The 2008 A Championship was the inaugural season of the A Championship in Ireland. The league featured 16 teams. UCD A were the inaugural champions, Cork City A won the Shield competition and Mervue United were promoted to the First Division after a play off.

2008 A Championship is located in Ireland
Location of teams in 2008 A Championship

A Championship Shield

Between March and June the twelve League of Ireland Premier Division reserve teams competed in the A Championship Shield. Mervue United, Salthill Devon and Tullamore Town did not play in the Shield as they were still playing in their previous junior/intermediate leagues which operated as winter leagues. This resulted in an overlap with the A Championship which operated as a summer league. The twelve teams were divided into four regionalised groups with the group winners then qualifying for the semi-finals.

Group Stage

Group AGroup BGroup CGroup D
Cork City ABray Wanderers ABohemians AFinn Harps A
Cobh Ramblers ASt Patrick's Athletic ADrogheda United ADerry City A
Galway United AUCD AShamrock Rovers ASligo Rovers A

Semi-finals

? May 2008Finn Harps A0–1 (a.e.t.)Bohemians A
May 25, 2008Cork City A3–2Bray Wanderers ABishopstown Stadium

Final

2 June 2008Cork City A2–0Bohemians ABuckley Park
Tierney Meyler (pen)

Regular season

The regular season saw the twelve League of Ireland Premier Division reserve teams joined by Limerick 37 A plus the first teams of Mervue United, Salthill Devon and Tullamore Town. The format saw the sixteen teams split into two groups of eight, divided roughly into southern and northern groups. The two groups used a traditional round-robin format. The two group winners, UCD A and Bohemians A, then played off in a final. UCD won the inaugural title. As the highest placed non-reserve team, Mervue United qualified for a promotion/relegation play-off and after defeating Kildare County, they were promoted to the League of Ireland First Division.

Group 1

Teams

TeamBaseManagerStadium
Bohemians APhibsboroughAUL Complex
Derry City ADerryBrandywell Stadium
Drogheda United ADroghedaUnited Park
Finn Harps ABallybofeyFinn Park
Mervue UnitedGalwayRepublic of Ireland Johnny GlynnFahy's Field
Salthill DevonSalthillRepublic of Ireland Emlyn LongDrom Soccer Park
Shamrock Rovers ADrumcondraTolka Park
Sligo Rovers ASligoShowgrounds

Final table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsPromotion or qualification
1Bohemians A1411213412+2232A Championship play-off final
2Finn Harps A149142412+1228
3Mervue United (P)146262424020Promoted to First Division after play-off
4Drogheda United A145542323017
5Shamrock Rovers A144462322+116
6Sligo Rovers A144372423+115
7Derry City A144191634−1813
8Salthill Devon143291331−1811

Results

Home \ AwayBOHDERDROFHAMERSALSHASLI
Bohemians A1–03–24–14–02–03–13–1
Derry City A1–11–31–11–34–00–03–0
Drogheda United A1–11–00–21–12–21–05–1
Finn Harps A1–30–14–03–11–01–02–0
Mervue United1–25–41–10–31–24–02–0
Salthill Devon0–33–10–10–10–42–23–1
Shamrock Rovers A2–04–34–42–00–16–02–2
Sligo Rovers A1–41–43–10–43–02–11–0

Group 2

Teams

TeamBaseManagerStadium
Bray Wanderers ABrayJackson Park
Cobh Ramblers ACobhSt Colman's Park
Cork City ACorkTurner's Cross
Galway United AGalwayAthenry
Limerick 37 ALimerickJackman Park
St Patrick's Athletic AInchicoreRichmond Park
Tullamore TownTullamoreRepublic of Ireland Keith ColshLeah Victoria Park
UCD ABelfieldUCD Bowl

Final table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1UCD A141031528+4433A Championship play-off final
2Cork City A147342213+924
3Galway United A146442014+622
4Bray Wanderers A146353120+1121
5St Patrick's Athletic A145451616019
6Cobh Ramblers A146262425−117
7Limerick 37 A144281733−1614
8Tullamore Town141112760−534

Results

Home \ AwayBRWCOBCORGALL37StPTULUCD
Bray Wanderers A3–41–02–23–04–09–01–5
Cobh Ramblers A2–00–31–26–01–13–00–3
Cork City A1–02–10–23–10–08–10–5
Galway United A3–02–20–01–02–04–01–1
Limerick 37 A1–21–20–11–01–13–14–3
St Patrick's Athletic A0–02–02–02–00–43–00–2
Tullamore Town1–51–20–42–11–10–40–8
UCD A1–15–00–03–09–02–15–0

Play-Offs

A Championship Final

Bohemians A and UCD A competed in a playoff to decide the overall A Championship title. UCD A won 2–1.

11 November 2008UCD A2 – 1 (a.e.t.)Bohemians AUCD Bowl
19.45 GMTD. McMillan 85' E. McMillan 107'Madden 37' Ryan Ennis

Promotion/Relegation

Kildare County and Mervue United, the highest ranked non-reserve team from the A Championship, played off to see who would play in the 2009 First Division.

18 November 2008Mervue United2 – 2Kildare CountyFahy's Field
20:00Keogh 10' Goldbey 28'Hughes 54' 76'Referee: Pádraig Sutton (Clare)
21 November 2008Kildare County0 – 3Mervue UnitedStation Road
19:45O'Brien 15' Goldbey 64' 81'Referee: Sean Grant (Wexford)

Mervue United won 5–2 on aggregate and were promoted to the First Division.

See also