The 2014–15 NIFL Championship (known as the Belfast Telegraph Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the seventh season since its establishment after a major overhaul of the league system in Northern Ireland, and the second season that the league is being operated by the Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL), which took over from the Irish Football Association (IFA) for the 2013–14 season onwards. The season began on 8 August 2014 and concluded on 2 May 2015.

Carrick Rangers won the Championship 1 title, winning promotion back to the top flight for the first time since their relegation in the 2011–12 season. Bangor finished as runners-up – the Promotion/relegation play-off place – and faced Warrenpoint Town from the Premiership for a place in next season's Premiership. After a 2–2 draw on aggregate after extra time, Warrenpoint Town won 3–1 on penalties and retained their Premiership status for next season. In the bottom two, Dundela and PSNI were relegated to Championship 2. Lurgan Celtic and Annagh United replaced them in Championship 1, after finishing first and second in Championship 2. For the second successive season, a club was relegated to regional football. Ballymoney United finished bottom of Championship 2 and were relegated to a regional division for the following season.

Changes from 2013–14

Competition changes

League restructure proposals to be introduced over a three-season period were approved by the NIFL on 25 June 2014. The first phase, coming into effect this season, amended the Championship rules:

  • Promotion/relegation play-off – the highest ranked club with a Championship licence, finishing in positions 2–6 in Championship 1 will participate in a promotion/relegation play-off for a place in the Premiership. Prior to this season the club had to finish as runners-up to take part in the play-off.
  • Championship 2 – the bottom two clubs in this season's Championship 2 will be relegated to regional football. If there are no regional champions eligible for promotion, only the bottom club will be relegated. Championship 2 will reduce in size to 14 clubs in the 2015–16 season.

Team changes

Institute won the Championship 1 title, winning promotion back to the top flight for the first time since the 2009–10 season. They were replaced by Ards, after they had finished bottom of the NIFL Premiership. In the bottom two, Limavady United and Coagh United were relegated to Championship 2. Armagh City and PSNI replaced them in Championship 1, after finishing first and second in Championship 2. For the first time since the Championship was inaugurated in 2008, a club was relegated to regional football. Killymoon Rangers finished bottom of Championship 2 and were relegated to the Ballymena & Provincial League for the following season. Mid-Ulster Football League Intermediate A side Dollingstown took their place in Championship 2, after winning the promotion play-off against Brantwood 6–4 on aggregate. Also leaving Championship 2 was Chimney Corner. In July 2014, the club announced that they would be resigning from the Championship to join the Ballymena & Provincial League for the 2014–15 season. No club replaced them in Championship 2, which meant that the division was reduced in size to 15 clubs.

Promoted from Championship 1 to the Premiership

Relegated from the Premiership to Championship 1

  • Ards (12th in NIFL Premiership)

Promoted from Championship 2 to Championship 1

Relegated from Championship 1 to Championship 2

Promoted from Mid-Ulster Football League to Championship 2

  • Dollingstown (1st in MUFL Intermediate A Division - promoted via play-off)

Relegated from Championship 2 to Ballymena & Provincial League

Championship 1

Stadia and locations

2014–15 NIFL Championship is located in Northern Ireland
Location of teams in the 2014–15 NIFL Championship 1
2014–15 NIFL Championship is located in Greater Belfast
Location of the Belfast-based teams in the 2014–15 NIFL Championship 1
ClubStadiumLocationCapacity
ArdsClandeboye ParkBangor2,850 (500 seated)
Armagh CityHolm ParkArmagh3,000 (330 seated)
Ballyclare ComradesDixon ParkBallyclare1,800 (500 seated)
BangorClandeboye ParkBangor2,850 (500 seated)
Carrick RangersTaylors AvenueCarrickfergus6,000 (400 seated)
DergviewDarragh ParkCastlederg1,200 (100 seated)
Donegal CelticDonegal Celtic ParkBelfast2,330 (650 seated)
DundelaWilgar ParkBelfast2,500 (100 seated)
Harland & Wolff WeldersTillysburn ParkBelfast3,000 (100 seated)
KnockbredaBreda ParkKnockbreda1,000 (100 seated)
LarneInver ParkLarne1,100 (656 seated)
Lisburn DistilleryNew Grosvenor StadiumBallyskeagh7,000 (540 seated)
LoughgallLakeview ParkLoughgall3,000 (180 seated)
PSNINewforge LaneBelfast500 (112 seated)

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsPromotion or relegation
1Carrick Rangers (C, P)2619525422+3262Promotion to NIFL Premiership
2Bangor2618627132+3960Qualification to promotion play-off
3Ards2616826130+3156
4Harland & Wolff Welders2615565937+2250
5Larne26133105236+1642
6Dergview268994043−333
7Armagh City2695123848−1032
8Knockbreda2693143143−1230
9Ballyclare Comrades2684144648−228
10Lisburn Distillery2684143858−2028
11Loughgall2676133654−1827
12Donegal Celtic2659123542−724
13PSNI (R)2665152764−3723Relegation to NIFL Championship 2
14Dundela (R)2634193465−3113

Results

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

Home \ AwayARDARMBCCBGRCRKDGVDGCDNDH&WKNBLRNLISLGLPSNI
Ards4–11–11–13–23–11–12–12–22–02–14–05–12–1
Armagh City1–13–11–20–21–13–25–20–12–02–43–11–01–2
Ballyclare Comrades1–14–01–20–22–22–23–13–00–10–21–21–21–0
Bangor2–32–03–11–14–14–23–12–24–21–13–22–18–0
Carrick Rangers1–03–12–02–23–12–01–04–02–12–13–22–02–1
Dergview2–22–05–30–30–03–32–11–21–03–23–12–02–0
Donegal Celtic1–22–34–10–10–11–11–12–62–02–10–12–20–0
Dundela1–31–10–33–32–51–03–11–11–20–33–44–01–3
Harland & Wolff Welders1–20–24–30–13–02–21–03–22–01–33–23–04–1
Knockbreda3–12–02–12–40–53–21–13–11–22–20–20–14–1
Larne1–24–14–11–21–22–01–03–00–52–01–20–31–1
Lisburn Distillery1–31–22–60–31–11–10–03–00–62–00–41–15–1
Loughgall2–21–11–22–71–12–10–34–23–30–22–43–10–1
PSNI0–73–30–42–11–31–11–33–10–20–00–33–11–4

Championship 2

Stadia and locations

2014–15 NIFL Championship is located in Northern Ireland
Location of teams in the 2014–15 NIFL Championship 2
2014–15 NIFL Championship is located in Greater Belfast
Location of the Belfast-based teams in the 2014–15 NIFL Championship 2
ClubStadiumLocationCapacity
Annagh UnitedTandragee RoadPortadown1,250 (100 seated)
Ballymoney UnitedRiada StadiumBallymoney5,752 (218 seated)
Banbridge TownCrystal ParkBanbridge1,500 (100 seated)
Coagh UnitedHagan ParkCoagh2,000 (179 seated)
DollingstownPlanters ParkLurgan1,000 (100 seated)
Glebe RangersRiada StadiumBallymoney5,752 (218 seated)
Limavady UnitedThe ShowgroundsLimavady1,000 (174 seated)
Lurgan CelticKnockrammer ParkLurgan1,000 (100 seated)
Moyola ParkMill MeadowCastledawson1,000 (200 seated)
Newington YCSeaviewBelfast3,383 (all seated)
PortstewartSeahavenPortstewart1,000 (100 seated)
Queen's UniversityDub StadiumBelfast1,000 (100 seated)
Sport & Leisure SwiftsGlen Road HeightsBelfast500 (215 seated)
Tobermore UnitedFortwilliam ParkTobermore1,500 (100 seated)
WakehurstMill MeadowCastledawson1,000 (200 seated)

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsPromotion or relegation
1Lurgan Celtic (C, P)2819636821+4763Promotion to NIFL Championship 1
2Annagh United (P)2818467346+2758
3Limavady United2817566732+3556
4Sport & Leisure Swifts2816575034+1653
5Newington YC2815584029+1150
6Moyola Park2814685844+1448
7Dollingstown2812795339+1443
8Portstewart28126104340+342
9Queen's University28117104834+1440
10Tobermore United2897124845+334
11Banbridge Town2877143870−3228
12Glebe Rangers2866164564−1924
13Wakehurst2864182868−4022
14Coagh United2836192972−4315
15Ballymoney United (R)2825212676−5011Relegation to Level 4 Regional league

Results

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

Home \ AwayANNBMYBBTCOADOLGBELIMLGCMOYNTNPSTQUESLSTOBWAK
Annagh United5–10–03–24–35–30–61–11–23–23–11–23–42–12–3
Ballymoney United3–53–33–02–61–12–30–50–60–21–21–20–12–11–2
Banbridge Town0–41–14–30–43–10–10–03–40–30–20–03–24–13–2
Coagh United0–31–11–30–22–10–12–41–13–30–11–40–22–21–0
Dollingstown1–54–03–06–12–21–11–23–10–01–01–11–14–30–1
Glebe Rangers1–22–24–03–11–14–11–03–30–11–40–40–31–38–0
Limavady United2–23–03–04–03–12–03–43–22–01–22–23–02–01–1
Lurgan Celtic4–02–02–39–02–04–22–01–00–13–02–15–02–21–0
Moyola Park2–71–05–21–01–04–01–51–12–15–22–11–11–16–0
Newington YC0–12–13–13–12–01–10–01–43–22–11–00–10–32–0
Portstewart1–41–03–03–21–25–12–41–10–10–13–31–11–13–1
Queen's University0–11–02–22–21–23–03–20–02–01–00–11–23–27–1
Sport & Leisure Swifts0–07–04–21–21–13–12–00–21–01–31–21–04–12–0
Tobermore United1–33–08–01–03–11–20–31–21–11–10–01–01–22–0
Wakehurst0–34–11–11–10–23–11–60–31–20–20–03–21–22–3