2017–18 NIFL Championship

The 2017–18 NIFL Championship was the second season of the second-tier Irish League since gaining senior status.

NIFL Championship
Season2017–18
Dates13 August 2017 - 27 April 2018
ChampionsInstitute
(1st second-tier senior title)
PromotedInstitute
Newry City (via play-off)
RelegatedLurgan Celtic
Matches played192
Goals scored626 (3.26 per match)
Biggest home winPSNI 11–1 Lurgan Celtic
(17 February 2018)
Biggest away winPSNI 0–5 Ballyclare Comrades
(11 November 2017)
Highest scoringPSNI 11–1 Lurgan Celtic
(17 February 2018)

Teams

The 2017–18 NIFL Championship was contested by 12 teams. Warrenpoint Town were champions in the previous season and were promoted to the 2017–18 NIFL Premiership. Runners-up Institute won 3–2 on aggregate in the promotion pre-play-off against third-placed Ballyclare Comrades, but were defeated 5–2 on aggregate by Carrick Rangers in the Premiership play-off, therefore remaining in the Championship for this season.

The bottom team from the previous season, Annagh United, were relegated to the third-tier NIFL Premier Intermediate League. They were replaced by Limavady United, winners of the Premier Intermediate League. In addition, the eleventh-placed team from the previous season, Armagh City, were relegated and replaced by third-tier runners-up Newry City, against whom they lost a two-legged play-off.

Stadia and locations
Locations of the 2016–17 NIFL Championship teams
Locations of the Belfast-based 2016–17 NIFL Championship teams
Club Location Stadium Capacity[1]
Ballyclare ComradesBallyclareDixon Park5,333
DergviewCastledergDarragh Park1,200
Harland & Wolff WeldersBelfastTillysburn Park3,000
InstituteDrumahoeYMCA Grounds1,570
KnockbredaBelfastBreda Park1,000
LarneLarneInver Park3,000
Limavady UnitedLimavadyThe Showgrounds524
LoughgallLoughgallLakeview Park3,000
Lurgan CelticLurganKnockramer Park1,000
Newry CityNewryThe Showgrounds2,275
PSNIBelfastNewforge Lane1,500
PortadownShamrock ParkPortadown3,940 (2,765 seated)

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation[lower-alpha 1]
1 Institute (C, P) 32 21 5 6 55 36 +19 68 Promotion to the NIFL Premiership
2 Newry City (O, P) 32 17 8 7 58 31 +27 59 Qualification for the promotion play-off
3 Harland & Wolff Welders[lower-alpha 2] 32 16 8 8 54 42 +12 56
4 Portadown 32 14 9 9 61 36 +25 51
5 Ballyclare Comrades 32 15 3 14 56 52 +4 48
6 Loughgall 32 12 2 18 45 59 −14 38
7 Larne 32 12 11 9 59 47 +12 47
8 PSNI 32 11 8 13 55 50 +5 41
9 Limavady United 32 10 7 15 52 58 −6 37
10 Knockbreda 32 9 9 14 50 54 −4 36
11 Dergview (O) 32 9 9 14 49 59 −10 36 Qualification for the relegation play-off
12 Lurgan Celtic (R) 32 3 7 22 32 102 −70 16 Relegation to the NIFL Premier Intermediate League
Source: NIFL Championship, Soccerway (top six), Soccerway (bottom six)
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Play-off (subject to IFA decision)[2]
(C) Champion; (O) Play-off winner; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. Teams played each other twice (22 matches), before the league split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six) for the last ten matches.
  2. Harland & Wolff Welders were ineligible for the promotion play-offs, as they did not apply for the Promotion Licence required for promotion to the NIFL Premiership.

Results

Matches 1–22

During matches 1–22 each team played every other team twice (home and away).

Home \ Away BCC DGV H&W INS KNB LAR LIM LOU LGC NEW POR PSN
Ballyclare Comrades — 1–1 4–3 2–4 2–3 0–2 2–1 2–1 4–0 0–3 1–0 0–3
Dergview 1–1 — 1–1 1–2 2–2 2–2 0–1 1–5 3–2 2–2 3–1 0–1
Harland & Wolff Welders 1–0 5–1 — 3–2 0–3 6–1 3–2 2–0 1–0 0–0 3–2 2–1
Institute 2–1 2–0 2–1 — 2–1 3–0 2–0 3–0 1–1 0–0 2–2 1–0
Knockbreda 1–2 0–0 1–2 0–1 — 1–3 2–1 0–3 4–2 0–1 1–2 3–0
Larne 1–1 3–0 1–1 0–1 3–1 — 2–1 1–1 2–2 3–2 0–3 2–1
Limavady United 3–5 1–0 3–1 2–2 3–1 1–1 — 3–1 2–3 1–3 1–1 2–1
Loughgall 2–1 2–0 1–2 3–1 0–1 2–1 2–1 — 3–2 0–4 1–4 2–1
Lurgan Celtic 0–1 1–3 2–2 0–1 1–1 2–2 3–3 1–2 — 2–1 1–1 3–0
Newry City 4–1 1–0 1–1 0–1 1–0 3–1 2–2 1–0 5–0 — 1–4 1–2
Portadown 1–2 7–0 0–0 1–2 0–1 2–2 2–1 3–0 6–0 1–4 — 3–0
PSNI 5–0 5–2 1–1 2–3 0–0 1–1 4–1 1–2 2–0 0–3 1–1 —
Source:
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Matches 23–32

During matches 23–32 each team played every other team in their half of the table twice (home and away).

Play-offs

NIFL Premiership play-offs

The runners-up and third-placed teams from the Championship were set to take part (over two legs) in the Championship promotion pre-play-off. However, the third-placed team, Harland and Wolff Welders, did not apply for a Premiership licence, so the second-placed team Newry City moved directly into the play-off final.

Main article: 2017–18 NIFL Premiership § NIFL Premiership play-offs

NIFL Championship play-off

The eleventh-placed team from the Championship, Dergview, played the runners-up from the 2017–18 Premier Intermediate League, Queen's University, over two legs for one spot in the NIFL Championship.

Queen's University0 – 1Dergview
BBC Sport
Dergview3 – 1Queen's University
BBC Sport
Darragh Park, Castlederg

Dergiew won 4–1 on aggregate and retained their position in the NIFL Championship with Queen's University remaining in the NIFL Premier Intermediate League.

References
  1. "Championship 2016/2017 - Venues". Scoresway. Archived from the original on 2 January 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  2. "Championship 2016/2017 - Season rules". Scoresway. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
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