qualify to represent Ireland in the Euro Hockey League.[45]
| Year | Winners | Score | Runners up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | Lisnagarvey (1)[31][45] | 3–1 | Banbridge |
| 2016-17 | Three Rock Rovers (1)[46][47] | 2–1 | Monkstown |
| 2017-18 | Three Rock Rovers (2)[48] | 2–1 | Glenanne |
| 2018-19 | Three Rock Rovers (3)[49][50] | 2–0 | Lisnagarvey |
| 2019-20 | not played | ||
| 2020-21 | not played | ||
| 2021-22 | Lisnagarvey (2)[51] | 2–2 [note 1] | Banbridge |
| 2022-23 | Banbridge (1) | 3–1 | Lisnagarvey |
| 2023-24 | Banbridge (2) | 2–1 | Lisnagarvey |
| 2024-25 | Banbridge (3)[52] | 1–1 [note 2] | Lisnagarvey |
| 2025-26 | Lisnagarvey(3)[53] | 2-2 [note 3] | Banbridge |
- Notes
Source:[40]