Leinster Senior League (association football)
| Founded | 1896 |
|---|---|
| Country |  Ireland |
| Confederation | Leinster Football Association |
| Divisions | 20 (including Senior Division) |
| Level on pyramid | 3–12 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Leinster Senior Cup FAI Cup FAI Intermediate Cup FAI Junior Cup |
| League cup(s) | Metropolitan Cup Charlie Cahill Cup |
| Current champions | Crumlin United (4 titles) |
| Most championships | Shelbourne (12 titles) |
| Website | www.lsl.ie |
The Leinster Senior League is an association football league organized by the Leinster Football Association. In 2015–16 the Leinster Senior League operated twenty divisions. It also organizes various cup competitions. Its Senior Division is a third level division in the Republic of Ireland football league system. Leinster Senior League teams also compete in the Leinster Senior Cup, the FAI Cup, the FAI Intermediate Cup and the FAI Junior Cup. In recent seasons the winners of the Senior Division have also qualified to play in the League of Ireland Cup. Despite using the Leinster name in its title, the vast majority of its member clubs are based in the Greater Dublin Area. Its current sponsors include The Herald and O'Neills.
History
Foundation
Within a few seasons of the Leinster Football Association been formed in 1892, the Leinster Senior League was established. Ciarán Priestley highlights a printed notice in the 4 September 1894 edition of The Irish Times. Under the headline "Leinster Football League" there is a report of "a general meeting of the league... held the other evening at 27 D'Olier Street". Priestley also lists Bohemians, Britannia, Dublin University, Leinster Nomads, Phoenix and Montpelier as participants in the first season. The Leinster Senior League website states it was established in 1896.[1] However other sources suggest the league started a little later and was first played for in 1897–98 and that an unidentified British Army regimental team where the inaugural winners while Shelbourne were runners up. See
Note 1[2][3]
Senior leagues
In 2015–16 the Leinster Senior League operated twenty divisions. The clubs in the top four Senior divisions are listed below.
| Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
|---|---|---|
| Bangor Celtic | Crumlin, Dublin | Iveagh Grounds |
| Bluebell United | Bluebell/Red Cow | Capco Park |
| Glebe North | Balbriggan | Old Market Green |
| Kilbarrack United | Kilbarrack | Greendale Road |
| Killester Donnycarney | Killester | Haddon Park |
| Lucan United | Lucan, County Dublin | O'Hanlon Park, Celbridge |
| Malahide United | Malahide | Gannon Park |
| Maynooth University Town | Maynooth, County Kildare | NUI Astro Maynooth |
| St Francis F.C. | Baldonnel | John Hyland Park |
| St. Mochtas F.C. | Clonsilla/Blanchardstown | Porterstown Road |
| Tolka Rovers | Glasnevin | Frank Cooke Park |
| UCD (res.) | Dublin | UCD Bowl |
| Usher Celtic | Coolock | Memorial Park |
| Wayside Celtic | Kilternan | Jackson Park |
Source: [4]
Senior 1
| Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
|---|---|---|
| Cherry Orchard | Ballyfermot | Elmdale Crescent |
| Collinstown | Raheen, Dublin | Collinstown Park |
| Edenderry Town | Edenderry, County Offaly | Paddy Maloney Park |
| Glenville | Palmerstown | Palmerstown School |
| Greystones United | Greystones, County Wicklow | Greystones United AFC |
| Kilbarrack United | Kilbarrack, Dublin | Greendale Road |
| Sacred Heart Firouse Clover | Tallaght | Killinarden Hill, Tallaght |
| Skerries Town | Skerries, County Dublin | Skerries Town |
| St. Francis | Baldonnel, County Dublin | John Hyland Park |
| St. Patrick’s CY FC | Irishtown, Dublin | Irishtown Stadium |
| Swords Celtic | Swords, Dublin | Balheary Reservoir |
| Tolka Rovers | Glasnevin, Dublin | Frank Cooke Park |
| UCD AFC | UCD, Dublin | UCD Bowl |
| Willow Park FC | Athlone, County Westmeath | DPD Park |
Source: [5]
Senior 1A
| Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
|---|---|---|
| Arklow Town | Arklow, County Wicklow | Travers Insurance Park |
| Ayrfield United | Donaghmede, Dublin | Ayrfield United |
| Castleknock Celtic | Castleknock, Dublin | Hartstown Park Astro |
| Drumcondra FC | Drumcondra, Dublin | Baskin Lane |
| Dublin Bus FC | Ronanstown | Coldcut |
| Inchicore Athletic | Inchicore, Dublin | Bernard Curtis Park |
| Larkview Boys | Kimmage, Dublin | Whelan Park |
| Leixlip United | Leixlip, County Kildare | Leixlip Amenities Sports Centre |
| Newbridge Town | Newbridge, County Kildare | Station Road, Newbridge |
| Portlaoise AFC | Portlaoise, Co.Laois | Portlaoise AFC |
| St. John Bosco | Drimnagh, Dublin | Brickfield Astro |
| St. Kevin’s Boys | Santry, Dublin | St. Aidans School Astro |
| Templeogue United | Templeogue | St McDaras School |
| Usher Celtic | Islandbridge | War Memorial Gardens |
Source: [6]
Senior 1B
| Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
|---|---|---|
| Ardmore Rovers | Bray, County Wicklow | Wolfe Tone Community Centre |
| Ballyfermot United | Ballyfermot | Cold Cut |
| Drogheda Town FC | Drogheda, Co. Louth | Marian Park |
| Dublin University | Trinity College Dublin | College Park |
| Dunboyne AFC | Dunboyne, Co. Meath | Dunboyne AFC |
| Finglas United | Finglas, Dublin | Larney Park |
| Hartstown Huntstown | Hartstown/Huntstown | Hartstown Park |
| Kilmore Celtic | Kilmore, Dublin | Oscar Traynor Centre |
| Oliver Bond Celtic | Dublin 8 | Grangegorman Grass |
| Rush Athletic | Rush, County Dublin | St. Catherine's Park |
| Sheriff YC | Sheriff Street, Dublin | Clontarf All Weather Pitch |
| TEK United | Blackrock, County Dublin | Stradbrook |
| Tullamore Town | Tullamore, Co. Offaly | Leah Victoria Park |
Source: [7]
Junior leagues
This is a selection of teams playing in the lower levels of the Leinster Senior League.
| Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
|---|---|---|
| Beechwood | Milltown, Dublin | Royal Hospital, Donnybrook |
| Dundrum | Dundrum, Dublin | Meadowbrook Park |
| Drumcondra/Stella Maris | Drumcondra, Dublin | |
| Greystones A.F.C. | Greystones | Archfield |
| Manortown United | Perrystown | Greentrees Park |
| Phoenix | Scribblestown/Ashtown | |
| Pioneers | Dublin Airport | ALSAA Sports Complex |
| Terenure College | Terenure College | Bushy Park |
| Transport | Crumlin, Dublin | Windmill Park |
Notes
- ^1 This was possibly Sherwood Foresters who were the 1896-97 IFA Cup runners-up, losing to Cliftonville in the final. They were based in the Curragh, County Kildare.[8][9]
References
- ^ lsl.ie
- ^ Leinster Senior League
- ^ Ciarán Priestley: The Bohemian Football Club: The Enduring Legacy of an Idle Youth
- ^ "Senior Sunday". finalwhistle.ie.ie. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- ^ https://www.finalwhistle.ie/soccer/lsl-senior-1-sunday/%7Ctitle=Senior 1 Sunday| website=finalwhistle.ie| access-date=30 November 2022}}
- ^ "Senior 1A Sunday". lsl.ie. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ^ "Senior 1B Sunday". lsl.ie. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ^ IFA Cup Rsssf
- ^ Where's My Country? Rsssf