Mayo Association Football League is an association football league that features amateur and junior clubs from County Mayo. Its top division, the Super League, is a seventh level division in the Republic of Ireland football league system. Clubs from the league also compete in the FAI Junior Cup and the Connacht Junior Cup. A Mayo League representative team also competes in the League of Ireland Cup.
The league season operates on a calendar schedule, usually running from March to September. The headquarters of the league are located at Milebush Park in Castlebar, known as Umbro Park for sponsorship reasons.
History In the autumn of 1953, a group of men that included Joe McCormack and Robert Kilkellly met to form the Mayo Association Football League. County Mayo had been denied representation on the senior and junior councils of the Football Association of Ireland as the county had no organised league and the meeting was an attempt to bring more structure to the sport in Mayo. In 1954 Westport Town, Barcastle, Quay Hearts and Castlebar Celtic became the founder members of the Mayo Association Football League. Castlebar Celtic finished the inaugural season as champions and, together with Westport United, they went on to become the league's most successful clubs. Quay Hearts secured the title the following season in 1955.
During the 1970s and early 1980s, the winners of the league played off against the winners of the other Connacht junior leagues for the Michael Byrne Cup. During the 1970s the league expanded to include three divisions. In 1984–85 a league cup was introduced. It was originally known as the Robert Kilkelly Cup, before becoming the AIB Cup and then the Chadwicks Cup. As of August 2018, it is known as the Connacht Gold Cup. In December 1986, 11 acres at Milebush were purchased and became the headquarters of the league, with the new ground named as Milebush Park.
The league originally operated on an autumn/winter schedule but grounds and facilities were a major problem and games were vulnerable to postponements due to weather. To resolve this, a summer season was introduced in May 1994 and kicked off the following July. To further assist the development of the game in Mayo, the 1990s saw new entry requirements introduced for the top division. This included coaching badges for managers and higher standards for playing surfaces and dressing rooms. The top division was also renamed the Super League from the 1999 season onwards to reflect the changes.
In 2017, Milebush Park, the headquarters of the Mayo Association Football League, was renamed 'Solar 21 Park' after a sponsorship deal was agreed with the company. A fifth division, the 'CMR Fire and Security League Three', was introduced in 2021 but was short lived and only lasted one season.
Milebush Park was again renamed in 2024, this time to Umbro Park, when a new sponsorship deal was agreed. In July 2025, Kiltimagh Knock United withdrew from the top division mid-season. Their reserve side had left the third tier earlier the same year.
League pyramid The Mayo Association Football League has four divisions. The two top divisions – the Super League and the Premier Division – are sponsored by Elverys Sports and Welcome Inn Hotel respectively. The league also organises an over-35s league, known as the Westaro Masters League for sponsorship purposes. As of 2025, the Masters League has three divisions.
County LevelLeague(s) / division(s)1Elverys Sports Super League 10 clubs – 2 relegations2Castlecourt Hotel Premier League 10 clubs – 2 promotions, 2 relegations3Killeen Sports Ground League One 10 clubs – 2 promotions, 2 relegations4McDonnell Construction League Two 9 clubs – 2 promotions Source:
Ground Milebush Park is the headquarters of the Mayo Association Football League and is an official FAI regional centre, hosting national programmes and events such as player development courses, tournaments, coaching education courses and trials for the national team. Also known as Umbro Park (and formerly Solar 21 Park) for sponsorship reasons, Milebush Park has previously hosted Connacht Junior Cup finals, inter-league, underage league and women's league finals.
The ground was purchased in December 1986, with a separate company setup to oversee development. A clubhouse was added in 1992 and a covered stand was built in 2001. The stand was named the Henry Downes Stand after the chairman of the league committee involved in the purchase of Milebush. The stand seats 300 people.
A second ground, a floodlit Omniturf all-weather pitch, was installed in 2003–04 with the first game being played by Mayo under-15s on 11 February 2004. In 2006, the clubhouse was extended to include new dressing rooms. In March 2014, the all-weather pitch was relaid with new artificial turf to meet the latest standards.
Representative team A Mayo League representative team competes regularly in the Oscar Traynor Trophy and the Connacht Inter League Cup, playing against teams representing other leagues. In recent seasons they have also competed in the League of Ireland Cup, playing against Connacht/Ulster – based teams from the League of Ireland. As of 2016 they have never progressed past the first round. In 2015 Joseph N'Do was appointed the head coach of the league's representative team.
League of Ireland Cup record SeasonRoundHome teamScoreAway teamVenue20041Mayo League1–1Galway United20041Sligo Rovers2–0Mayo LeagueThe Showgrounds2005 1Derry City2–1 Mayo League20121Finn Harps2–0 Mayo LeagueFinn Park2013 1Mayo League1–4Finn Harps20141Galway2–0Mayo LeagueEamonn Deacy Park20151Sligo Rovers8–0Mayo LeagueShowgrounds20161Galway United3–1Mayo LeagueEamonn Deacy Park20171Galway United2–0Mayo LeagueEamonn Deacy Park20181Finn Harps4–3Mayo LeagueFinn Park
Wins by club ClubWinsWinning yearsCastlebar Celtic211954, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1967–68, 1978–79, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2019, 2023, 2024, 2025Westport United1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1981–82, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017Ballina Town51988–89, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2018Manulla41987–88, 1994, 1995, 1999Ballyglass31990–91, 1996, 1997Straide & Foxford United1992–93, 1993–94, 2000Balla21976–77, 1977–78Ballyheane 2021, 20221970–71, 1971–72Urlaur1989–90, 1991–92Achill Rovers119982003Quay Hearts1954–55Westport Crusaders1979–80
List of Super League winners by season Season Winner Runners-up2025 Castlebar Celtic Westport United2024 Castlebar Celtic Westport United2023 Castlebar Celtic Ballina Town2022 Ballyheane Ballina Town2021 Ballyheane Ballina Town2020Season abandoned due to COVID-192019 Castlebar Celtic Westport United2018 Ballina Town Westport United2017 Westport United Manulla2016 Westport United Ballina Town2015 Westport United Ballina Town2014 Westport United Castlebar Celtic2013 Ballina Town Ballyheane2012 Westport United Castlebar Celtic2011 Castlebar Celtic Westport United 2010 Ballina Town Westport United 2009 Ballina Town Westport United 2008 Westport United Ballina Town 2007 Westport United Ballina Town 2006 Castlebar Celtic Iorras Aontaithe2005 Westport United Iorras Aontaithe2004 Westport United Castlebar Celtic2003 Iorras Aontaithe Castlebar Celtic2002 Westport United Straide & Foxford United2001 Castlebar Celtic Ballyglass2000 Straide & Foxford United Manulla1999 Manulla Ballyglass1998 Achill Rovers Ballyheane1997 Ballyglass Achill Rovers1996 Ballyglass Urlaur1995 Manulla Iorras Aontaithe1994 Manulla Castlebar United1993–94 Straide & Foxford United Iorras Aontaithe1992–93 Straide & Foxford United Swinford1991–92 Urlaur Straide & Foxford United1990–91 Ballyglass Castlebar United1989–90 Urlaur Straide & Foxford United1988–89 Ballina Town Urlaur FC1987–88 Manulla Ballina Town1986–87 Castlebar Celtic Westport United 1985–86 Castlebar Celtic Ballina Town1984–85 Castlebar Celtic Manulla1983–84 Castlebar Celtic Balla1982–83 Castlebar Celtic Westport United1981–82 Westport United Castlebar Celtic1980–81 Castlebar Celtic Westport United1979–80 Westport Crusaders Shraigh United1978–79 Castlebar Celtic Westport Textiles1977–78 Balla Castlebar Celtic1976–77 Balla Castlebar Celtic1975–76 Westport United Ballyhaunis and Ballina Town1974–75 Westport United Ballina Town1973–74 Westport United Ballina Town1972–73Season not completed1971–72 Sporting Club Westport Castlebar Celtic1970–71 Sporting Club Westport Westport United 1969–70 Westport United Ballinrobe Town1968–69 Westport United Castlebar Celtic1967–68 Castlebar Celtic A Castlebar Celtic B1966–67 Westport United Ballina Town1965–66 Westport United Castlebar Celtic1964–65 Westport United Castlebar Celtic1963–64 Westport United Castlebar Celtic1962–63 Westport United Castlebar Celtic1961–62 Castlebar Celtic Quay Hearts1960–61 Castlebar Celtic Westport United 1959–60 Castlebar Celtic Westport United 1958–59 Castlebar Celtic Quay Hearts1957–58 Castlebar Celtic Westport United 1956–57No competition1955–56Season not completed1954–55 Quay Hearts Unknown 1954 Castlebar Celtic Quay Hearts and Barcastle
See also Mayo Women's Football League
References