Leinster Senior League (association football)
Football league
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The Leinster Senior League is an association football league organised by the Leinster Football Association. The Leinster Senior League operates 22 divisions, 12 of which are played on Saturdays, with 10 divisions played on Sundays.[1][2] It also organises 17 different cup competitions.[3][4] Its Senior Division is on the third level of the Republic of Ireland football league system.
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| |
| Founded | 1896 |
|---|---|
| Country |  Ireland |
| Region |  Leinster |
| Divisions | 22 |
| Level on pyramid | 3–12 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Leinster Senior Cup FAI Cup FAI Intermediate Cup FAI Junior Cup |
| League cup(s) | Metropolitan Cup Charlie Cahill Cup |
| Current champions | St. Mochta’s F.C. |
| Most championships | Shelbourne (12 titles) |
| Website | www.lsl.ie |
Leinster Senior League teams also compete in the Leinster Senior Cup, the FAI Cup, the FAI Intermediate Cup and the FAI Junior Cup. In recent seasons the winners of the Senior Division have also qualified to play in the League of Ireland Cup. The vast majority of its member clubs are based in the Greater Dublin Area.
History
Foundation
Within a few seasons of the Leinster Football Association having been formed in 1892, the Leinster Senior League was established. Ciarán Priestley highlights a printed notice in the 4 September 2010 edition of The Irish Times. Under the headline "Leinster Football League" there is a report of "a general meeting of the league... held the other evening at 27 D'Olier Street". Priestley also lists Bohemians, Britannia, Dublin University, Leinster Nomads, Phoenix and Montpelier as participants in the first season. The Leinster Senior League website states it was established in 1896.[4] However other sources suggest the league started a little later and was first played for in 1897–98 and that an unidentified British Army regimental team were the inaugural winners while Shelbourne were runners up. See Note 1[5][6]
Modern era
The league was re-organised for the 1988–89 season, with Division 1 and Division 1A replaced by the Senior Division and Division 1 respectively.[7]
League pyramid
The Leinster Senior Football League (LSL) has four intermediate divisions – Senior, Senior 1, 1A and 1B – with promotion and relegation between them. Below this, the LSL also runs junior ranks – played on a Sunday for a club's first team, as well as Saturday divisions for a club's a second team.[8]
As of November 2024, there is no promotion or relegation system in place between the League of Ireland First Division (Level 2 of the national league system) and the intermediate provincial leagues (Level 3 of the system), which includes Leinster.[9][8] However, Leinster junior clubs can achieve promotion up to the intermediate ranks via promotion from the highest junior league (Major Sunday) to the lowest intermediate league (Senior 1B).[1]
| Colour-coding key |
|---|
| Intermediate (levels 3–6) |
| Junior (levels 7–12) |
|
Pyramid Level |
League(s) / division(s) |
|---|---|
|
3 |
Leinster Senior League Senior Division 14 clubs – 3 relegations |
|
4 |
Leinster Senior League Senior 1 14 clubs – 3 promotions, 3 relegations [10] |
|
5 |
Leinster Senior League 1A
14 clubs – 3 promotions, 3 relegations [11] |
|
6 |
Leinster Senior League 1B
14 clubs – 3 promotions, 3 relegations [12] |
|
7 |
Leinster Senior League Major Sunday |
|
8 |
Leinster Senior League Major 1 Sunday |
|
9 |
Leinster Senior League Premier Sunday |
|
10–14 |
Source:[19] |
Senior divisions
The senior divisions of the Leinster Senior League are played on Sundays.[20]
| Team | Home town/suburb | Home county | Home ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor Celtic | Crumlin | County Dublin | The Transport Club |
| Ballymun United | Ballymun | County Dublin | Ballymun Soccer Complex |
| Finglas United | Finglas | County Dublin | Larney Park |
| Inchicore Athletic | Inchicore | County Dublin | Bernard Curtis Park |
| Kilbarrack United | Kilbarrack | County Dublin | Greendale Road |
| Killester Donnycarney F.C. | Killester & Donnycarney | County Dublin | Haddon Park |
| Lucan United | Lucan | County Dublin | O'Hanlon Park, Celbridge |
| Malahide United | Malahide | County Dublin (Fingal) | Gannon Park |
| St. Francis F.C. | Baldonnel | County Dublin | John Hyland Park |
| St. Mochta's F.C. | Porterstown & Clonsilla | County Dublin (Fingal) | Porterstown Road |
| Tolka Rovers | Glasnevin | County Dublin | Frank Cooke Park |
| UCD (res.) | Belfield | County Dublin | UCD Bowl |
| Usher Celtic | Dublin quays[21] | County Dublin | War Memorial Gardens |
| Wayside Celtic | Kilternan | County Dublin | Jackson Park |
Senior 1
| Team | Home town/suburb | Home county | Home ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arklow Town | Arklow | County Wicklow | Travers Insurances Park |
| Bluebell United | Bluebell | County Dublin | Capco Park |
| Crumlin United | Crumlin | County Dublin | Pearse Park |
| Edenderry Town | Edenderry | County Offaly | Paddy Maloney Park |
| Glebe North | Balbriggan | County Dublin (Fingal) | Old Market Green |
| Hartstown Huntstown F.C. | Hartstown & Huntstown | County Dublin (Fingal) | Hartstown Park |
| Home Farm | Drumcondra | County Dublin | Whitehall Stadium |
| Kilnamanagh A.F.C. | Kilnamanagh | County Dublin | Ned Kelly Park |
| Liffey Wanderers | Ringsend | County Dublin | Irishtown Stadium |
| Maynooth Town | Maynooth | County Kildare | NUI Astro Maynooth |
| Montpelier F.C. | Arbour Hill | County Dublin | Grangegorman Pitch |
| Sacred Heart | Tallaght | County Dublin | Joe Maughan Park |
| Skerries Town | Skerries | County Dublin (Fingal) | Park Lane[24] |
| St. Patrick's C.Y.F.C. | Irishtown | County Dublin | Irishtown Stadium |
Source: [25]
Senior 1A
| Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
|---|---|---|
| Ayrfield United | Ayrfield | Blunden Drive |
| Blackrock College A.F.C. | Blackrock | Stradbrook |
| Castleknock Celtic | Castleknock, Dublin | Hartstown Park Astro |
| Drumcondra FC | Drumcondra, Dublin | Baskin Lane |
| Dublin Bus FC | Ronanstown | Coldcut |
| Inchicore Athletic | Inchicore, Dublin | Bernard Curtis Park |
| Larkview Boys | Kimmage, Dublin | Whelan Park |
| Leixlip United | Leixlip, County Kildare | Leixlip Amenities Sports Centre |
| Newbridge Town | Newbridge, County Kildare | Station Road, Newbridge |
| Portlaoise AFC | Portlaoise, County Laois | Portlaoise AFC |
| St. John Bosco | Drimnagh, Dublin | Brickfield Astro |
| St. Kevin’s Boys | Santry, Dublin | St. Aidans School Astro |
| Templeogue United | Templeogue | St McDaras School |
| Usher Celtic | Islandbridge | War Memorial Gardens |
Source: [26] Senior 1B
| Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
|---|---|---|
| Ardmore Rovers | Bray, County Wicklow | Wolfe Tone Community Centre |
| Ballyfermot United | Ballyfermot | Cold Cut |
| Drogheda Town FC | Drogheda, County Louth | Marian Park |
| Dublin University | Trinity College Dublin | College Park |
| Dunboyne AFC | Dunboyne, County Meath | Dunboyne AFC |
| Finglas United | Finglas | Larney Park |
| Hartstown Huntstown | Hartstown/Huntstown | Hartstown Park |
| Kilmore Celtic | Kilmore, Dublin | Oscar Traynor Centre |
| Leicester Celtic | Rathfarnham, Dublin | Loreto Park |
| Oliver Bond Celtic | Dublin 8 | Grangegorman Grass |
| Raheny United | Raheny, Dublin | St. Anne's Park |
| Rush Athletic | Rush, County Dublin | St. Catherine's Park |
| Sheriff YC | Sheriff Street, Dublin | Clontarf All Weather Pitch |
| Tullamore Town | Tullamore, County Offaly | Leah Victoria Park |
Source: [27]
Junior leagues
This is a selection of teams playing in the lower levels of the Leinster Senior League.
| Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
|---|---|---|
| Beechwood | Milltown, Dublin | Royal Hospital, Donnybrook |
| Dundrum | Dundrum, Dublin | Meadowbrook Park |
| Drumcondra/Stella Maris | Drumcondra, Dublin | |
| Glenville | Palmerstown, Dublin | Palmerstown School |
| Greystones A.F.C. | Greystones | Archfield |
| Manortown United | Perrystown | Greentrees Park |
| Phoenix F.C. | Scribblestown & Ashtown | Scribblestown Pitch |
| Pioneers | Dublin Airport | ALSAA Sports Complex |
| T.E.K. United | Blackrock, Dublin | Stradbrook |
| Terenure College A.F.C. | Terenure | Bushy Park |
| Transport | Crumlin, Dublin | Windmill Park |
Cup competitions
The Charlie Cahill Cup is contested by the top two divisions in the Leinster Senior League.[28] The competition is named after the league’s former chairman, who stepped down in 2009 and was also president of the Leinster Football Association (LFA) and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) during his career as a legislator.[29][30][31] The first Cahill Cup was held in the 1992–93 season and was won by Cherry Orchard.[32][33]
The Noel Ryan Cup is contested by the top four teams from each of the league's four Intermediate divisions.[34] Named after one of the founders of Crumlin United, the inaugural cup was held in 2010 and was won by Wayside Celtic.[35][36]
The Metropolitan Cup is contested by Leinster Senior League teams with the competition first held in 1906.[37] Ashtown Villa won the competition in the 1992–93 season.[33]
Representative team
A Leinster Senior League representative team competes in the FAI Intermediate Interprovincial Tournament against teams representing the Ulster Senior League, the Munster Senior League and Connacht.[38]
Notes
- ^1 This was possibly Sherwood Foresters who were the 1896-97 IFA Cup runners-up, losing to Cliftonville in the final. They were based in the Curragh, County Kildare.[39][40]