The 2009–10 IFA Championship (known as the Ladbrokes.com Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the second season since its establishment after a major overhaul of the league system in Northern Ireland. It also marked the first season in which the Championship was divided into two divisions, with the clubs in both divisions having intermediate status. Championship 1 served as the second tier of Northern Irish football, with Championship 2 as the third tier.

In Championship 1, Loughgall were crowned champions on 8 May 2010 after a 2–0 win over Ards. However, they were denied promotion because they did not gain the required licence from the IFA. Therefore, runners-up Donegal Celtic entered into a two-leg play-off with the bottom club of the 2009–10 IFA Premiership, and achieved promotion with a 1–0 aggregate win. At the other end of the table, Coagh United and Armagh City finished in the bottom two, and were relegated to Championship 2 for next season.

In Championship 2, Harland & Wolff Welders won the title by 7 points, achieving promotion to Championship 1. Also promoted were Dergview who finished as runners-up. There was no relegation from Championship 2 this season.

Team changes from 2008–09

The 2008–09 Championship consisted of one division of 17 clubs. The bottom 3 clubs (Tobermore United, Killymoon Rangers and Dergview) were relegated to the newly introduced Championship 2 for this season. Championship 2 was set up to replace the IFA Interim Intermediate League, introduced as a temporary league for the 2008–09 season only, consisting of the former members of the IFA Intermediate League (dissolved in 2008) who did not meet the criteria for the new IFA Championship 2; it consisted of 12 clubs. Members of the Interim League had one year to make improvements in order to gain entry to Championship 2 for this season.

10 of the 12 clubs managed to meet the criteria, along with Sport & Leisure Swifts and Knockbreda who both achieved intermediate status, with only Brantwood and Oxford United Stars failing to do so. Harland & Wolff Welders were the champions. There was no promotion from the Interim League which meant that Championship 1 would be reduced to 14 clubs, with Championship 2 having 15.

Portadown were promoted to the 2009–10 IFA Premiership as 2008–09 Championship winners. Bangor entered Championship 1 after they announced that due to financial problems, they would not be able to renew their domestic licence required to take part in the Premiership.

Championship 1

2009–10 IFA Championship is located in Northern Ireland
Location of teams in the 2009–10 IFA Championship 1

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification or relegation
1Loughgall (C)2619346024+3660
2Donegal Celtic (O, P)2619255921+3859Qualification to promotion play-off
3Limavady United2618355629+2757
4Ards2613674927+2245
5Carrick Rangers2612593739−241
6Ballinamallard United2610883629+738
7Ballymoney United2610883933+638
8Larne26114113437−337
9Banbridge Town2683153348−1527
10Glebe Rangers2676133056−2627
11Bangor2675143648−1226
12Ballyclare Comrades2675143446−1226
13Coagh United (R)2664163862−2422Relegation to IFA Championship 2
14Armagh City (R)2624202062−4210

Results

Each team played every other team twice (once at home, and once away) for a total of 26 games.

Home \ AwayARDARMBMDBCCBMYBBTBGRCRKCOADGCGBELRNLIMLGL
Ards3–01–05–01–03–01–11–23–04–04–03–02–23–1
Armagh City0–31–10–41–13–01–20–30–00–30–10–20–10–4
Ballinamallard United1–14–10–20–10–24–34–10–10–02–22–02–30–0
Ballyclare Comrades1–13–10–00–10–32–01–11–10–16–11–20–41–3
Ballymoney United0–02–10–12–21–02–20–10–12–10–13–10–15–4
Banbridge Town0–23–12–20–11–32–61–32–10–21–11–11–20–3
Bangor0–13–20–22–11–42–02–24–30–11–21–30–20–0
Carrick Rangers2–12–00–21–02–21–04–11–21–02–13–21–10–1
Coagh United5–13–30–15–32–22–31–33–20–40–22–31–20–3
Donegal Celtic3–33–14–01–03–12–42–14–02–14–03–01–03–0
Glebe Rangers3–01–31–11–20–31–42–00–02–11–81–13–40–2
Larne1–02–10–32–01–11–01–12–06–11–22–00–10–1
Limavady United3–24–02–04–22–20–22–05–14–20–23–12–00–1
Loughgall2–04–01–44–13–14–11–03–15–01–02–24–03–2

Championship 2

2009–10 IFA Championship is located in Northern Ireland
Location of teams in the 2009–10 IFA Championship 2
2009–10 IFA Championship is located in Greater Belfast
Location of the Belfast-based teams in the 2009–10 IFA Championship 2

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsPromotion
1Harland & Wolff Welders (C, P)2823237330+4371Promotion to IFA Championship 1
2Dergview (P)2820447720+5764
3Dundela2818736631+3561
4PSNI2815585440+1450
5Knockbreda2814684432+1248
6Tobermore United28144104739+846
7Portstewart28117104238+440
8Queen's University28114134340+337
9Moyola Park28105134242035
10Lurgan Celtic28104143749−1234
11Sport & Leisure Swifts28104144460−1634
12Annagh United2873182866−3824
13Killymoon Rangers2872193860−2223
14Wakehurst2854193358−2519
15Chimney Corner2817203295−6310

Results

Each team played every other team twice (once at home, and once away) for a total of 28 games.

Home \ AwayANNCHIDGVDNDH&WKMRKNBLGCMOYPSNIPSTQUESLSTOBWAK
Annagh United3–10–32–42–73–21–30–12–11–40–51–21–41–52–0
Chimney Corner0–01–60–30–21–41–52–23–31–20–31–42–20–33–3
Dergview3–011–00–21–22–10–01–10–13–05–01–04–04–03–2
Dundela2–06–22–12–23–24–24–01–10–02–13–13–02–32–1
Harland & Wolff Welders4–02–20–24–23–12–02–12–14–02–11–00–25–14–1
Killymoon Rangers1–14–10–12–13–40–42–32–10–11–43–03–00–30–1
Knockbreda0–12–00–41–10–30–03–12–11–24–20–13–10–02–1
Lurgan Celtic3–00–23–41–10–23–20–10–31–14–01–02–10–42–1
Moyola Park1–34–10–21–41–23–00–12–02–41–12–21–23–21–0
PSNI3–16–22–20–31–23–03–40–11–02–12–21–21–22–0
Portstewart0–02–10–10–23–11–21–01–23–00–02–11–11–11–1
Queen's University1–06–00–21–11–32–01–11–01–41–40–12–42–03–0
Sport & Leisure Swifts3–13–20–30–22–35–11–13–21–11–31–31–61–30–3
Tobermore United3–02–11–12–20–42–00–22–10–10–22–32–12–00–1
Wakehurst0–22–22–71–20–14–20–24–20–23–41–10–11–30–2