Founded | 1955 |
---|---|
Country | Ireland |
Confederation | Munster Football Association [1] |
Divisions | Premier Division Division 1 Division 2 Division 3 Youth Division 1 Youth Division 2 Under 17 Division 1 Under 17 Division 2 |
Number of teams | 58 (2017–18) [2] |
Level on pyramid | 7–12 |
Domestic cup(s) | FAI Junior Cup FAI Youth Cup |
League cup(s) | Desmond Cup Richard Hogan Cup Riedy Cup |
Website | [ dead link ] |
The Limerick Desmond League is an association football league featuring amateur, junior, youth and under-17 teams from the part of County Limerick west of the N20. [3] Its top division, the Premier Division, is a seventh level division in the Republic of Ireland football league system. Desmond is a historical name associated with both Limerick and Munster. [note 1]
The league was founded in January 1955 following a meeting at the Desmond Castle, Newcastle West. It was agreed to call the league – the Desmond League and its founding members included – Killonan F.C., Newcastle West A.F.C., Tralee Dynamos and A.F.C. Askeaton. These four teams contested the first league championship which was won by Killonan. In it early years the league also included teams from County Kerry. In 1966 Joe Wickham initiated reforms that helped modernize the league and by 1969 it featured twenty teams. In 1971 Tralee Dynamos and Killarney Athletic left the Desmond League to become founder members of the Kerry District League. [4] [5] [6]
Recent[ when? ] seasons has seen the number of teams affiliated to the league and as a result, the number of divisions. The 2018/19 season saw the league reduced to three divisions (Premier Division, Division One, Division Two). The league also saw a number of club mergers. Killeany AFC merged with Bally Rovers to form Killeany/Bally Rovers FC. Also, Newcastle West Rovers and Newcastle West AFC merged to form Newcastle West Town. Adare United and Kilcornan merged at underage but at junior level AK United and Adare United remained separate entities.[ citation needed ]
In 2019/20, just three divisions of ten teams affiliated. Ferry Rangers, Ballysteen, Feenagh, Rockhill Rovers and Killeaney/Bally Rovers all withdrew from junior football. Mountcollins and a number of B teams took their place.[ citation needed ]
The league also entered the Oscar Traynor Trophy after a number of years absence.[ citation needed ]
Premier Division (as of 2016)[ needs update ]
Team | Home town/suburb | Ground |
---|---|---|
Abbeyfeale United | Abbeyfeale | |
A.F.C. Rathkeale | Rathkeale | |
Ballingarry A.F.C. | Ballingarry, County Limerick | Astropark Ballingarry |
Broadford United | Broadford, County Limerick | |
Glin Rovers | Glin, County Limerick | |
Killeany A.F.C. | Killeaney, Glin, County Limerick | |
Kildimo United | Kildimo | |
Newcastle West | Newcastle West | Ballygowan Park |
Newcastle Rovers F.C. | Newcastle West | |
Shannonside F.C. | Foynes |
As of 2018, former winners included: [7] [ needs update ]
Season | Winner | Runners-up |
---|---|---|
2017–18 | Abbeyfeale Utd | Rathkeale |
2016–17 | Rathkeale | Broadford Utd |
2015–16 | Abbeyfeale Utd | Broadford Utd |
2014–15 | Abbeyfeale Utd | Newcastle West Rovers |
2013–14 | Broadford Utd | Rathkeale |
2012–13 | Newcastle West AFC | |
2011–12 | Broadford Utd | |
2010–11 | Abbeyfeale Utd | Shannonside F.C. |
2009–10 | Rathkeale | Newcastle West |
2008–09 | Newcastle West | Abbyefeale Utd |
2007–08 | Newcastle West | Glin Rovers |
2006–07 | Abbeyfeale United | Kildimo United |
2005–06 | Newcastle West | Glin Rovers |
2004–05 | Rathkeale | Newcastle West |
2003–04 | Ballingarry | Rathkeale |
2002–03 | Broadford | Rathkeale |
2001–02 | Newcastle West | Broadford |
2000–01 | Newcastle West AFC | |
1999–00 | Abbeyfeale | Newcastle West |
1998–99 | Rathkeale | Newcastle West |
1997–98 | Foynes | Rathkeale |
1996–97 | Rathkeale | Newcastle West |
1995–96 | Rathkeale | Newcastle West |
1994–95 | Rathkeale | St.Bens |
1993–94 | Askeaton | Abbey United |
1992–93 | Newcastle West | Askeaton |
1991–92 | Newcastle West | Villa Rovers |
1990–91 | Newcastle West | |
1989–90 | Newcastle West | |
1988–89 | Rathkeale | |
1987–88 | Askeaton | |
1986–87 | Park Utd | |
1985–86 | Glin Rovers | |
1984–85 | Askeaton | |
1983–84 | Askeaton | |
1982–83 | Kilcolman Rovers | |
1981–82 | Askeaton | |
1980–81 | Kilcolman Rovers | |
1979–80 | Kilcolman Rovers | |
1978–79 | Kilcolman Rovers | |
1977–78 | Kilcolman Rovers | |
1976–77 | Shannon United | |
1975–76 | Broadford | |
1974–75 | Foynes | |
1973–74 | Foynes |
County Kerry is a county in Ireland. It is in the Southern Region and the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county. The population of the county was 156,458 at the 2022 census.
Tralee is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in County Kerry. The town's population was 26,079 as of the 2022 census, making it the 15th largest urban settlement in Ireland. Tralee is known for the Rose of Tralee International Festival, which has been held annually in August since 1959.
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Castleisland is a town and commercial centre in County Kerry in south west Ireland. The town is known for the width of its main street. As of the 2016 census, Castleisland had a population of 2,486.
Rathkeale is a town in west County Limerick, in Ireland. It is 30 km (18 mi) southwest of Limerick city on the N21 road to Tralee, County Kerry, and lies on the River Deel. The town is in a townland and civil parish of the same name.
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Abbeyfeale is a historic market town in County Limerick, Ireland, near the border with County Kerry. The town is on the N21 road from Limerick to Tralee, some 21 kilometres south-west of Newcastle West and 16 kilometres south-east of Listowel and 38 kilometres north-east of Tralee. The town is in a civil parish of the same name.
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