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.
| Founded | 1954 |
|---|---|
| Country |  Ireland |
| 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 |
| Level on pyramid | 7–12 |
| Domestic cup(s) | FAI Junior Cup Connacht Junior Cup Connacht Junior Shield |
| League cup(s) | Calor Gas Mayo Super Cup Calor Gas Mayo Premier Cup Westaro Cup Tuohy Cup Tonra Cup McDonnell Cup League 3 Cup |
| Current champions | Castlebar Celtic (2023) |
| Website | Official website of Mayo AFL |
History edit
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[when?] 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 edit
| County Level | League(s) / division(s) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Elverys Sports Super League
10 clubs – 2 relegations |
| 2 | Castlecourt Hotel Premier League
9 clubs – 2 promotions, 1 relegation |
| 3 | Killeen Sports Ground League One
8 clubs – 1 promotion, 2 relegations |
| 4 | McDonnell Construction League Two
10 clubs – 2 promotions |
Representative team edit
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[when?] 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 edit
| Season | Round | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 1 | Mayo League | 1–1 | Galway United | |
| 2004 | 1 | Sligo Rovers | 2–0 | Mayo League | The Showgrounds |
| 2005 | 1 | Derry City | 2–1 | Mayo League | |
| 2012[6] | 1 | Finn Harps | 2–0 | Mayo League | Finn Park |
| 2013 | 1 | Mayo League | 1–4 | Finn Harps | |
| 2014[7] | 1 | Galway | 2–0 | Mayo League | Eamonn Deacy Park |
| 2015[8] | 1 | Sligo Rovers | 8–0 | Mayo League | Showgrounds |
| 2016[9] | 1 | Galway United | 3–1 | Mayo League | Eamonn Deacy Park |
Wins by club edit
| Club | Wins | Winning years |
|---|---|---|
| Westport United | 21 | 1962–63, 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 Celtic | 17 | 1954, 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 Town | 5 | 1988–89, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2018 |
| Manulla | 4 | 1987–88, 1994, 1995, 1999 |
| Ballyglass | 1990–91, 1996, 1997 | |
| Straide & Foxford United | 3 | 1992–93, 1993–94, 2000 |
| Balla | 2 | 1976–77, 1977–78 |
| Ballyheane | 2021, 2022 | |
| Sporting Club Westport | 1970–71, 1971–72 | |
| Urlaur | 1989–90, 1991–92 | |
| Achill Rovers | 1 | 1998 |
| Iorras Aontaithe (Erris United) | 2003 | |
| Quay Hearts | 1954–55 | |
| Westport Crusaders | 1979–80 |
List of Super League winners by season edit
| Season | Winner | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Castlebar Celtic F.C. | Ballina Town F.C. |
| 2022 | Ballyheane | Ballina Town F.C. |
| 2021 | Ballyheane | Ballina Town F.C. |
| 2020 | VOID | VOID |
| 2019 | 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 |
Source[2]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Swinford Soccer Club – Short History of Club". www.swinfordfc.ie. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
- ^ a b "Mayo Football League Roll Of Honour" (PDF). inform.fai.ie. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "Castlebar Celtic – Roll Of Honour". www.castlebarceltic.com. Archived from the original on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "Oscar Traynor Record". inform.fai.ie. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
- ^ "Joseph N'Do takes charge of Mayo League representative side". www.advertiser.ie/mayo. 25 September 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
- ^ "Finn Harps 2–0 Mayo League". extratime.ie. 26 March 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
- ^ "EA SPORTS CUP: Galway FC 2–0 Mayo League". extratime.ie. 12 March 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "Sligo Rovers 8–0 Mayo League". extratime.ie. 10 March 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
- ^ "Galway United 3–1 Mayo League: Tribesmen beat non-league opponents in EA Sports Cup". www.goal.com. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2016.