Founded | 1986 |
---|---|
Folded | 2024 |
Country | Ireland |
Region | County Donegal |
Number of teams | 5 |
Level on pyramid | 3 |
Domestic cup(s) | FAI Cup FAI Intermediate Cup Knockalla Caravans Senior Cup |
League cup(s) | Ulster Senior League Cup |
Last champions | Cockhill Celtic |
Most championships | Fanad United (14) |
Website | uslfootball |
The Ulster Senior League was [1] an association football league featuring amateur, intermediate, and League of Ireland reserve teams. Together with the Leinster Senior League Senior Division and the Munster Senior League Senior Premier Division, it formed the third level of the Republic of Ireland football league system. Ulster Senior League teams also competed in the FAI Cup and the FAI Intermediate Cup. The winners of the Ulster Senior League were also invited to play in the now defunct League of Ireland Cup. Despite using the Ulster name in its title, almost all of its clubs were based in County Donegal and the City of Derry. The most successful club in the league was Fanad United who won fourteen league titles and ten league cups. Since 2006 the USL had operated as a summer league with the season typically operating from April to October. In 2023, there were five teams competing in the league.
The League was dissolved in 2024, with the member clubs returning to junior football in Inishowen and Donegal leagues. [2]
The Ulster Senior League was formed in 1986. The driving force behind the establishment of the league was Fr. Michael Sweeney, a pioneer of junior and intermediate association football in County Donegal. In addition to founding the USL, Sweeney had earlier been instrumental in both establishing the Donegal League and forming Fanad United. [3] [4] Fanad United were the inaugural USL champions in 1986–87 and they subsequently went on to become the league's most successful club, winning fourteen league titles and ten league cups. In more recent seasons, Cockhill Celtic have challenged Fanad United's dominance, winning their first title in 2010 and then nine consecutive titles between 2013 and 2022. [5] [6] The winners of the Ulster Senior League have regularly been invited to participate in the League of Ireland Cup. In 1987–88 Fanad United were semi-finalists. Cockhill Celtic, Culdaff and Swilly Rovers have all represented the USL in the League of Ireland Cup. [4] [7] Fanad United have also won the FAI Intermediate Cup twice while Letterkenny Rovers were finalists in 2015–16. [8] [9]
September 2020 saw the leagues most successful club, Fanad United, announce their withdrawal from the USL to join the Donegal Junior League [10]
2021 saw Monaghan United F.C., a former League of Ireland club, join the Ulster Senior League, the first club from Counties Cavan or Monaghan to do so. [11] They withdrew from the league after just one season. [12]
Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
---|---|---|
Bonagee United | Letterkenny | Dry Arch Park |
Cockhill Celtic | Buncrana | Charlie O'Donnell Sports Grounds |
Derry City Reserves | Derry | Brandywell Stadium |
Finn Harps U21 | Ballybofey | Finn Park |
Letterkenny Rovers | Letterkenny | Leckview Park |
Source: [13]
Source: [5]
Club | Titles | Seasons |
---|---|---|
Fanad United | 14 | 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2011 |
Cockhill Celtic | 11 | 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2021-22, 2022-23 |
Kildrum Tigers | 3 | 2003–04, 2007, 2008 |
Letterkenny Rovers | 2 | 2004–05, 2009 |
Quigley's Point Swifts | 2 | 2001–02, 2002–03 |
Buncrana Hearts | 1 | 1991–92 |
Culdaff | 1 | 1988–89 |
Derry City Reserves | 1 | 2012 |
Finn Harps Reserves | 1 | 1998–99 |
Swilly Rovers | 1 | 1999–00 |
Source: [5]
The Ulster Senior League Cup has had four different sponsors since first being played for in 1986–87. Initially, the competition was sponsored by the Hotel Glenveagh in Gweedore before being sponsored by Hydro Seafoods and then Marine Harvest. It is now known as the Donegal News Ulster Senior League Cup. [6]
Source: [6]
An Ulster Senior League representative team competes in the FAI Intermediate Interprovincial Tournament against teams representing the Leinster Senior League, the Munster Senior League and Connacht. [17]
Monaghan United F.C. is an Irish association football club based in Monaghan currently playing in the Ulster Senior League. The club joined the League of Ireland in 1983 and subsequently went on to play in the B Division, the First Division and the Premier Division. They resigned from the league midway through the 2012 season. The club continued to field a women's team in the Dublin Women's Soccer League and, together with the Cavan Monaghan Underage League, they entered a combined team in the League of Ireland U13 Division, League of Ireland U15, U17 and the U19 League of Ireland Divisions, until 2020, whereupon the partnership was ended, the CMUL continued to field a team in the national underage leagues. In 2019 the club entered a senior team into the Monaghan Cavan League, and in 2021, the club joined the Ulster Senior League.
Fanad is a peninsula that lies between Lough Swilly and Mulroy Bay on the north coast of County Donegal, Ireland. The origin of the name Fanad derives from the Irish language word Fána for "sloping ground". It is also referred to as Fannet or Fannett in older records. There are an estimated 700 people living in Fanad and 30% Irish speakers.
Albert Rovers F.C. were an Irish association football club based in Cork. Between 1976–77 and 1981–82 the club played in the League of Ireland. During this time the club also played under the names Cork Albert, Cork Alberts and Cork United. The club has also fielded teams in the Munster Senior League and the Cork Athletic Union League. Throughout their history, the club colours were red and black and occasionally white. They were used in various combinations, including stripes and hoops.
Letterkenny Rovers Football Club is an association football club from Ireland, currently competing in the Ulster Senior League. The club is based in Letterkenny and the team play their home games at Leckview Park.
Fanad United Football Club is an Irish association football club based in Fanad in the north of County Donegal. Their senior men's team currently plays in the Donegal Junior League. In 1986–87 they were both founding members and inaugural champions of the Ulster Senior League. They remain the USL's most successful club, having won fourteen titles. They also field teams in both the Donegal Youth League and the Donegal Women's League. They have previously fielded teams in both the A Championship and the League of Ireland U19 Division. They have also played in the FAI Cup, the League of Ireland Cup and the FAI Intermediate Cup. They have won the latter competition on two occasions, in 1987–88 and 1994–95. In September 2020 the club made the decision to Leave the USL and Intermediate Football and return to Junior Football in the Donegal League.
The FAI Intermediate Cup, also known as the FAI Umbro Intermediate Cup and the Pat O'Brien Intermediate Challenge Cup, is a cup competition organized by the Football Association of Ireland for intermediate association football clubs from the Republic of Ireland. These include clubs competing in the Leinster Senior League and the Munster Senior League. It was originally known as the FAI Qualifying Cup and from the beginning it has been used as a qualifying competition for the senior FAI Cup. It is currently sponsored by Umbro and has previously been sponsored by Carlsberg.
The Munster Senior League is an association football league organised by the Munster Football Association. It organises seven divisions as well as various cup competitions. Its Senior Division is a third level division in the Republic of Ireland football league system. Munster Senior League teams also compete in the Munster Senior Cup, the FAI Cup, the FAI Intermediate Cup and the FAI Junior Cup. In recent seasons the winners of the Senior Division have qualified to play in the League of Ireland Cup. Despite using the Munster name in its title, the vast majority of its member clubs are based in County Cork. However, in the past it has included clubs from County Limerick, County Waterford, County Kerry and County Tipperary.
Frank McGlynn is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for Glenfin and who played for the Donegal county team between 2006 and 2019.
The 2011–12 FAI Umbro Intermediate Cup was the 85th season of the tournament's existence. 94 clubs competed to win the title, and it was Avondale United who were the victors after they beat Cherry Orchard 2–1 for the second successive season in the final after extra time in Tallaght Stadium to gain their fifth Intermediate Cup title. The 16 teams that reached the fourth round qualified for the 2012 FAI Cup.
Martin McElhinney is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for St Michael's and also, formerly, for the Donegal county team.
The 2012–13 Umbro FAI Intermediate Cup was the 86th season of the tournament's existence. 94 clubs competed to win the title. Avondale United are the defending champions after they beat Cherry Orchard 2-1 for the second successive season in the final after extra time in Tallaght Stadium to gain their fifth Intermediate Cup title. The 16 teams that reach the fourth round will qualify for the 2013 FAI Cup.
The 2013–14 FAI Umbro Intermediate Cup was the 87th season of the FAI Intermediate Cup. Intermediate clubs from the Leinster Senior League, the Munster Senior League and the Ulster Senior League entered the competition. Avondale United finished as winners after they defeated UCD Reserves 3–0 in the final in Turners Cross. As a result Avondale United also became only the second club after Distillery to win the cup four times in a row. They also became the first club to win the FAI Intermediate Cup seven times, making them the competition's most successful club.
The 2014 FAI Senior Challenge Cup, also known as the 2014 FAI Ford Senior Cup, was the 94th season of the national football competition of the Republic of Ireland. The winners of the competition earned a spot in the first qualifying round of the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League.
The 2015 FAI Senior Challenge Cup, also known as the 2015 FAI Irish Daily Mail Senior Cup for sponsorship reasons, was the 95th season of the national football competition of the Republic of Ireland. The winners of the competition earned a spot in the first qualifying round of the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League.
The Connacht Football Association is the governing body for association football in the Irish province of Connacht. It is affiliated to the Football Association of Ireland and is currently responsible for organizing the Connacht Junior Cup and four junior leagues – the Galway & District League, the Mayo Association Football League, the Roscommon and District Football League and the Sligo/Leitrim & District League as well as numerous other leagues and cup competitions for junior teams. In the past it has also been responsible for organizing the Connacht Senior Cup and the Connacht Senior League. However both of these competitions are currently inactive.
The 2016–17 FAI Intermediate Cup, also known as the 2016–17 Umbro FAI Intermediate Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the 90th season of the national Intermediate Football competition of the Republic of Ireland. The sixteen teams that reach the Fourth Round will qualify for the 2017 FAI Cup.
Charles McGeever is an Irish sportsperson from County Donegal. He played association football as a defender for Fanad United and in the League of Ireland for Sligo Rovers and Finn Harps. He played Gaelic football in midfield for Donegal, for which he also captained. He has had success while managing Finn Harps, as well as the Clonmel Commercials GAA club and the Tipperary county team.
Cockhill Celtic Football Club is an Irish association football (soccer) club based in Buncrana, County Donegal. Their senior men's team currently plays in the Inishowen Football League
Mark Anthony McGinley is an Irish sportsperson. He has played Gaelic football as a goalkeeper for St Michael's and was formerly number one keeper with his county team, Donegal. McGinley has also been involved in the sport of association football and currently plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division with Finn Harps. He is from Ards, County Donegal.
Michael McGeehin is a Gaelic football trainer currently attached as head coach to Tipperary. He has previously worked with the Clare, Mayo, Fermanagh, Donegal, Limerick and Laois county teams, and the association football teams Fanad United and Finn Harps.