The A Championship, also known as the Newstalk A Championship for sponsorship reasons, 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.
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. 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. 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.
The A Championship eventually kicked off in 2008 and UCD A became the inaugural champions. 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 and then runners-up in 2011. Two other reserve teams, Shamrock Rovers A and Derry City A finished as champions in 2009 and 2011 respectively.
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. 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.
At the League of Ireland clubs' annual convention in 2009, 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 also 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.
Following the conclusion of the 2011 season, the A Championship was absorbed into the League of Ireland U19 Division. Cobh Ramblers and Tralee Dynamos both unsuccessfully applied to join the 2012 League of Ireland First Division. Ramblers did however join the First Division in 2013 and Dynamos, together with Fanad United, joined the U19 Division. In 2013 Shamrock Rovers entered their reserve team in the First Division.
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. In 2011 the two group runners-up also qualified for the title play-off. 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. 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.
List of finals Season Winner Results Runners-up Venue2008 UCD A2–1Bohemians AUCD Bowl2009 Shamrock Rovers A1–0Salthill DevonDrom Soccer Park 2010 UCD A2–1Bohemians AUCD Bowl2011 Derry City A3–2 UCD ABrandywell Stadium
Related competitions A Championship Shield SeasonWinnerResultRunner-upVenue2008Cork City A3–2Bohemians ABuckley Park
A Championship Cup SeasonWinnerResultRunner-upVenue2010Sporting Fingal A3–2Bohemians ADalymount Park
Teams
Key:
Team Home town/suburb Ground Seasons Bohemians APhibsboroughAUL ComplexDalymount Park2008–11 Bray Wanderers ABrayJackson Park 2008–11 F.C. CarlowCounty CarlowThe ValleyThe Meadows 2009–11 Castlebar Celtic CastlebarCeltic Park2009–10 Cobh RamblersCobh Ramblers fielded their reserve team in the 2008 season and their first team during the latter three seasons.CobhSt Colman's Park2008–11 Cork City A CorkTurner's Cross 2008–09 Derry City ADerryBrandywell Stadium 2008–092011 Drogheda United ADroghedaUnited Park2008–11 Dundalk ADundalkOriel Park2009–11 Fanad United FanadTraigh-a-Loch 2011 Finn Harps A BallybofeyFinn Park 2008–11 Galway United A Galway AthenryCastle Park2008–11 Limerick ALimerick A played as Limerick 37 A during the 2008 season. LimerickJackman ParkRiverside ParkAisling-Annacotty Grounds 20082010–11Mervue United GalwayFahy's Field 2008 St Patrick's Athletic AInchicoreRichmond Park 2008–11 Salthill DevonSalthillDrom Soccer Park2008–09 Shamrock Rovers A DrumcondraTallaght Tolka ParkTallaght Stadium2008–11 Shelbourne ADrumcondraTolka Park2010 Sligo Rovers ASligoShowgroundsSligo IT Grounds2008–11 Sporting Fingal A FingalALSAA Sports Complex2009–10Tralee Dynamos TraleeCahermoneen2009–11 Tullamore TownTullamoreLeah Victoria Park 2008–10UCD ABelfieldUCD Bowl 20082010–11
Notes
See also 2010 A Championship Cup
References