2014–15 NIFL Championship
| Season | 2014–15 |
|---|---|
← 2013–14 2015–16 → | |
The 2014–15 NIFL Championship (known as the Belfast Telegraph Championship for sponsorship reasons)[1] was the seventh season since its establishment after a major overhaul of the league system in Northern Ireland, and the second season that the league is being operated by the Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL), which took over from the Irish Football Association (IFA) for the 2013–14 season onwards.[2] The season began on 8 August 2014 and concluded on 2 May 2015.
Carrick Rangers won the Championship 1 title, winning promotion back to the top flight for the first time since their relegation in the 2011–12 season.[3] Bangor finished as runners-up – the Promotion/relegation play-off place – and faced Warrenpoint Town from the Premiership for a place in next season's Premiership.[4] After a 2–2 draw on aggregate after extra time, Warrenpoint Town won 3–1 on penalties and retained their Premiership status for next season.[5] In the bottom two, Dundela and PSNI were relegated to Championship 2. Lurgan Celtic and Annagh United replaced them in Championship 1, after finishing first and second in Championship 2. For the second successive season, a club was relegated to regional football. Ballymoney United finished bottom of Championship 2 and were relegated to a regional division for the following season.
Changes from 2013–14
Competition changes
League restructure proposals to be introduced over a three-season period were approved by the NIFL on 25 June 2014. The first phase, coming into effect this season, amended the Championship rules:
- Promotion/relegation play-off – the highest ranked club with a Championship licence, finishing in positions 2–6 in Championship 1 will participate in a promotion/relegation play-off for a place in the Premiership. Prior to this season the club had to finish as runners-up to take part in the play-off.
- Championship 2 – the bottom two clubs in this season's Championship 2 will be relegated to regional football. If there are no regional champions eligible for promotion, only the bottom club will be relegated. Championship 2 will reduce in size to 14 clubs in the 2015–16 season.
Team changes
Institute won the Championship 1 title, winning promotion back to the top flight for the first time since the 2009–10 season. They were replaced by Ards, after they had finished bottom of the NIFL Premiership.[6] In the bottom two, Limavady United and Coagh United were relegated to Championship 2. Armagh City and PSNI replaced them in Championship 1, after finishing first and second in Championship 2. For the first time since the Championship was inaugurated in 2008, a club was relegated to regional football. Killymoon Rangers finished bottom of Championship 2 and were relegated to the Ballymena & Provincial League for the following season. Mid-Ulster Football League Intermediate A side Dollingstown took their place in Championship 2, after winning the promotion play-off against Brantwood 6–4 on aggregate.[7] Also leaving Championship 2 was Chimney Corner. In July 2014, the club announced that they would be resigning from the Championship to join the Ballymena & Provincial League for the 2014–15 season.[8] No club replaced them in Championship 2, which meant that the division was reduced in size to 15 clubs.
Promoted from Championship 1 to the Premiership
- Institute (1st in NIFL Championship 1)
Relegated from the Premiership to Championship 1
- Ards (12th in NIFL Premiership)
Promoted from Championship 2 to Championship 1
- Armagh City (1st in Championship 2)
- PSNI (2nd in Championship 2)
Relegated from Championship 1 to Championship 2
- Coagh United (13th in Championship 1)
- Limavady United (14th in Championship 1)
Promoted from Mid-Ulster Football League to Championship 2
- Dollingstown (1st in MUFL Intermediate A Division - promoted via play-off)
Relegated from Championship 2 to Ballymena & Provincial League
- Chimney Corner (14th in Championship 2 – club resigned)[8]
- Killymoon Rangers (16th in Championship 2)
Championship 1
| Champions | Carrick Rangers |
|---|---|
| Promoted | Carrick Rangers |
| Relegated | Dundela PSNI |
| Matches played | 182 |
| Goals scored | 622 (3.42 per match) |
| Biggest home win | Bangor 8–0 PSNI |
| Biggest away win | PSNI 0–7 Ards |
| Highest scoring | Loughgall 2–7 Bangor |
← 2013–14 2015–16 → | |
Stadia and locations
| Club | Stadium | Location | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ards | Clandeboye Park | Bangor | 2,850 (500 seated) |
| Armagh City | Holm Park | Armagh | 3,000 (330 seated) |
| Ballyclare Comrades | Dixon Park | Ballyclare | 1,800 (500 seated) |
| Bangor | Clandeboye Park | Bangor | 2,850 (500 seated) |
| Carrick Rangers | Taylors Avenue | Carrickfergus | 6,000 (400 seated) |
| Dergview | Darragh Park | Castlederg | 1,200 (100 seated) |
| Donegal Celtic | Donegal Celtic Park | Belfast | 2,330 (650 seated) |
| Dundela | Wilgar Park |
Belfast | 2,500 (100 seated) |
| Harland & Wolff Welders | Tillysburn Park |
Belfast | 3,000 (100 seated) |
| Knockbreda | Breda Park | Knockbreda | 1,000 (100 seated) |
| Larne | Inver Park | Larne | 1,100 (656 seated) |
| Lisburn Distillery | New Grosvenor Stadium | Ballyskeagh | 7,000 (540 seated) |
| Loughgall | Lakeview Park | Loughgall | 3,000 (180 seated) |
| PSNI | Newforge Lane | Belfast | 500 (112 seated) |
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carrick Rangers (C, P) | 26 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 54 | 22 | +32 | 62 | Promotion to NIFL Premiership |
| 2 | Bangor | 26 | 18 | 6 | 2 | 71 | 32 | +39 | 60 | Qualification to promotion play-off |
| 3 | Ards | 26 | 16 | 8 | 2 | 61 | 30 | +31 | 56 | |
| 4 | Harland & Wolff Welders | 26 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 59 | 37 | +22 | 50 | |
| 5 | Larne | 26 | 13 | 3 | 10 | 52 | 36 | +16 | 42 | |
| 6 | Dergview | 26 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 40 | 43 | −3 | 33 | |
| 7 | Armagh City | 26 | 9 | 5 | 12 | 38 | 48 | −10 | 32 | |
| 8 | Knockbreda | 26 | 9 | 3 | 14 | 31 | 43 | −12 | 30 | |
| 9 | Ballyclare Comrades | 26 | 8 | 4 | 14 | 46 | 48 | −2 | 28 | |
| 10 | Lisburn Distillery | 26 | 8 | 4 | 14 | 38 | 58 | −20 | 28 | |
| 11 | Loughgall | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 36 | 54 | −18 | 27 | |
| 12 | Donegal Celtic | 26 | 5 | 9 | 12 | 35 | 42 | −7 | 24 | |
| 13 | PSNI (R) | 26 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 27 | 64 | −37 | 23 | Relegation to NIFL Championship 2 |
| 14 | Dundela (R) | 26 | 3 | 4 | 19 | 34 | 65 | −31 | 13 |
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd goal difference; 3rd goals scored; 4th head-to-head points; 5th head-to-head goal difference
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Results
Each team will play every other team twice (once at home, and once away) for a total of 26 games.
Championship 2
| Champions | Lurgan Celtic |
|---|---|
| Promoted | Lurgan Celtic Annagh United |
| Relegated | Ballymoney United |
| Matches played | 210 |
| Goals scored | 714 (3.4 per match) |
| Biggest home win | Lurgan Celtic 9–0 Coagh United |
| Biggest away win | Ballymoney United 0–6 Moyola Park Annagh United 0–6 Limavady United |
| Highest scoring | Moyola Park 2–7 Annagh United Lurgan Celtic 9–0 Coagh United |
← 2013–14 2015–16 → | |