2013–14 NIFL Championship


The 2013–14 NIFL Championship was the sixth season since its establishment after a major overhaul of the league system in Northern Ireland. This was the first season that the league was operated by the Northern Ireland Football League, which took over from the Irish Football Association for the 2013–14 season onwards. The season began on 9 August 2013 and ended on 10 May 2014.
Institute won the Championship 1 title, winning promotion back to the top flight for the first time since the 2009–10 season. 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 a regional division for the following season. 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 following season.

Team changes from 2012–13

were last season's winners of Championship 1, achieving promotion to the 2013–14 NIFL Premiership. Lisburn Distillery replaced them for this season's Championship 1, after finishing in 12th place in the previous season's Premiership. Championship 1 runners-up Warrenpoint Town were also promoted, by defeating Donegal Celtic on the away goals rule after the promotion/relegation play-off ended 2–2 on aggregate.
As a result of Newry City's expulsion the previous season, only the 13th-placed club, Tobermore United, were relegated to Championship 2. Championship 2 winners Knockbreda and runners-up Ballyclare Comrades were both promoted to Championship 1. The last remaining place in Championship 2 was filled by the winner of a two-legged promotion play-off between Mid-Ulster Football League champions Dollingstown and Northern Amateur Football League champions Newington YC. Newington YC won the play-off on the away goals rule after the tie ended 4–4 on aggregate, to gain promotion to Championship 2 for the first time.
Promoted from Championship 1 to the Premiership
Relegated from the Premiership to Championship 1
Promoted from Championship 2 to Championship 1
Relegated from Championship 1 to Championship 2
Promoted from Northern Amateur Football League to Championship 2

Stadia and locations

ClubStadiumLocationCapacity
Ballyclare ComradesDixon ParkBallyclare1,800
BangorClandeboye ParkBangor2,850
Carrick RangersTaylors AvenueCarrickfergus6,000
Coagh UnitedHagan ParkCoagh2,000
DergviewDarragh ParkCastlederg1,200
Donegal CelticDonegal Celtic ParkBelfast2,330
DundelaWilgar ParkBelfast2,500
Harland & Wolff WeldersTillysburn ParkBelfast3,000
InstituteRiverside StadiumDrumahoe3,110
KnockbredaBreda ParkKnockbreda1,000
LarneInver ParkLarne1,100
Limavady UnitedThe ShowgroundsLimavady524
Lisburn DistilleryNew Grosvenor StadiumBallyskeagh7,000
LoughgallLakeview ParkLoughgall3,000

League table

Results

Each team will play every other team twice for a total of 26 games.

Championship 2

Stadia and locations

ClubStadiumLocationCapacity
Annagh UnitedTandragee RoadPortadown1,250
Armagh CityHolm ParkArmagh3,000
Ballymoney UnitedRiada StadiumBallymoney5,752
Banbridge TownCrystal ParkBanbridge1,500
Chimney CornerAllen ParkAntrim2,000
Glebe RangersRiada StadiumBallymoney5,752
Killymoon RangersMid Ulster Sports ArenaCookstown700
Lurgan CelticKnockrammer ParkLurgan1,000
Moyola ParkMill MeadowCastledawson1,000
Newington YCSeaviewBelfast3,383
PortstewartSeahavenPortstewart500
PSNINewforge LaneBelfast500
Queen's UniversityDub StadiumBelfast1,000
Sport & Leisure SwiftsGlen Road HeightsBelfast500
Tobermore UnitedFortwilliam ParkTobermore1,500
WakehurstMill MeadowCastledawson1,000

League table

Results

Each team plays every other team twice for a total of 30 games.