 | |
| Full name | Holm Park |
|---|---|
| Location | Armagh, Northern Ireland |
| Owner | Armagh City F.C. |
| Capacity | 3,000 |
| Surface | Artificial Grass |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1992 |
| Tenants | |
| Armagh City Windmill Stars | |
Holm Park is a football stadium in Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is the home ground of Armagh City F.C. The stadium holds 3,000. It is also used by Windmill Stars F.C.
Holm Park was built after Milford Everton were unable to continue using their home ground, Holm in Milford due to changes in ground criteria of the Irish League B Division. In 1988, Milford Everton moved to Armagh and looked for a suitable place for a new ground while groundsharing with Armagh Old Boys and renaming themselves Armagh City. Holm Park was built after a lease of land from Armagh City and District Council in 1991. The pitch was laid in 1992 and several additions to the ground continued until 1994. [1]
In 2002, Holm Park was at the centre of a dispute over the location of the Mid Ulster Radcliffe Cup Final between Lurgan Celtic and Loughgall after it was moved from Mourneview Park due to alleged threats against Lurgan Celtic. [2] Holm Park was selected by the Mid-Ulster Football Association as the venue for the final, however Lurgan complained to the Irish Football Association that the vote included Loughgall votes. The IFA referred the matter back to the Mid-Ulster FA who voted again for Holm Park to be the final venue. [2]
In 2009, Holm Park was used by County Fermanagh based Ballinamallard United for their home matches in the IFA Championship 1 as their Ferney Park ground did not meet the Irish Football Association's ground criteria. [3] In 2010, due to constant pitch damage as a result of several matches played on it in short time periods because of postponements, Armagh City applied to Sport Northern Ireland supported by Armagh City and District Council for a grant to install a 3G pitch at Holm Park. [4] At a cost of £425,000, the FIFA approved pitch was installed. [5] It was officially opened with a match between Armagh City and NIFL Premiership team Portadown [6] but the first match was a Bob Radcliffe Cup match against Lurgan Celtic. [5] Holm Park has also hosted the final of the Mid-Ulster Cup [7] as well as Northern Ireland national under-19 football team matches. [8]
Portadown Football Club is a professional, Northern Irish football club that is due to play in the NIFL Championship in the 2023–24 season.
Loughgall Football Club is a semi-professional Northern Irish football club, due to play in the NIFL Premiership in 2023-24. The club has been managed by Dean Smith since 2016.
Lurgan Celtic Football Club is a Northern Irish intermediate football club based in Lurgan, County Armagh, that currently plays in the Mid-Ulster Football League Junior Division 2. The club was founded, 1903 & re-formed in 1970 who plays in a strip based on Scottish team Celtic. On 15 August 2019, Lurgan Celtic announced that its senior side would withdraw from the NIFL and implement new youth academy structures, with a view to restarting its senior teams for the 2020-21 season. Lurgan Celtic resumed senior football activities at the bottom of the Mid-Ulster Football League pyramid, upon the commencement of the 2020-21 season.
Armagh City Football Club is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in the NIFL Premier Intermediate League.
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The Mid-Ulster Cup is a senior football competition in Northern Ireland run by the Mid-Ulster Football Association. The competition has historically featured teams based in County Armagh, east County Tyrone, and west County Down, though teams from outside the Mid-Ulster FA's jurisdiction have also competed on occasion, with Bangor winning the cup in 1995/96.
The Bob Radcliffe Memorial Cup is an intermediate football competition in Northern Ireland run by the Mid-Ulster Football Association. It was introduced in 1978. The competition culminates in the final which has traditionally been played on Boxing Day.
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Oxford Sunnyside Football Club, formerly Oxford United F.C., is an intermediate-level football club playing in the Intermediate A division of the Mid-Ulster Football League. They are based in Lurgan, County Armagh and play their home games at Knockrammer Park, The club changed its name in 2011 in an attempt to strengthen its connections with Sunnyside youth club. Club colours are white shirts with red shorts.
The 2010–11 IFA Championship was the third season since its establishment after a major overhaul of the league system in Northern Ireland. The Championship was divided into two divisions, with the clubs in both divisions having intermediate status. Championship 1 served as the second tier of Northern Irish football, with Championship 2 as the third tier. Loughgall were the defending champions of Championship 1.
The 2009–10 IFA Championship was the second season since its establishment after a major overhaul of the league system in Northern Ireland. It also marked the first season in which the Championship was divided into two divisions, with the clubs in both divisions having intermediate status. Championship 1 served as the second tier of Northern Irish football, with Championship 2 as the third tier.
The 2013–14 NIFL Championship was the sixth season since its establishment after a major overhaul of the league system in Northern Ireland. This was the first season that the league was operated by the Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL), which took over from the Irish Football Association (IFA) for the 2013–14 season onwards. The season began on 9 August 2013 and ended on 10 May 2014.
The 2014–15 NIFL Championship was the seventh season since its establishment after a major overhaul of the league system in Northern Ireland, and the second season that the league is being operated by the Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL), which took over from the Irish Football Association (IFA) for the 2013–14 season onwards. The season began on 8 August 2014 and concluded on 2 May 2015.
The 2014–15 Irish Cup was the 135th edition of the Irish Cup, the premier knock-out cup competition in Northern Irish football since its introduction in 1881. The competition began on 23 August 2014 with the first round, and concluded on 2 May 2015 with the final. For the first time since 1995, the Oval was chosen as the final venue following the discovery of damage to a stand at Windsor Park during the stadium's redevelopment.
The 2015–16 Irish Cup was the 136th edition of the Irish Cup, the premier knock-out cup competition in Northern Irish football since its introduction in 1881. The competition began on 18 August 2015 with the first round and concluded with the final at Windsor Park on 7 May 2016. The cup was sponsored by Tennent's Lager, the competition's first title sponsor since 2012.
The 2016–17 NIFL Championship was the first season of the second-tier Irish League since gaining senior status. The fixtures were announced on 7 July 2016. The season began on 13 August 2016 and concluded on 29 April 2017.