The 2010–11

IFA Championship The Northern Ireland Football League Championship (known as the Playr-Fit Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the second level of the Northern Ireland Football League, the national football league in Northern Ireland. Clubs in the Champion ...

(known as the Ladbrokes.com Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the third season since its establishment after a major overhaul of the league system in

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...

. 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.

Loughgall Loughgall ( ; ) is a small village, townland (of 131 acres) and Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is in the historic Barony (Ireland), baronies of Armagh (barony), Armagh and Oneilland West. It had a ...

were the defending champions of Championship 1. In Championship 1,

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 th ...

secured the title and promotion to the Premiership on 2 May 2011, after Limavady United failed to beat Ballymoney United, leaving them 7 points behind with only two games left to play. Limavady United finished as runners-up but were ineligible for promotion as they did not gain the required licence from the IFA. As a result, the promotion/relegation play-off did not take place. Ballymoney United and Ballyclare Comrades finished in the bottom two, and were relegated to next season's Championship 2. In Championship 2, Warrenpoint Town were playing their first ever season as an intermediate club, and they went on to win the Championship 2 title after only one season in the division. With the title came promotion to next season's Championship 1. Also promoted were Tobermore United, who finished as runners-up. Chimney Corner finished bottom of Championship 2 for the second successive season, but avoided relegation when

Dollingstown Dollingstown is a large village in County Down, Northern Ireland, lying between Lurgan and Magheralin. It is within the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon district. In the 2011 census it had a population of 2,103 people. Dollingstown is in the to ...

, playing in the

Mid-Ulster Football League The Daily Mirror Mid-Ulster Football League, or simply referred to as the Mid-Ulster League, is an association football league in Northern Ireland. It contains 9 divisions. These comprise two intermediate sections: the Intermediate A and Intermed ...

Intermediate A division (one tier below Championship 2), finished as league champions but were denied promotion to Championship 2 when they were later found to have fielded an ineligible player in eight league matches. As a result, Dollingstown were deducted all the points that they had gained in the matches the player had taken part in, demoting the club to 4th place in the final league table. The club appealed the decision and took their case all the way to the High Court, but it was dismissed. Tandragee Rovers were crowned champions of the division instead, but did not apply for entry to Championship 2.Dollingstown disgust after club loses in court
/ref> If Dollingstown had won their case they would have been promoted to Championship 2, with Chimney Corner being relegated.

Team changes from 2009–10

Promoted from Championship 1 to

IFA Premiership The NIFL Premiership, known as the Sports Direct Premiership for sponsorship purposes, and Irish Premiership colloquially, is a professional association football league which operates as the highest division of the Northern Ireland Football L ...

Donegal Celtic Donegal Celtic Football & Social Club is an intermediate football and social 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 ...

(2nd in Championship 1) Relegated from

to Championship 1 *

Institute An institute is an organizational 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 ca ...

(12th in IFA Premiership) Promoted from Championship 2 to Championship 1 * Harland & Wolff Welders (1st in Championship 2) * Dergview (2nd in Championship 2) Relegated from Championship 1 to Championship 2 * Coagh United (13th in Championship 1) * Armagh City (14th in Championship 1) Elected to Championship 2 * Warrenpoint Town

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 26 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:2010-11 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 ...

2010–11 in Northern Ireland association football