Mayo Association Football League Explained

Country: Ireland
Founded:1954
Divisions:Elverys Sports Super League
CastleCourt Hotel Premier League
Killeen Sports Ground League One
McDonnell Construction League Two
CMR Fire and Security League Three
Westaro Masters League Division One
Westaro Masters League Division Two
Westaro Masters Division 3
Levels:7–12
Domest Cup:FAI Junior Cup
Connacht Junior Cup
Connacht Junior Shield
League Cup:Calor Gas Mayo Super Cup
Calor Gas Mayo Premier Cup
Westaro Cup
Tuohy Cup
Tonra Cup
McDonnell Cup
League 3 Cup
Champions:Castlebar Celtic
Season:2023
Website:Official website of Mayo AFL

Mayo Association Football League is an association football league that features amateur and junior clubs from County Mayo. Its top division, the Super League, is a seventh level division in the Republic of Ireland football league system. The two top divisions – the Super League and the Premier Division – are sponsored by Elverys Sports and Welcome Inn Hotel respectively.Clubs from the league also compete in the FAI Junior Cup and the Connacht Junior Cup. A Mayo League representative team also competes in the League of Ireland Cup.

History

In 1954 Westport Town, Barcastle, Quay Hearts and Castlebar Celtic became the founder members of the Mayo Association Football League.[1] Castlebar Celtic finished the inaugural season as champions and, together with Westport United, they went on to become the league's most successful clubs. During the late 1970s and early 1980s the winners of the league played off against the winners of other Connacht junior leagues for the Michael Byrne Cup. During the 1970s the league expanded to include three divisions. In 1984–85 a league cup was introduced. It was originally known as the Robert Kilkelly Cup, before becoming the AIB Cup and then the Chadwicks Cup. It is currently known as the Connacht Gold Cup. The league originally operated an autumn/winter schedule but a summer season was introduced in May 1994 and it kicked off the following July. The top division became known as the Super League from the 1999 season onwards. In 2022, current Claremorris AFC, and formally Swinford FC Striker, Joe Slevin became the first player in the league’s history to earn back to back relegations with different clubs.[2] [3] Continuing on his nomadic tour around county, ‘Journeyman Joe’ or JJ as he is affectionately known as now then went on to warm the bench for Castlebar Celtic in their 2022/2023 super league title run.

League pyramid

County LevelLeague(s) / division(s)
1Elverys Sports Super League10 clubs – 2 relegations
2Castlecourt Hotel Premier League9 clubs – 2 promotions, 1 relegation
3Killeen Sports Ground League One8 clubs – 1 promotion, 2 relegations
4McDonnell Construction League Two10 clubs – 2 promotions

Representative team

A Mayo League representative team competes regularly in the Oscar Traynor Trophy and the Connacht Inter League Cup, playing against teams representing other leagues. In recent seasons they have also competed in the League of Ireland Cup, playing against Connacht/Ulster – based teams from the League of Ireland. As of 2016 they have never progressed past the first round. In 2015 Joseph N'Do was appointed the head coach of the league's representative team.[4] [5]

League of Ireland Cup record

SeasonRoundHome teamScoreAway teamVenue
20041Mayo League1–1Galway United
20041Sligo Rovers2–0Mayo LeagueThe Showgrounds
1Derry City2–1Mayo League
2012[6] 1Finn Harps2–0Mayo LeagueFinn Park
1Mayo League1–4Finn Harps
2014[7] 1Galway2–0Mayo LeagueEamonn Deacy Park
2015[8] 1Sligo Rovers8–0Mayo LeagueShowgrounds
2016[9] 1Galway United3–1Mayo LeagueEamonn Deacy Park

Wins by club

ClubWinsWinning years
Westport United211962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1981–82, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Castlebar Celtic171954, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1967–68, 1978–79, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 2001, 2006, 2011,2019
Ballina Town51988–89, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2018
Manulla41987–88, 1994, 1995, 1999
Ballyglass1990–91, 1996, 1997
Straide & Foxford United31992–93, 1993–94, 2000
Balla21976–77, 1977–78
Ballyheane 2021, 2022
1970–71, 1971–72
Urlaur1989–90, 1991–92
Achill Rovers11998
2003
Quay Hearts1954–55
Westport Crusaders1979–80

List of Super League winners by season

SeasonWinnerRunners-up
2023Castlebar Celtic F.C.Ballina Town F.C.
2022 BallyheaneBallina Town F.C.
2021 BallyheaneBallina Town F.C.
2020 VOID.VOID VOID
2019 [Castlebar Celtic.|[[Castlebar Celtic F.C.]]|| Westport United|-|2018 || Ballina Town || Westport United|-|2017 || Westport United || Manulla|-|2016 || Westport United || Ballina Town|-|2015 || Westport United || Ballina Town|-|2014 || Westport United || Castlebar Celtic|-|2013 || Ballina Town || Ballyheane|-|2012 || Westport United |||-|2011 || Castlebar Celtic || Westport United |-|2010 || Ballina Town|| Westport United |-|2009 || Ballina Town|| Westport United |-|2008 || Westport United || Ballina Town |-|2007 || Westport United || Ballina Town |-|2006 || Castlebar Celtic || Iorras Aontaithe|-|2005 || Westport United || Iorras Aontaithe|-|2004 || Westport United || Castlebar Celtic|-|2003 || Iorras Aontaithe || Castlebar Celtic|-|2002 || Westport United || Straide & Foxford United|-|2001 || Castlebar Celtic || Ballyglass|-|2000 || Straide & Foxford United || Manulla|-|1999 || Manulla || Ballyglass|-|1998 || Achill Rovers || Ballyheane|-|1997 || Ballyglass || Achill Rovers|-|1996 || Ballyglass || Urlaur|-|1995 || Manulla || Iorras Aontaithe|-|1994 || Manulla || Castlebar United|-|1993–94 || Straide & Foxford United || Iorras Aontaithe|-|1992–93 || Straide & Foxford United || Swinford|-|1991–92 || Urlaur || Straide & Foxford United|-|1990–91 || Ballyglass || Castlebar United|-|1989–90 || Urlaur || Straide & Foxford United|-|1988–89 || Ballina Town || Urlaur FC|-|1987–88 || Manulla || Ballina Town|-|1986–87 || Castlebar Celtic || Westport United |-|1985–86 || Castlebar Celtic || Ballina Town|-|1984–85 || Castlebar Celtic || Manulla|-|1983–84 || Castlebar Celtic || Balla|-|1982–83 || Castlebar Celtic || Westport United|-|1981–82 || Westport United || Castlebar Celtic|-|1980–81 || Castlebar Celtic || Westport United|-|1979–80 || Westport Crusaders || Shraigh United|-|1978–79 || Castlebar Celtic || Westport Textiles|-|1977–78 || Balla || Castlebar Celtic|-|1976–77 || Balla || Castlebar Celtic|-|1975–76 || Westport United || Ballyhaunis/Ballina Town|-|1974–75 ||Westport United || Ballina Town|-|1973–74 || Westport United || Ballina Town|-|1972–73 || Season not completed |||-|1971–72 || Sporting Club Westport || Castlebar Celtic|-|1970–71 || Sporting Club Westport || Westport United |-|1969–70 || Westport United || Ballinrobe Town|-|1968–69 || Westport United || Castlebar Celtic|-|1967–68 || Castlebar Celtic A || Castlebar Celtic B|-|1966–67 || Westport United || Ballina Town|-|1965–66 || Westport United || Castlebar Celtic|-|1964–65 || Westport United || Castlebar Celtic|-|1963–64 ||Westport United || Castlebar Celtic|-|1962–63 || Westport United || Castlebar Celtic|-|1961–62 || Castlebar Celtic || Quay Hearts|-|1960–61 || Castlebar Celtic || Westport United |-|1959–60 || Castlebar Celtic || Westport United |-|1958–59 || Castlebar Celtic || Quay Hearts|-|1957–58 || Castlebar Celtic || Westport United |-|1956–57 ||No competition |||-|1955–56 || Season not completed|||-|1954–55 || Quay Hearts || Unknown |-|1954 || Castlebar Celtic || Quay Hearts /Barcastle |}

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Swinford Soccer Club – Short History of Club. www.swinfordfc.ie. 17 April 2016.
  2. Web site: Mayo Football League Roll Of Honour. inform.fai.ie. 31 March 2016.
  3. Web site: Castlebar Celtic – Roll Of Honour . www.castlebarceltic.com . 31 March 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160404235257/http://www.castlebarceltic.com/default.asp?nc=3324&id=2 . 4 April 2016 .
  4. Web site: Oscar Traynor Record. inform.fai.ie. 27 April 2016.
  5. Web site: Joseph N'Do takes charge of Mayo League representative side. www.advertiser.ie/mayo. 27 April 2016. 25 September 2015.
  6. Web site: Finn Harps 2–0 Mayo League . extratime.ie. 27 April 2016. 26 March 2012.
  7. Web site: EA SPORTS CUP: Galway FC 2–0 Mayo League. extratime.ie. 31 March 2016. 12 March 2014.
  8. Web site: Sligo Rovers 8–0 Mayo League. extratime.ie. 27 April 2016. 10 March 2015.
  9. Web site: Galway United 3–1 Mayo League: Tribesmen beat non-league opponents in EA Sports Cup. www.goal.com. 27 April 2016. 21 March 2016.