Leinster Senior League (association football)
| Country |  Ireland |
|---|---|
| Confederation | Leinster Football Association |
| Founded | 1896 |
| Divisions | 20 (including Senior Division) |
| Level on pyramid | 3–12 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Leinster Senior Cup FAI Cup FAI Intermediate Cup FAI Junior Cup |
| League cup(s) | Metropolitan Cup Charlie Cahill Cup |
| Current champions | Crumlin United (4 titles) |
| Most championships | Shelbourne (12 titles) |
| Website | www.lsl.ie |
The Leinster Senior League is an association football league organized by the Leinster Football Association. In 2015–16 the Leinster Senior League operated twenty divisions. It also organizes various cup competitions. Its Senior Division is a third level division in the Republic of Ireland football league system. Leinster Senior League teams also compete in the Leinster Senior Cup, the FAI Cup, the FAI Intermediate Cup and the FAI Junior Cup. In recent seasons the winners of the Senior Division have also qualified to play in the League of Ireland Cup. Despite using the Leinster name in its title, the vast majority of its member clubs are based in the Greater Dublin Area. Its current sponsors include The Herald and O'Neills.
History
Foundation
Within a few seasons of the Leinster Football Association been formed in 1892, the Leinster Senior League was established. Ciarán Priestley highlights a printed notice in the 4 September 1894 edition of The Irish Times. Under the headline "Leinster Football League" there is a report of "a general meeting of the league... held the other evening at 27 D'Olier Street". Priestley also lists Bohemians, Britannia, Dublin University, Leinster Nomads, Phoenix and Montpelier as participants in the first season. The Leinster Senior League website states it was established in 1896.[1] However other sources suggest the league started a little later and was first played for in 1897–98 and that an unidentified British Army regimental team where the inaugural winners while Shelbourne were runners up. See
Note 1[2][3]
Senior leagues
In 2015–16 the Leinster Senior League operated twenty divisions. The clubs in the top four Senior divisions are listed below.
| Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
|---|---|---|
| Bluebell United | Bluebell/Red Cow | Capco Park |
| Crumlin United | Crumlin, Dublin | Pearse Park |
| Drumcondra | Clonturk, Drumcondra | Clonturk Park |
| Firhouse Clover | Firhouse | Belgard Road |
| Glebe North | Balbriggan | Market Green |
| Glenville | Palmerstown | Palmerstown School |
| Greystones United | Greystones | Woodlands |
| Home Farm | Whitehall, Dublin | Whitehall Stadium |
| Killester United | Killester | Haddon Park |
| Malahide United | Malahide | Gannon Park |
| St. Patrick's C.Y.F.C. | Ringsend | Irishtown Stadium |
| St. Mochtas F.C. | Clonsilla/Blanchardstown | Porterstown Road |
| Tolka Rovers | Glasnevin | Frank Cooke Park |
| UCD | Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown | UCD Bowl |
Senior 1
| Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
|---|---|---|
| Arklow Town | Arklow | Lamberton Grass/Astro |
| Bangor Celtic | Crumlin, Dublin | Iveagh Grounds |
| Broadford Rovers | Dublin 16 | Marlay Park |
| Cherry Orchard | Ballyfermot | Elmdale Crescent |
| Dublin University | Trinity College, Dublin | College Park, Dublin |
| Dunboyne | Dunboyne | Summerhill Road |
| Dublin Bus | Clondalkin | Coldcut |
| Leixlip United | Leixlip | Leixlip Amenities Center |
| Sacred Heart | Dublin 24 | Killinarden Hill |
| St Francis | Clondalkin | John Hyland Park |
| Swords Celtic | Swords, Dublin | Balheary Reservoir |
| TEK United | Blackrock, Dublin | Stradbrook |
| Verona | Coolmine | |
| Wayside Celtic | Kilternan | Jackson Park |
Senior 1A
| Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
|---|---|---|
| Ballymun United | Ballymun | Soccer Complex |
| Beggsboro | Cabra, Dublin | Kilkiernan Road |
| Celbridge Town | Celbridge/Kilcock | |
| Edenderry Town | Edenderry | Fr. Paul Park |
| Lucan United | Lucan/Leixlip | Leixlip Amenities Centre |
| Maynooth University Town | Maynooth University | |
| Mount Merrion | Sandymount/Leopardstown | Leopardstown Park |
| Newtown Rangers | Tallaght | Farrell Park |
| Peamount United | Newcastle, South Dublin | Greenogue Astro/Grass |
| Pegasus/St. James Ath | Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown | Belfield Park |
| Portmarnock | Portmarnock | Paddys Hill |
| Newbridge Town | Newbridge, County Kildare | Station Road |
| St James's Gate | Crumlin, Dublin | Iveagh Grounds |
| St. John Bosco | Crumlin, Dublin | Iveagh Grounds |
Senior 1B
| Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
|---|---|---|
| Ballyfermot United | Ballyfermot | Cold Cut |
| Drogheda Town | Drogheda | Marian Park |
| Confey FC | Leixlip | Confey Park |
| Greenhills/Greenpark | Walkinstown | Greenhills Park |
| Leicester Celtic | Rathfarnham | Loreto Park, Nutgrove |
| Liffey Wanderers | Irishtown, Dublin | Irishtown Stadium |
| Kilnamanagh AFC | Kilnamanagh/Tallaght | Ned Kelly Park |
| Parkvilla | Navan | Claremont Stadium |
| Portlaoise AFC | Portlaoise | Rossleighan Park |
| St. Josephs Boys | Sallynoggin | Pearse Park |
| Shamrock Bhoys | County Wicklow | Peoples Park |
| Templeogue United | Templeogue | St McDaras School |
| Tullamore Town | Tullamore | Leah Victoria Park |
| Wicklow Rovers | County Wicklow | Whitegates |
Junior leagues
This is a selection of teams playing in the lower levels of the Leinster Senior League.
| Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
|---|---|---|
| Beechwood | Milltown, Dublin | Royal Hospital, Donnybrook |
| Cabinteely | Cabinteely | Kilbogget Park |
| Dundrum | Dundrum, Dublin | Meadowbrook Park |
| Drumcondra/Stella Maris | Drumcondra, Dublin | |
| Greystones A.F.C. | Greystones | Archfield |
| Manortown United | Perrystown | Greentrees Park |
| Phoenix | Scribblestown/Ashtown | |
| Pioneers | Dublin Airport | ALSAA Sports Complex |
| Terenure College | Terenure College | Bushy Park |
| Transport | Crumlin, Dublin | Windmill Park |
Notes
- ^1 This was possibly Sherwood Foresters who were the 1896-97 IFA Cup runners-up, losing to Cliftonville in the final. They were based in the Curragh, County Kildare.[4][5]
