Cork Athletic Union League Explained

Confed:Munster Football Association[1]
Country: Ireland
Founded:1947
Divisions:Premier
Premier A
League 1
League 1A
League 2
League 2A
League 3
League 3A
Levels:7–11
Teams:70 (2016–17)[2]
League Cup:AOH Cup
Linnane League Cup
City Challenge Cup
County Cup
St Michael's Cup
Saxone Cup
President’s Cup
Corinthians Cup
Champions:Park United A
Most Successful Club:Temple United (9)

The Cork Athletic Union League, also known as the Cork AUL, is an association football league featuring amateur and junior clubs from County Cork. Its top division, the Premier League, is a seventh level division in the Republic of Ireland football league system. The Cork AUL is currently sponsored by Murphy's Irish Stout. It is affiliated to the Munster Football Association. Clubs in the Cork AUL also compete in the FAI Junior Cup. Three League of Ireland clubs – Cobh Ramblers, Cork Hibernians and Albert Rovers – were originally members of the Cork AUL.

History

Inaugural season

The Cork Athletic Union Football League, originally known as the Cork City and County Athletic Union Junior League, was founded in 1947. Its founding members included two future members of the League of Ireland, Cobh Ramblers and Albert Rovers and the inaugural champions, Mortonville. The other eleven original members were Maymount Rovers, Prospect Rovers, Grattan, Ballinllough, Clapton Celtic, Green Rovers, Blackrock, Mountview, Marine Services, Cork Spinning and Ladyswell Brewery.[3]

Munster Senior League

In addition to Cobh Ramblers, Cork Hibernians and Albert Rovers joining the League of Ireland, a number of current Munster Senior League clubs were also originally members of the Cork AUL before switching from junior to intermediate football. Five of the Cork AUL's most successful clubs – Temple United, Kinsale, St. Mary's, Wembley and Castleview – all subsequently joined the MSL.[4] [5] Other clubs to switch from the Cork AUL to the MSL include Avondale United,[6] Mallow United,[7] Tramore Athletic,[8] College Corinthians, Ringmahon Rangers, Everton and Rockmount.[9] [10]

Cup competitions

In its inaugural season, 1947–48 the Cork AUL featured three league cup competitions, the City Challenge Cup, the Saxone Cup and the Miniature Cup.[11] The Cork AUL's main league cup is the AOH Cup which was presented to the league in 1951 by the Ancient Order of Hibernians.[12] Clubs in the Cork AUL also compete in the FAI Junior Cup. In 1973–74 St. Michael's of Tipperary won the competition while playing in the Cork AUL. Six other Cork AUL clubs – Castleview, Blackrock, Douglas, Everton, St. Mary's and Temple United – have all been finalists. Between 1961–62 and 1965–66 Cork AUL clubs were runners-up in four out of five seasons.[13]

Representative team

The senior Cork AUL representative team competes in the Oscar Traynor Trophy against other representative teams of similar junior leagues. They have won the competition on two occasions, in 1965–66 and again in 2008–09. They were also runners-up in 1994–95.[14]

FAI Oscar Traynor Trophy
SeasonChampionsRunners-up
1965–66Cork AULLeinster Junior League
1994–95Athletic Union League (Dublin)Cork AUL
2008–09Cork AULAthletic Union League (Dublin)

Sponsors

The main sponsors of the Cork AUL are Murphy's Irish Stout. Other sponsors include the Evening Echo.[15]

List of winners by season

SeasonChampionsRunners-up
1947–48Mortonville Cobh Ramblers
1948–49Maymount Rovers Green Rovers
1949–50St Finbarr's CelticMortonville
1950–51Crosshaven
1951–52CrosshavenCollins
1952–53WembleyMallow United
1953–54WembleyFermoy
1954–55TransportWembley
1955–56WembleyBlackrock
1956–57FermoyWembley
1957–58FermoyBlackrock
1958–59Ringmahon RangersWembley
1959–60Ringmahon RangersRockmount
1960–61Ringmahon Rangers Castleview
1961–62Castleview
1962–63WembleyCastleview
1963–64BlackrockSt Michael's (Cork)
1964–65WembleyRingmahon Rangers
1965–66Rockmount
1966–67Wembley
1967–68CastleviewRockmount
1968–69CastleviewRingmahon
1969–70Crosshaven
1970–71Wembley
1971–72CrosshavenSt. Mary's
1972–73CastleviewWembley
1973–74St. Mary's
1974–75St. Mary'sCastleview
1975–76St. Mary's
1976–77CastleviewSt. Mary's
1977–78Crofton CelticSt. Mary's
1978–79CastleviewMidleton
1979–80Casement CelticCobh Ramblers
1980–81Casement Celtic St. Mary's
1981–82St. Mary'sCasement Celtic
1982–83Ballincollig
1983–84Douglas HallBallincollig
1984–85Temple UnitedSt. Mary's
1985–86St. Mary'sDouglas Hall
1986–87 Temple UnitedWaterloo
1987–88 Temple UnitedBallincollig
1988–89Temple UnitedAvondale United
1989–90 Temple UnitedBallincollig
1990–91BallincolligGreenmount Rangers
1991–92 Temple UnitedCastleview
1992–93 Temple UnitedBallincollig
1993–94Temple UnitedCastleview
1994–95 Temple UnitedMayfield United
1995–96 Greenmount RangersCoachford
1996–97 Greenmount Rangers
1997–98 Greenmount RangersCoachford
1998–99 Greenmount RangersLeeside
1999–2000 Blarney UnitedLeeside
2000–01 Greenmount RangersCoachford
2001–02 Blarney UnitedLeeside
2002–03 KinsaleBlarney United
2003–04KinsaleBlarney United
2004–05KinsaleMaymount Celtic
2005–06KinsaleVilla United
2006–07Grattan UnitedKinsale
2007–08Grattan UnitedPark United
2008–09Wilton United AKinsale A
2009–10KinsaleLeeside
2010–11KinsaleWilton United
2011–12Park United AKillumney United
2012–13Coachford APark United A (Note)
2013–14Park United AKillumney United
2014–15Grattan United AGlenthorn Celtic A
2015–16Park United AVillage United
2016–17

List of winners by club

ClubTitlesSeasons
Temple United91984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95
Kinsale62002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2010–11
St. Mary's61965–66, 1970–71, 1974–75, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1985–86
Castleview51961–62, 1967–68, 1972–73, 1976–77, 1978–79
Greenmount Rangers51995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01
Wembley51952–53, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1962–63, 1964–65
Crosshaven41950–51, 1951–52, 1969–70, 1971–72
Grattan United32006–07, 2007–08, 2014–15
Park United32011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16
Ringmahon Rangers31958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61
Blarney United21999–2000, 2001–02
Casement Celtic21979–80, 1980–81
Fermoy21956–57, 1957–58
Ballincollig11990–91
Blackrock11963–64
Crofton Celtic11977–78
Coachford12012–13
Everton11966–67
Douglas Hall11983–84
Maymount Rovers11948–49
Mortonville11947–48
Rockmount11975–76
St Finbarr's Celtic11949–50
11973–74
Transport11954–55
Wilton United12008–09

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Details of Affiliated Leagues & Clubs. munsterfa.com. 20 October 2016.
  2. Web site: List of Teams Affiliated to the Cork AUL. munsterfa.com. 20 October 2016.
  3. Web site: Brief History of the Cork Athletic Union Football League. corkaul.wordpress.com. 19 October 2016.
  4. Web site: Cork AUL Records – AOH Cup. corkaul.wordpress.com. 22 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161023053450/https://corkaul.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/aoh-cup.pdf. 23 October 2016. dead.
  5. Web site: History of the Cork Athletic Union Football League (full version). corkaul.wordpress.com. 19 October 2016.
  6. Web site: Brief History of Avondale United. avondaleunited.com. 22 October 2016.
  7. Web site: History of Mallow United F.C.. mallowunited.com. 22 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20110725012011/http://www.mallowunited.com/history.html. 25 July 2011. dead.
  8. Web site: Welcome to Tramore Athletic F.C.. tramoreafc.league.ie. 22 October 2016.
  9. Web site: Cork AUL Records. corkaul.files.wordpress.com. 19 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161023053545/https://corkaul.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/cork-aul-records-1947-to-present.pdf. 23 October 2016. dead.
  10. Web site: History of the Cork Athletic Union Football League (full version). corkaul.wordpress.com. 19 October 2016.
  11. Web site: Brief History of the Cork Athletic Union Football League. corkaul.wordpress.com. 19 October 2016.
  12. Web site: Cork AUL Records – AOH Cup. corkaul.wordpress.com. 22 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161023053450/https://corkaul.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/aoh-cup.pdf. 23 October 2016. dead.
  13. Web site: Cork AUL Records – FAI Junior Cup. corkaul.files.wordpress.com. 20 October 2016.
  14. Web site: Cork AUL Records – FAI Oscar Traynor Trophy. corkaul.files.wordpress.com. 20 October 2016.
  15. Web site: Sponsors. corkaul.files.wordpress.com. 22 October 2016.