The 2012–13

IFA Championship The Northern Ireland Football League Championship (known as the Lough 41 Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the second level of the Northern Ireland Football League, the national football league in Northern Ireland. Clubs in the Championshi ...

(known as the

Belfast Telegraph The ''Belfast Telegraph'' is a daily newspaper published in Belfast, Northern Ireland, by Independent News & Media. Its editor is Eoin Brannigan. Reflecting its unionist tradition, the paper has historically been "favoured by the Protestant po ...

Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the fifth season since its establishment after a major overhaul of the league system in

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

. The season began on 10 August 2012 and ended on 4 May 2013. From next season onwards, the league would be operated by the

Northern Ireland Football League The Northern Ireland Football League (commonly abbreviated to NIFL), known historically, and still colloquially, as the Irish League, is the national football league of Northern Ireland. The Irish League was originally formed in 1890, with the l ...

, which was taking over from the

Irish Football Association The Irish Football Association (IFA) is the governing body for association football in Northern Ireland. It organised the Ireland national football team from 1880 to 1950, which after 1954, became the Northern Ireland national football team. ...

(IFA) for the 2013–14 season. In Championship 1,

Ards Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a type of respiratory failure characterized by rapid onset of widespread inflammation in the lungs. Symptoms include shortness of breath (dyspnea), rapid breathing (tachypnea), and bluish skin color ...

were confirmed as the champions on 20 April 2013 after a 1–1 draw against

Institute An institute is an organisational body created for a certain purpose. They are often research organisations (research institutes) created to do research on specific topics, or can also be a professional body. In some countries, institutes can ...

, securing promotion back to the top flight for the first time since the 2005–06 season. Warrenpoint Town finished as runners-up, and qualified for the promotion/relegation play-off against

Donegal Celtic Donegal Celtic Football Club is an intermediate football club based in Belfast, Northern Ireland who currently play in the Ballymena & Provincial Football League. The club, founded in 1970, plays its home matches at Donegal Celtic Park. Club co ...

. The tie ended 2–2 on aggregate with Warrenpoint Town winning on the

away goals rule The away goals rule is a method of tiebreaker, tiebreaking in association football and other sports when teams play each other twice, once at each team's home ground. Under the away goals rule, if the total goals scored by each team are equal, the ...

to reach the top flight for the first time in the club's history. Donegal Celtic were relegated to next season's Championship 1. Earlier in the season, Newry City were wound up and their IFA membership was later terminated. All of their results were also expunged. As a result of Newry's expulsion from the league, only the club that finished in 13th, Tobermore United, was relegated from Championship 1, and there was no relegation from Championship 2. In Championship 2, winners Knockbreda were promoted to Championship 1, along with runners-up

Ballyclare Comrades Ballyclare Comrades Football Club is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the NIFL Championship. The club hails from Ballyclare, County Antrim and plays its home matches at Dixon Park. Club colours are red and white. The ...

. Chimney Corner finished bottom for the fourth successive season but were saved from relegation by Newry City's demise.

Team changes from 2011–12

Ballinamallard United Ballinamallard United Football Club is a semi-professional Northern Irish football club playing in the NIFL Championship. The club, re-formed in 1975 after being dormant since the 1960s, hails from Ballinamallard, near Enniskillen, County Ferma ...

were last season's winners of Championship 1, achieving promotion to the

2012–13 IFA Premiership The 2012–13 IFA Premiership (known as the Danske Bank Premiership for sponsorship reasons) was the fifth season of Northern Ireland's national football league in this format since its inception in 2008, and the 112th season of Irish league foot ...

Carrick Rangers Carrick Rangers Football Club is a semi-professional Northern Irish football club playing in NIFL Premiership. The club, founded in 1939, hails from Carrickfergus, County Antrim and plays its home matches at Taylors Avenue which is known as ...

replaced them for this season's Championship 1, after finishing in 12th place in the previous season's Premiership. Newry City missed out on promotion as they finished as runners-up, but were defeated 3–2 by

Lisburn Distillery Lisburn Distillery Football Club is a Northern Irish intermediate football club who are based in Ballyskeagh, County Down. A founder member of the Irish League, they currently play in the NIFL Premier Intermediate League, the third tier of t ...

in the promotion/relegation play-off. Promoted from Championship 1 to

IFA Premiership The NIFL Premiership, known as the Danske Bank Premiership for sponsorship purposes, and colloquially as the Irish League or Irish Premiership, is a professional association football league which operates as the highest division of the Northe ...

(1st in Championship 1) Relegated from

to Championship 1 *

(12th in IFA Premiership) Promoted from Championship 2 to Championship 1 *

Coagh United Coagh United Football Club is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in the Ballymena & Provincial Intermediate League. The club, founded in 1970, hails from Coagh, near Cookstown, County Tyrone. They play their home games at H ...

(1st in Championship 2) * Dundela (2nd in Championship 2) Relegated from Championship 1 to Championship 2 * Banbridge Town (13th in Championship 1) * Glebe Rangers (14th in Championship 1) Club dissolved * Newry City

Championship 1

Stadia and locations

League table

Results

Each team plays every other team twice (once at home, and once away) for a total of 24 games.

Championship 2

Stadia and locations

League table

Results

Each team plays every other team twice (once at home, and once away) for a total of 30 games.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2012-13 IFA Championship NIFL Championship seasons

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...

2012–13 in Northern Ireland association football