A Championship

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A Championship
Founded2008
Folded2011
CountryTemplate:Flagicon Ireland
Level on pyramid3
Promotion toLeague of Ireland First Division
Domestic cupTemplate:Pluralize from textFAI Cup
League cupTemplate:Pluralize from textA Championship Cup
A Championship Shield
League of Ireland Cup
Last championsDerry City A
Most championshipsUCD A (2 titles)

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The A Championship, also known as the Newstalk A Championship for sponsorship reasons,[1] was an association football league featuring League of Ireland reserve teams and emerging senior teams. Established in 2008, the A Championship formed the third level in the Republic of Ireland football league system. The league was disbanded following the 2011 season and was effectively absorbed into the League of Ireland U19 Division.

Between 2009 and 2011 the league was sponsored by Newstalk.[1][2][3]

History

The idea of forming a regionalised A Championship was first proposed in 2006 as part of plan to reorganise the League of Ireland as a four tier structure.[4][5] The A Championship eventually kicked off in 2008 and UCD A became the inaugural champions.[6][7] Despite not defending their title in 2009, UCD subsequently went on to become the A Championship's most successful team. They were champions again in 2010[2][8] and then runners-up in 2011.[3][9] Two other reserve teams, Shamrock Rovers A and Derry City A finished as champions in 2009 and 2011 respectively.[10][11][3][9]

When the A Championship was founded in 2008, thirteen of the sixteen inaugural members were the reserve teams of League of Ireland clubs. The other three teams were Mervue United, Salthill Devon and Tullamore Town.[7] Sporting Fingal were also expected to join the A Championship for the 2008 season. However, when Kilkenny City withdrew from the First Division shortly before the season was due to start, Sporting Fingal were drafted in to replace them.[12] The 2009 season featured six non-reserve teams. After Mervue United gained promotion to the First Division, Salthill Devon and Tullamore Town were joined by Cobh Ramblers, Castlebar Celtic, F.C. Carlow and Tralee Dynamos. The latter three were all making their debut at senior national level. They were also the first clubs from their respective counties of Mayo, Carlow and Kerry to play at this level.[13][14][15] Castlebar Celtic and Tullamore Town both withdraw following the conclusion of the 2010 season but among their replacements were Fanad United. The non-reserve teams also represented the A Championship in the League of Ireland Cup and the FAI Cup.[16][17]

In 2009 at the League of Ireland clubs' annual convention, Dundalk called for the A Championship to be scrapped, arguing that it was putting an unwelcome financial burden on participating clubs. At the same convention Waterford United proposed that it should be optional rather than compulsory for senior sides to field a reserve team in the league. Drogheda United raised concerns about the "unacceptable level" of refereeing. According to a report in the Irish Independent one club, short of two players for an away match, paid two locals to make up their team while a number of fixtures were postponed because clubs did not have enough players.[18]

Following the conclusion of the 2011 season, the A Championship was absorbed into the League of Ireland U19 Division.[12][19] Cobh Ramblers and Tralee Dynamos both unsuccessfully applied to join the 2012 League of Ireland First Division.[20][21] Ramblers did however join the First Division in 2013 and Dynamos, together with Fanad United, joined the U19 Division.[22][23][24] In 2013 Shamrock Rovers entered their reserve team in the First Division.[25][26][27]

Format

The A Championship format saw the members of the league split into two groups, divided roughly into southern and northern groups. The two groups used a traditional round-robin format. In 2008, 2009 and 2010, the two group winners played off in a final.[7][10][28] In 2011 the two group runners-up also qualified for the title play-off.[29] A promotion and relegation system operated between the League of Ireland Premier Division, the League of Ireland First Division and the A Championship. Reserve teams were ineligible for promotion but the highest placed non-reserve teams qualified for a promotion/relegation play-off against a First Division team providing they finished in the top three of their group. Mervue United in 2008 and Salthill Devon in 2009 were both promoted to the First Division.[7] In contrast Cobh Ramblers were relegated directly from the 2008 Premier Division to the 2009 A Championship after they failed to obtain a First Division license.[13][10]

List of finals

Season Winner Results Runners-up Venue
2008 UCD A 2–1[6] Bohemians A UCD Bowl
2009 Shamrock Rovers A 1–0[11] Salthill Devon Drom Soccer Park
2010 UCD A 2–1[8] Bohemians A UCD Bowl[2]
2011 Derry City A 3–2[3][9] UCD A Brandywell Stadium

A Championship Shield

Season Winner Result Runner-up Venue
2008 Cork City A[30] 3–2 Bohemians A Buckley Park[31]

A Championship Cup

Season Winner Result Runner-up Venue
2010 Sporting Fingal A 3–2 Bohemians A Dalymount Park

Teams

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id:line value:pink
id:bg   value:white
         id:Full value:rgb(0.742,0.727,0.852) # Use this color to denote a team that was a reserve team
         id:Former value:rgb(0.4,0.80,0.67) # Use this color to denote a team that was promoted out of the division
         id:Future value:rgb(0.5,0.7,0.95) 
         id:Other value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this colour to denote a side that was a youth team

PlotData= 

width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

bar:1  color:Full from:2008 till:2012 text:Bohemians (2008–2011)

bar:2  color:Full from:2008 till:2012 text:Bray Wanderers (2008–2011)

bar:3  color:Full from:2008 till:2012 text:Cobh Ramblers (2008–2011)

bar:4  color:Full from:2008 till:2010 text:Cork City (2008–2009)

bar:5  color:Full from:2008 till:2010 text:Derry City (2008–2009)

bar:5 color: Full from:2011 till:2012 text:Derry City (2011)

bar:6  color:Full from:2008 till:2012 text:Drogheda United (2008–2011)

bar:7  color:Full from:2008 till:2012 text:Finn Harps (2008–2011)

bar:8  color:Full from:2008 till:2012 text:Galway United (2008–2011)

bar:9  color:Full from:2008 till:2009 text:Limerick 37 (2008)

bar:9  color:Full from:2010 till:2012 text:Limerick (2010–11)

bar:10  color:Former from:2008 till:2009 text:Mervue United (2008)
bar:10  color:Full from:2009 till:2012 text:Dundalk (2009–2011)

bar:11  color:Full from:2008 till:2012 text:St Pats (2008–2011)

bar:12  color:Former from:2008 till:2010 text:Salthill Devon (2008–2009)

bar:12  color:Future from:2011 till:2012 text:Fanad United (2011)

bar:13  color:Full from:2008 till:2012 text:Shamrock Rovers (2008–2011)

bar:14  color:Full from:2008 till:2012 text:Sligo Rovers (2008–2011)

bar:15  color:Future from:2008 till:2011 text:Tullamore Town (2008–2010)

bar:16  color:Full from:2008 till:2009 text:UCD (2008)



bar:16  color:Full from:2010 till:2012 text:UCD (2010–11)

bar:17  color:Future from:2009 till:2011 text:Castlebar Celtic (2009–2010)

bar:18  color:Other from:2009 till:2012 text:F.C. Carlow (2009–2011)



ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:1 start:2008 TextData = 

   fontsize:L
   textcolor:black
   pos:(0,30) tabs:(400-center)
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</timeline>

Key:
Reserve team Youth team Junior club
Team promoted Other team


Team Home town/suburb Ground Seasons
Bohemians A Phibsborough AUL Complex
Dalymount Park		 2008–11
Bray Wanderers A Bray Jackson Park 2008–11
F.C. Carlow County Carlow The Valley
The Meadows 		2009–11
Castlebar Celtic Castlebar Celtic Park 2009–10
Cobh Ramblers[note 1] Cobh St Colman's Park 2008–11
Cork City A Cork Turner's Cross 2008–09
Derry City A Derry Brandywell Stadium 2008–09
2011
Drogheda United A Drogheda United Park 2008–11
Dundalk A Dundalk Oriel Park 2009–11
Fanad United Fanad Traigh-a-Loch 2011
Finn Harps A Ballybofey Finn Park 2008–11
Galway United A Galway Athenry
Castle Park		 2008–11
Limerick A[note 2] Limerick Jackman Park
Riverside Park
Aisling-Annacotty Grounds 		2008
2010–11
Mervue United Galway Fahy's Field 2008
St Patrick's Athletic A Inchicore Richmond Park 2008–11
Salthill Devon Salthill Drom Soccer Park 2008–09
Shamrock Rovers A Drumcondra
Tallaght 		Tolka Park
Tallaght Stadium		 2008–11
Shelbourne A Drumcondra Tolka Park 2010
Sligo Rovers A Sligo Showgrounds
Sligo IT Grounds		 2008–11
Sporting Fingal A Fingal ALSAA Sports Complex 2009–10
Tralee Dynamos Tralee Cahermoneen 2009–11
Tullamore Town Tullamore Leah Victoria Park 2008–10
UCD A Belfield UCD Bowl 2008
2010–11

Notes

  1. ^ Cobh Ramblers fielded their reserve team in the 2008 season and their first team during the latter three seasons.
  2. ^ Limerick A played as Limerick 37 A during the 2008 season.

See also

References

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  1. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Newstalk new sponsors". www.extratime.com. extratime.ie. 22 January 2009. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Graham Rusk double gives UCD Newstalk A Championship title". sseairtricityleague.ie. 1 November 2010. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Newstalk A Championship Final: Derry City 3 UCD 2". sseairtricityleague.ie. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  4. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Soccer heading in right direction". Irish Independent. 15 June 2006. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  5. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Ahern, Neil (1 June 2010). "All clubs back FAI's league role". Irish Independent. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  6. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."UCD claim A Championship title". ucd.ie. University College Dublin. 12 November 2008. Archived from the original on 4 January 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  7. ^ a b c d Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Ireland 2008". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  8. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."U.C.D v Bohemians – Newstalk A Championship Final Photos". sportsfile.com. 1 November 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  9. ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Derry City v UCD – 2011 Newstalk A Championship Final Photos". sportsfile.com. 16 September 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  10. ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Ireland 2009". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  11. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Hoops claim Newstalk A Championship title". Football Association of Ireland. 31 October 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  12. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."What Happens Teams That Enter The League of Ireland First Division?". balls.ie. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  13. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."April kick-off for Newstalk A Championship". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. Archived from the original on 8 April 2010. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
  14. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Newstalk A Championship Spotlight – Castlebar Celtic". extratime.ie. 22 April 2009. Archived from the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  15. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Tralee Dynamos Football Club". traleedynamos.com. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  16. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Ireland 2010". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  17. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Ireland 2011". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  18. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."FAI reject change to league format". Irish Independent. 3 December 2009.
  19. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.McNulty, Chris (7 August 2014). "Finn Harps to discuss their USL future". Donegal News. Retrieved 19 January 2026. Harps had been big fans of the 'A' Championship, which has been replaced by the Under-19 League, while a new Under-17 League is to be launched next year by the FAI.
  20. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Ireland 2012". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  21. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Dynamos face stiff opposition for league berth". kerryman.ie. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
  22. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Ireland 2013". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  23. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."League of Ireland Under 19 table". traleedynamos.com. 6 March 2012. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  24. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Divisional Formations – 2012/13". loi19.com. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  25. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."FAI allow Shamrock Rovers to field second team in First Division". Irish Independent. 20 December 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  26. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Hoops will field a second team in the Airtricity First Division following the withdrawal of Mervue United and Salthill Devon". Goal (website). 20 December 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  27. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Shamrock Rovers to field team in First Division". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 20 December 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  28. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."RTÉ Sport: April kick-off for Newstalk A Championship". www.rte.ie. RTÉ. 23 March 2009. Archived from the original on 8 April 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  29. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Summary A Championship 2011". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  30. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Cork City Football Club Honours List". corkcityfc.ie. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  31. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Results". Irish Examiner. 2 June 2008. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2016.

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