Limerick Desmond League

Limerick Desmond League

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 clubs	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]}

History

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 ]}

2015–16 teams

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

List of winners by season

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

Notes

1. See also the Kingdom of Desmond and the Earl of Desmond

References

1. "Details of Affiliated Leagues & Clubs 2015/2016". www.munsterfa.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
2. "List of Teams Affiliated to the Limerick Desmond Football League". www.munsterfa.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
3. "About Us". limerickdesmondleague.ie. Archived from the original on 7 February 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
4. "About Us - History". limerickdesmondleague.ie. Archived from the original on 23 February 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
5. "Soccer in the Kingdom – a story of success and unprecedented growth". www.kerrydistrictleague.ie. Archived from the original on 5 April 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
6. "Killarney Athletic – Club History". www.killarneyathletic.com. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
7. "List of Champions". limerickdesmondleague.ie. Archived from the original on 7 February 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.

External links

• ldfl.leaguerepublic.com Archived 25 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine