Irish Intermediate League

Irish Intermediate League
Organiser(s)Irish Football Association
Founded1915
Abolished1954
RegionNorthern Ireland (1921–1954)
Ireland (1915–1921)
Most championshipsCrusaders (9 titles)

The Irish Intermediate League was a Northern Irish football competition for teams of intermediate status, which also included reserve sides of senior teams. The league ran from 1915 until 1954.

History

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It began in 1915 after the amalgamation of the Irish Junior League and Irish Senior Reserve League,[1][2] and ran until 1954, when the majority of the remaining clubs applied to join the Irish League B Division, which had been formed in 1951.[3][4] Until the introduction of the Irish League B Division it was the second tier of the Northern Ireland football league system.[5]

The tournament also ran a cup tournament for members of the league, the McElroy Cup.[6]

List of champions

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NB - * denotes reserve teams of senior clubs

Performance by club

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Team No. of wins Winning years
Crusaders 9 1922–23, 1925–26, 1926–27, 1928–29, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1937–38, 1938–39, 1948–49
Belfast Celtic II* 7 1916–17, 1917–18, 1931–32, 1933–34, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1936–37
Dundela 5 1921–22, 1944–45, 1946–47, 1949–50, 1950–51
Brantwood 5 1920–21, 1924–25, 1947–48, 1951–52, 1953–54
Glentoran II* 4 1915–16, 1918–19, 1919–20, 1929–30
Bangor Reserves* 3 1940–41, 1942–43, 1943–44
Linfield Swifts* 2 1939–40, 1945–46
Aircraft United 1 1941–42
Willowfield 1 1927–28

NB - * indicates reserve team

List of McElroy Cup winners

[edit]

NB - * denotes reserve teams of senior clubs

Performance by club

[edit]
Team No. of wins Winning years
Belfast Celtic II* 7 1916–17, 1932–33, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1942–43, 1943–44
Linfield Swifts* 5 1928–29, 1937–38, 1939–40, 1944–45, 1945–46 (shared)
Glentoran II* 4 1915–16, 1917–18, 1933–34 (shared), 1938–39
Crusaders 3 1929–30, 1931–32, 1947–48
Distillery II* 2 1918–19, 1920–21
St Mary's 2 1921–22, 1922–24
Dunmurry 2 1924–25 (shared), 1926–27
Cliftonville Olympic* 1 1919–20
Belfast United 1 1922–23
Linfield Rangers 1 1925–26
Broadway United 1 1927–28
Newington Rangers 1 1930–31
Ards II 1 1940–41
Ballyclare Comrades 1 1941–42
Bangor Reserves* 1 1946–47
Larne 1 1948–49
Brantwood 1 1924–25 (shared)
Summerfield 1 1933–34 (shared)
Dundela 1 1945–46 (shared)

NB - * indicates reserve team

References

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  1. ^ "Association Football - Amalgamation of local leagues". Belfast News-Letter. 24 April 1915. p. 3.
  2. ^ "Field & Pavilion - News About Clubs And Players". Daily Record. 15 June 1915. p. 2.
  3. ^ "Intermediate League likely to end soon". Belfast Telegraph. 15 June 1954. p. 10.
  4. ^ ""Jaymac" sums up Larne's hopes in new season". Larne Times. 12 August 1954. p. 2.
  5. ^ "Irish Intermediate league". Irish Football Club Project. Archived from the original on 31 October 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  6. ^ "McElroy Cup". Irish Football Club Project. Archived from the original on 31 October 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
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