Connacht Senior League (association Football)

Connacht Senior League (association Football)

Connacht Senior League is a now defunct, amateur football league that ran in the Irish province of Connacht between 1981 and the summer of 2000, being scrapped when the leading clubs opted to join an under 21 league set up that year by the FAI. Teams from this league also competed in Ireland's top cup competitions including the FAI Cup, the FAI Junior Cup and the FAI Intermediate Cup. The champions or highest placed non-reserve team got to take part in the League of Ireland Cup, the reserve sides in question were those of Sligo Rovers, Galway United and occasionally Longford Town. It consisted of one division with some teams merely dropping out (no relegation system existed)and occasionally new ones joining, however with the increasing popularity of Irish soccer in the nineties it slowly attracted more sides, including teams from Leinster, so 2 divisions were eventually created. However this format lasted only one season and it reverted to one division the following season, becoming known as the Connacht Senior League Premiership. Dropouts by some clubs was one reason for this and the trend continued with the league eventually finishing with only eight clubs. Along with the reserves of Sligo Rovers and Galway United League of Ireland First Division sides Mervue United and Salthill Devon were two of the regular competitors while one-time'A Championship side Castlebar Celtic also took part. Other intermediate sides who featured included UCG(later NUIG), Tuam Celtic, Ballinasloe Town, Castlerea Celtic, Straide & Foxford united, Ballina Town, Westport United while clubs from Athlone (Gentex and St.Peters) and Longford also took part. The league will return in the winter of 2013.