The 2012–13

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

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Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the fifth 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 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 (abbreviated to NIFL), formerly known as and still commonly referred to as the Irish League, is the national football league of Northern Ireland. The Irish League was originally formed in 1890, with the leag ...

, 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 (1882–1950), Ireland national football team from 1880 to 1950, which after 1954, became t ...

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

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

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, 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 & 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 ...

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

away goals rule The away goals rule is a method of 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 team that ...

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. 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 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 5th season of the IFA Premiership, the highest level of league football in Northern Ireland, and the 112th season of Northern Ireland Football Lea ...

. Carrick Rangers 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 in the promotion/relegation play-off. 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 ...

* Ballinamallard United (1st in Championship 1) Relegated from

to Championship 1 * Carrick Rangers (12th in IFA Premiership) Promoted from Championship 2 to Championship 1 * Coagh United (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

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2012–13 in Northern Ireland association football