The 2018–19 NIFL Championship was the third season of the NIFL Championship since gaining senior status. It is the second-tier of the Northern Ireland Football League - the national football league in Northern Ireland.
Teams The 2018–19 NIFL Championship was contested by 12 teams. Institute were champions in the previous season, and were promoted to the 2018–19 NIFL Premiership. They were replaced by the bottom team in last season's Premiership, Ballinamallard United. Runners-up Newry City won 6–3 on aggregate in the promotion play-off against Carrick Rangers, also achieving promotion to the Premiership for this season and relegating Carrick Rangers to the Championship.
The bottom team from the previous season, Lurgan Celtic, were relegated to the third-tier NIFL Premier Intermediate League. They were replaced by Dundela, winners of the Premier Intermediate League. The eleventh-placed team from the previous season, Dergview, remained in the Championship this season, after defeating the NIFL Premier Intermediate League runners-up Queen's University 4–1 on aggregate in the relegation play-off.
Stadia and locations
ClubStadiumLocationCapacityBallinamallard UnitedFerney ParkBallinamallard2,000 (250 seated)Ballyclare ComradesDixon ParkBallyclare5,333Carrick RangersLoughshore Hotel ArenaCarrickfergus4,500 (150 seated)DergviewDarragh ParkCastlederg1,200DundelaWilgar ParkBelfast2,500Harland & Wolff WeldersTillysburn ParkBelfast3,000KnockbredaBreda ParkBelfast1,000LarneInver ParkLarne3,000Limavady UnitedThe ShowgroundsLimavady1,500LoughgallLakeview ParkLoughgall3,000PSNINewforge LaneBelfast1,500PortadownShamrock ParkPortadown3,940 (2,765 seated)
League table
Results Matches 1–22 During matches 1–22 each team played every other team twice (home and away).
Matches 23–32 During matches 23–32 each team plays every other team in their half of the table twice (home and away).
Top six
Bottom six
Play-offs NIFL Premiership play-offs See: 2018–19 NIFL Premiership
NIFL Championship play-off The eleventh-placed team from the Championship, PSNI, faced Annagh United, the runners-up from the 2018–19 Premier Intermediate League over two legs for one spot in the 2019–20 NIFL Championship. PSNI won 5–3 on aggregate to retain their place in the Championship for next season. Annagh United remained in the Premier Intermediate League.
PSNI won 5–3 on aggregate and retained their Championship status for the 2019–20 season.
References
External links