Season | 2017–18 |
---|---|
Dates | 13 August 2017 - 27 April 2018 |
Champions | Institute (1st second-tier senior title) |
Promoted | Institute Newry City (via play-off) |
Relegated | Lurgan Celtic |
Matches played | 192 |
Goals scored | 626 (3.26 per match) |
Biggest home win | PSNI 11–1 Lurgan Celtic (17 February 2018) |
Biggest away win | PSNI 0–5 Ballyclare Comrades (11 November 2017) |
Highest scoring | PSNI 11–1 Lurgan Celtic (17 February 2018) |
← 2016–17 2018–19 → |
The 2017–18 NIFL Championship was the second season of the second-tier Irish League since gaining senior status.
Teams
[edit]The 2017–18 NIFL Championship was contested by 12 teams. Warrenpoint Town were champions in the previous season and were promoted to the 2017–18 NIFL Premiership. Runners-up Institute won 3–2 on aggregate in the promotion pre-play-off against third-placed Ballyclare Comrades, but were defeated 5–2 on aggregate by Carrick Rangers in the Premiership play-off, therefore remaining in the Championship for this season.
The bottom team from the previous season, Annagh United, were relegated to the third-tier NIFL Premier Intermediate League. They were replaced by Limavady United, winners of the Premier Intermediate League. In addition, the eleventh-placed team from the previous season, Armagh City, were relegated and replaced by third-tier runners-up Newry City, against whom they lost a two-legged play-off.
Stadia and locations
[edit]Club | Location | Stadium | Capacity[1] |
---|---|---|---|
Ballyclare Comrades | Ballyclare | Dixon Park | 5,333 |
Dergview | Castlederg | Darragh Park | 1,200 |
Harland & Wolff Welders | Belfast | Tillysburn Park | 3,000 |
Institute | Drumahoe | YMCA Grounds | 1,570 |
Knockbreda | Belfast | Breda Park | 1,000 |
Larne | Larne | Inver Park | 3,000 |
Limavady United | Limavady | The Showgrounds | 524 |
Loughgall | Loughgall | Lakeview Park | 3,000 |
Lurgan Celtic | Lurgan | Knockramer Park | 1,000 |
Newry City | Newry | The Showgrounds | 2,275 |
PSNI | Belfast | Newforge Lane | 1,500 |
Portadown | Shamrock Park | Portadown | 3,940 (2,765 seated) |
League table
[edit]Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation[a] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Institute (C, P) | 32 | 21 | 5 | 6 | 55 | 36 | +19 | 68 | Promotion to the NIFL Premiership |
2 | Newry City (O, P) | 32 | 17 | 8 | 7 | 58 | 31 | +27 | 59 | Qualification for the promotion play-off |
3 | Harland & Wolff Welders[b] | 32 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 54 | 42 | +12 | 56 | |
4 | Portadown | 32 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 61 | 36 | +25 | 51 | |
5 | Ballyclare Comrades | 32 | 15 | 3 | 14 | 56 | 52 | +4 | 48 | |
6 | Loughgall | 32 | 12 | 2 | 18 | 45 | 59 | −14 | 38 | |
7 | Larne | 32 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 59 | 47 | +12 | 47 | |
8 | PSNI | 32 | 11 | 8 | 13 | 55 | 50 | +5 | 41 | |
9 | Limavady United | 32 | 10 | 7 | 15 | 52 | 58 | −6 | 37 | |
10 | Knockbreda | 32 | 9 | 9 | 14 | 50 | 54 | −4 | 36 | |
11 | Dergview (O) | 32 | 9 | 9 | 14 | 49 | 59 | −10 | 36 | Qualification for the relegation play-off |
12 | Lurgan Celtic (R) | 32 | 3 | 7 | 22 | 32 | 102 | −70 | 16 | Relegation to the NIFL Premier Intermediate League |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Play-off (subject to IFA decision)[2]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
- ^ Teams played each other twice (22 matches), before the league split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six) for the last ten matches.
- ^ Harland & Wolff Welders were ineligible for the promotion play-offs, as they did not apply for the Promotion Licence required for promotion to the NIFL Premiership.
Results
[edit]Matches 1–22
[edit]During matches 1–22 each team played every other team twice (home and away).
Matches 23–32
[edit]During matches 23–32 each team played every other team in their half of the table twice (home and away).
Play-offs
[edit]NIFL Premiership play-offs
[edit]The runners-up and third-placed teams from the Championship were set to take part (over two legs) in the Championship promotion pre-play-off. However, the third-placed team, Harland and Wolff Welders, did not apply for a Premiership licence, so the second-placed team Newry City moved directly into the play-off final.
NIFL Championship play-off
[edit]The eleventh-placed team from the Championship, Dergview, played the runners-up from the 2017–18 Premier Intermediate League, Queen's University, over two legs for one spot in the NIFL Championship.
Dergview | 3 – 1 | Queen's University |
---|---|---|
BBC Sport |
Dergiew won 4–1 on aggregate and retained their position in the NIFL Championship with Queen's University remaining in the NIFL Premier Intermediate League.
References
[edit]- ^ "Championship 2016/2017 - Venues". Scoresway. Archived from the original on 2 January 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- ^ "Championship 2016/2017 - Season rules". Scoresway. Retrieved 20 November 2016.