Founded | 1971 | ||
---|---|---|---|
Ground | Mid Ulster Sports Arena, Cookstown, County Tyrone | ||
Capacity | 700 | ||
League | Ballymena & Provincial Football League Division 1 | ||
2021-22 | Ballymena & Provincial Football League Junior Division One, 2nd | ||
Killymoon Rangers Football Club are a Northern Irish football club that plays in the Ballymena & Provincial League.
Previously playing at Intermediate Level and before that Championship 1 and Championship II of the Irish League (The 2nd and 3rd tier of Irish League Football) within the Northern Ireland Football League. Nicknamed the 'BlueMoon' by supporters, Killymoon Rangers are located in the historic town of Cookstown, County Tyrone. They play their home games at Beechway Pitch or the Mid Ulster Sports Arena, in Cookstown. They were one of the first teams to play on a plastic, 3rd generation pitch in Northern Ireland's top football leagues.
Killymoon Rangers were established in 1971 and is the oldest football club in Cookstown by a considerable number of years, with over 50 years of history. Originally formed to play in the Cookstown Street League, Killymoon joined the Mid Ulster Street League soon after. In July 2008 they were promoted to the IFA Championship. The club played in the Belfast Telegraph Championship 1 and Championship II for 6 consecutive seasons.
The first manager of the club was Wilfie McPartland, assisted by Willie Jordan with former Coleraine chairman Sammy Lyle captaining the team.
After spells in the Mid Ulster Intermediate League where they were managed by Rodney Montgomery, Killymoon entered the newly formed IFA Championship in 2008, managed by brothers Michael and Mark Wilson. The club were relegated into Championship 2 after one season, remaining in Championship 2 until 2014, when they were relegated to the Ballymena & Provincial Intermediate League after finishing bottom of Championship 2. At the start of the 2016–17 season, the club withdrew from the Ballymena and Provincial League although in a press statement the committee insisted that the club had not folded and would return to football. [1] It was announced in May 2017 that the club would return to the league for the new season, but in the junior division section where they could rebuild and enjoy some success once again. [2] By May 2018, as the season drew to an end, the team were unbeaten in 16 league games and had secured a semi-final place in the Canada Trophy cup competition. They went on to win the league, the first senior league title in over 40 years. Unfortunately they narrowly lost out in the cup final, with a 1 nil defeat to Castle Star FC. (The final was played Allen Park, home of Chimney Corner FC) over 200 people attended the Cup Final.
In the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons, there was some disruption to fixtures due to COVID-19, but in both seasons Killymoon performed very well, finishing 2nd on both occasions. The first occasion was by goal difference, and the second occasion by just 2 points. Agonisingly close to promotion 2 consecutive seasons. The club are striving to return to the heights they were previously at, and as things stand (December 2022) Killymoon sit 2nd once again in the league, with 11 league games left to play.
The club has had several proud cup runs in the Irish Cup, where they have played Linfield, Glentoran, Crusaders & Portadown on numerous occasions, including an away visit to the national stadium, Windsor Park, home of Linfield and the Northern Ireland National Team. Also prior to entering Championship 1 Killymoon beat Glentoran 2 nil in a pre-season friendly when Martin Bogan scored twice, the Glens fielded experienced and clinical strikers Gary Hamilton, Michael Halliday and Chris Morgan for the last 30 minutes but failed to beat keeper Gareth Maguire who was in great form.
Portadown Football Club is a semi-professional Northern Irish football club who play in the NIFL Premiership.
Glentoran Football Club is a professional football club based in East Belfast, Northern Ireland, that plays in the NIFL Premiership. The club was founded in 1882 and has since won more than 130 major honours, making them one of the most successful teams in the world.
Crusaders Football Club is a semi-professional Northern Irish football club playing in the NIFL Premiership. The club, founded in 1898, is based in north Belfast and plays its home matches at Seaview.
Coagh United Football Club is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in the NIFL Premier Intermediate League. The club, founded in 1970, hails from Coagh, near Cookstown, County Tyrone. They play their home games at Hagan Park.
Glenavon Football Club is a Northern Irish semi-professional football club that competes in the NIFL Premiership. Founded in 1889, the club hails from Lurgan and plays its home matches at Mourneview Park. Club colours are blue and white. Glenavon's bitter rivals are Portadown, with their matches known as the "Mid-Ulster Derby". The club is currently managed by Stephen McDonnell, formerly of Warrenpoint Town and Shelbourne.
The Irish Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly referred to as the Irish Cup is the primary football knockout cup competition in Northern Ireland. Inaugurated in 1881, it is the fourth-oldest national cup competition in the world. Prior to the break-away from the Irish Football Association by clubs from what would become the Irish Free State in 1921, the Irish Cup was the national cup competition for the whole of Ireland.
Rory Christopher Patterson is a Northern Irish footballer who plays as a forward for Belfast Celtic He also played for the Northern Ireland national team. Having played youth football for Sion Swifts, Moorfield Celtic and Townsend United, Patterson joined Rochdale in 2002 before having spells with Radcliffe Borough and Mossley.
The George Wilson Memorial Cup is a competition open to the reserve football teams of member clubs of the NIFL Premiership. Initially it was open to all members of the B Division, both "attached and unattached", but since 1977–78 it has been limited to reserve sides only. It has not been played since 2019.
Chris Morrow is a Northern Irish footballer who currently plays for Brantwood.
The 2010–11 IFA Premiership was the 3rd season of the IFA Premiership, the highest level of league football in Northern Ireland, and the 110th season of Irish league football overall.
The 2011–12 IFA Premiership was the 4th season of the IFA Premiership, the highest level of league football in Northern Ireland, and the 111th season of Irish league football overall.
The 2012–13 IFA Premiership was the 5th season of the IFA Premiership, the highest level of league football in Northern Ireland, and the 112th season of Irish league football overall.
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 Northern Ireland Football League Cup was the 29th edition of the Northern Ireland Football League Cup, Northern Ireland's secondary football knockout cup competition, and the second season of the competition under the control of the Northern Ireland Football League. It was contested by the 12 members of the NIFL Premiership and the 29 members of the NIFL Championship. The competition began on 12 August 2014 with the first round, and concluded on 24 January 2015 with the final.
The 2014–15 Irish Cup was the 135th edition of the Irish Cup, the premier knockout 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 Northern Ireland Football League, also known as the Irish League, is the national football league of Northern Ireland. The Irish League was originally formed in 1890, with the league in its current format created in 2013 to assume independent collective management of the top three levels of the Northern Ireland football league system; namely the Premiership, Championship and Premier Intermediate League.
The 2014–15 Northern Ireland Football League was the second season of Northern Ireland's national football league running independently as the Northern Ireland Football League, consisting of the top three levels of the national league system, namely: the Premiership, Championship 1, and Championship 2. It was the 114th season of Irish league football overall. The season began on 8 August 2014 and concluded on 2 May 2015.
The 2019–20 NIFL Premiership was the 12th season of the NIFL Premiership, the highest level of league football in Northern Ireland, the 119th season of Irish league football overall, and the 7th season of the league operating as part of the Northern Ireland Football League.
The 2021–22 Irish Cup was the 142nd edition of the Irish Cup, the premier knockout cup competition in Northern Irish football since its inauguration in 1881. The competition began on 7 August 2021 and concluded with the final at Windsor Park, Belfast on 7 May 2022.
Jonny Addis is a footballer from Northern Ireland who plays for Cliftonville in the NIFL Premiership.