2012–13 IFA Championship

The 2012–13 IFA Championship (known as the Belfast Telegraph Championship for sponsorship reasons)[1] was the fifth season since its establishment after a major overhaul of the league system in Northern Ireland. The season began on 10 August 2012 and ended on 4 May 2013. From next season onwards, the league would be operated by the Northern Ireland Football League, which was taking over from the Irish Football Association (IFA) for the 2013–14 season.[2]

IFA Championship
Season2012–13

In Championship 1, Ards were confirmed as the champions on 20 April 2013 after a 1–1 draw against Institute, securing promotion back to the top flight for the first time since the 2005–06 season.[3] Warrenpoint Town finished as runners-up, and qualified for the promotion/relegation play-off against Donegal Celtic. The tie ended 2–2 on aggregate with Warrenpoint Town winning on the away goals rule to reach the top flight for the first time in the club's history. Donegal Celtic were relegated to next season's Championship 1. Earlier in the season, Newry City were wound up and their IFA membership was later terminated. All of their results were also expunged.[4] As a result of Newry's expulsion from the league, only the club that finished in 13th, Tobermore United, was relegated from Championship 1, and there was no relegation from Championship 2.[5]

In Championship 2, winners Knockbreda were promoted to Championship 1, along with runners-up Ballyclare Comrades. Chimney Corner finished bottom for the fourth successive season but were saved from relegation by Newry City's demise.

Team changes from 2011–12

Ballinamallard United were last season's winners of Championship 1, achieving promotion to the 2012–13 IFA Premiership. Carrick Rangers replaced them for this season's Championship 1, after finishing in 12th place in the previous season's Premiership. Newry City missed out on promotion as they finished as runners-up, but were defeated 3–2 by Lisburn Distillery in the promotion/relegation play-off.

Promoted from Championship 1 to IFA Premiership

Relegated from IFA Premiership to Championship 1

Promoted from Championship 2 to Championship 1

Relegated from Championship 1 to Championship 2

Club dissolved

Championship 1
IFA Championship 1
ChampionsArds
PromotedArds
Warrenpoint Town
RelegatedTobermore United
Matches played156
Goals scored507 (3.25 per match)
Biggest home winCarrick Rangers 6–0 Dergview
Biggest away winLarne 0–6 Carrick Rangers
Highest scoringLarne 3–5 Dundela
Tobermore United 2–6 Institute
Tobermore United 4–4 Larne
Warrenpoint Town 5–3 Dundela
Dundela 5–3 Carrick Rangers
Dundela 4–4 Limavady United

Stadia and locations
Location of teams in the 2012-13 IFA Championship 1
Club Stadium Location Capacity
ArdsClandeboye ParkBangor2,850 (500 seated)
BangorClandeboye ParkBangor2,850 (500 seated)
Carrick RangersTaylors AvenueCarrickfergus6,000 (400 seated)
Coagh UnitedHagan ParkCoagh2,000 (179 seated)
DergviewDarragh ParkCastlederg1,200 (100 seated)
DundelaWilgar ParkBelfast2,500 (100 seated)
Harland & Wolff WeldersTillysburn ParkBelfast3,000 (100 seated)
InstituteRiverside StadiumDrumahoe3,110 (1,540 seated)
LarneInver ParkLarne1,100 (656 seated)
Limavady UnitedThe ShowgroundsLimavady524 (274 seated)
LoughgallLakeview ParkLoughgall3,000 (180 seated)
Tobermore UnitedFortwilliam ParkTobermore1,500 (100 seated)
Warrenpoint TownMilltown Playing FieldsWarrenpoint500 (100 seated)

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Ards (C, P) 24 18 5 1 56 19 +37 59 Promotion to NIFL Premiership
2 Warrenpoint Town (O, P) 24 15 5 4 46 23 +23 50 Qualification to promotion play-off
3 Institute 24 14 5 5 50 23 +27 47
4 Dundela 24 13 4 7 62 51 +11 43
5 Carrick Rangers 24 11 6 7 48 32 +16 39
6 Harland & Wolff Welders 24 10 4 10 37 35 +2 34
7 Dergview 24 7 6 11 27 39 −12 27
8 Larne 24 5 9 10 24 40 −16 24
9 Coagh United 24 6 5 13 35 51 −16 23
10 Bangor 24 6 5 13 23 42 −19 23
11 Loughgall 24 6 5 13 27 48 −21 23
12 Limavady United 24 5 6 13 34 49 −15 21
13 Tobermore United (R) 24 6 3 15 38 55 −17 21 Relegation to NIFL Championship 2[lower-alpha 1]
Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd goal difference; 3rd goals scored; 4th head-to-head points; 5th head-to-head goal difference
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. As a result of Newry City dissolving, only the 13th-placed club was relegated.

Results

Each team plays every other team twice (once at home, and once away) for a total of 24 games.

Home \ Away ARD BGR CRK COA DGV DND H&W INS LRN LIM LGL TOB WPT
Ards 1–0 1–0 2–0 2–0 5–2 2–1 1–1 2–1 4–0 3–2 2–0 2–0
Bangor 0–2 1–2 2–3 1–0 2–3 0–2 0–3 3–0 1–1 2–1 1–0 0–3
Carrick Rangers 1–1 1–2 2–0 6–0 3–0 1–0 2–2 1–1 2–0 0–0 5–0 2–1
Coagh United 1–5 3–1 2–3 0–1 0–3 1–1 1–2 3–0 3–3 3–1 2–3 1–4
Dergview 0–0 0–0 0–0 3–0 1–3 4–1 1–1 1–3 2–1 1–1 2–1 1–3
Dundela 2–2 5–1 5–3 0–5 4–0 2–3 2–1 1–1 4–4 1–2 4–2 1–0
Harland & Wolff Welders 2–3 4–1 1–2 5–1 3–1 2–1 0–2 0–0 2–3 0–2 2–0 1–1
Institute 2–2 0–1 5–0 2–3 2–0 0–0 2–0 2–0 1–0 2–0 3–2 1–2
Larne 1–2 0–0 0–6 0–0 1–1 3–5 1–2 0–4 2–0 0–0 1–0 1–1
Limavady United 0–5 3–1 3–1 1–1 0–2 3–4 0–1 1–2 0–1 5–2 2–0 0–2
Loughgall 0–4 1–1 2–1 3–1 0–4 1–4 4–2 1–3 2–0 1–1 0–1 1–4
Tobermore United 0–2 3–1 4–3 1–1 4–2 2–3 1–2 2–6 4–4 3–3 3–0 0–1
Warrenpoint Town 3–1 1–1 1–1 3–0 2–0 5–3 0–0 2–1 0–3 2–0 2–0 3–2
Source: rsssf.com
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Championship 2
IFA Championship 2
ChampionsKnockbreda
PromotedKnockbreda
Ballyclare Comrades
Matches played240
Goals scored905 (3.77 per match)
Biggest home winArmagh City 11–1 Chimney Corner
Biggest away winSport & Leisure Swifts 1–8 Knockbreda
Chimney Corner 0–7 Lurgan Celtic
Highest scoringArmagh City 11–1 Chimney Corner

Stadia and locations
Location of teams in the 2012-13 IFA Championship 2
Location of the Belfast-based teams in the IFA Championship 2 2012-13
Club Stadium Location Capacity
Annagh UnitedTandragee RoadPortadown1,250 (100 seated)
Armagh CityHolm ParkArmagh3,000 (330 seated)
Ballyclare ComradesDixon ParkBallyclare1,800 (500 seated)
Ballymoney UnitedRiada StadiumBallymoney5,752 (218 seated)
Banbridge TownCrystal ParkBanbridge1,500 (100 seated)
Chimney CornerAllen ParkAntrim2,000 (100 seated)
Glebe RangersRiada StadiumBallymoney5,752 (218 seated)
Killymoon RangersMid Ulster Sports ArenaCookstown1,000 (100 seated)
KnockbredaBreda ParkKnockbreda1,000 (100 seated)
Lurgan CelticKnockrammer ParkLurgan1,000 (100 seated)
Moyola ParkMill MeadowCastledawson2,000 (200 seated)
PortstewartSeahavenPortstewart1,000 (100 seated)
PSNINewforge LaneBelfast500 (112 seated)
Queen's UniversityDub StadiumBelfast1,000 (100 seated)
Sport & Leisure SwiftsGlen Road HeightsBelfast500 (215 seated)
WakehurstMill MeadowCastledawson1,000 (200 seated)

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion
1 Knockbreda (C, P) 30 25 2 3 106 25 +81 77 Promotion to NIFL Championship 1
2 Ballyclare Comrades (P) 30 23 2 5 77 28 +49 71
3 Armagh City 30 21 3 6 81 34 +47 66
4 Lurgan Celtic 30 20 3 7 71 43 +28 63
5 Glebe Rangers 30 15 7 8 58 41 +17 52
6 Wakehurst 30 16 4 10 61 50 +11 52
7 Queen's University 30 13 6 11 65 43 +22 45
8 PSNI 30 14 1 15 60 48 +12 43
9 Banbridge Town 30 11 7 12 57 58 −1 40
10 Ballymoney United 30 10 7 13 53 67 −14 37
11 Annagh United 30 9 7 14 39 53 −14 34
12 Moyola Park 30 6 10 14 35 51 −16 28
13 Portstewart 30 5 7 18 37 70 −33 22
14 Sport & Leisure Swifts 30 5 5 20 41 101 −60 20
15 Killymoon Rangers 30 4 7 19 38 85 −47 19
16 Chimney Corner 30 3 2 25 26 108 −82 11 No Relegation[lower-alpha 1]
Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd goal difference; 3rd goals scored; 4th head-to-head points; 5th head-to-head goal difference
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted
Notes:
  1. As a result of Newry City dissolving, there was no relegation from Championship 2.

Results

Each team plays every other team twice (once at home, and once away) for a total of 30 games.

Home \ Away ANN ARM BCC BMY BBT CHI GBE KMR KNB LGC MOY PST PSNI QUE SLS WAK
Annagh United 1–1 0–2 0–0 1–4 2–2 0–1 2–0 1–4 0–2 1–1 3–1 1–3 1–1 0–1 1–4
Armagh City 2–1 1–0 7–1 1–0 11–1 3–0 5–1 2–5 1–0 1–0 2–0 1–3 2–1 7–2 3–1
Ballyclare Comrades 3–1 2–0 0–2 2–1 4–1 1–1 2–0 1–0 2–1 1–2 2–0 2–1 2–1 6–0 2–0
Ballymoney United 1–1 1–5 1–4 2–3 5–1 1–0 4–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 4–0 1–1 0–5 4–1 0–4
Banbridge Town 1–2 0–2 3–2 3–1 5–0 0–2 4–1 0–4 2–2 2–2 6–2 3–2 0–2 3–3 0–1
Chimney Corner 1–2 0–4 2–6 3–2 1–2 1–2 2–1 0–3 0–7 2–1 1–2 1–6 0–4 0–6 0–4
Glebe Rangers 3–1 4–1 2–4 0–0 6–2 1–0 4–0 1–1 0–4 3–1 4–4 1–0 2–3 1–1 1–1
Killymoon Rangers 0–1 0–5 1–6 1–5 3–2 2–2 3–5 1–3 4–3 2–2 1–1 1–2 2–2 4–2 1–0
Knockbreda 6–1 1–0 1–2 6–1 4–0 5–0 3–1 2–1 8–0 3–0 8–0 2–1 6–2 4–1 4–2
Lurgan Celtic 2–2 4–1 2–1 3–1 3–0 3–0 2–1 3–1 0–3 1–0 5–2 2–1 1–0 5–0 2–5
Moyola Park 1–4 0–1 0–2 6–1 1–1 3–2 1–1 0–0 2–4 0–2 1–0 1–2 1–1 3–3 0–1
Portstewart 0–2 0–0 0–4 2–3 1–1 3–0 0–2 7–3 0–1 2–2 0–0 1–2 2–2 2–0 0–2
PSNI 0–2 1–3 1–5 2–3 1–2 2–0 1–3 4–0 1–3 3–1 0–1 3–1 0–1 4–0 7–2
Queen's University 1–0 1–2 2–2 3–1 0–3 5–0 0–3 0–0 1–3 0–1 5–0 4–1 1–3 7–0 3–1
Sport & Leisure Swifts 1–2 2–6 0–2 0–5 2–2 3–2 1–0 3–3 1–8 1–2 1–4 1–3 2–1 0–4 2–5
Wakehurst 4–3 1–1 1–3 1–1 2–2 2–1 1–3 2–0 1–0 2–4 3–0 1–0 1–2 4–3 2–1
Source: rsssf.com
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

References
  1. BELFAST TELEGRAPH SPONSOR THE IFA CHAMPIONSHIP Archived April 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  2. "NORTHERN IRELAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE". NIFL Premiership.
  3. "Ards secure Championship and promotion". BBC Sport. 20 April 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  4. "Newry City's membership of the IFA is terminated". BBC Sport. 28 September 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  5. "IFA CHAMPIONSHIP MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE STATEMENT". ifachampionship.com. 10 October 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
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