2008–09 IFA Championship

IFA Championship Portadown Portadown Tobermore UnitedDergviewKillymoon Rangers 272 886 2007–08 2009–10 UK Northern Ireland right 350 Location of teams in the 2008–09 IFA Championship UK Northern Ireland 54.75101 -6.002269 left Ards & B'clare UK Northern Ireland 54.34349 -6.628479 bottom Armagh City and Ballinamallard United UK Northern Ireland 55.061924 -6.498034 top Ballymoney United and Glebe Rangers UK Northern Ireland 54.350473 -6.264619 right Banbridge Town UK Northern Ireland 54.71974 -5.800309 right Carrick Rangers UK Northern Ireland 54.648755 -6.608396 top Coagh UK Northern Ireland 54.707400 -7.599873 left Dergview UK Northern Ireland 54.573711 -6.023605 right Donegal Celtic UK Northern Ireland 54.85013 -5.827303 top Larne UK Northern Ireland 55.051750 -6.936958 top Limavady United UK Northern Ireland 54.616745 -6.732853 left Killymoon Rangers UK Northern Ireland 54.407050 -6.611546 left Loughgall UK Northern Ireland 54.41306 -6.457686 right Portadown UK Northern Ireland 54.817336 -6.701234 top Tobermore United The 2008–09 IFA Championship (known as the Ladbrokes.com Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the first season of a major overhaul of the league system in Northern Ireland. The 2008–09 Championship consisted of one division of 17 clubs, with the clubs having intermediate status. The Championship served as the second tier of Northern Irish football for this season. With no promotion from the IFA Interim Intermediate League this season, from next season the division would be reduced to 14 clubs, with the newly introduced Championship 2 having 15. Portadown were the champions, achieving promotion back to the top flight after only one season of absence. Donegal Celtic finished as runners-up but lost out on promotion as they were defeated on the away goals rule by Dungannon Swifts, when the Promotion/relegation play-off finished 2–2 on aggregate. The bottom 3 clubs (Tobermore United, Dergview and Killymoon Rangers) were relegated to the newly introduced Championship 2 for next season. League table main WDL PR POR Portadown DGC Donegal Celtic LGL Loughgall ARD Ards BMD Ballinamallard United COA Coagh United BBT Banbridge Town BMY Ballymoney United LRN Larne CRK Carrick Rangers GBE Glebe Rangers ARM Armagh City LIM Limavady United BCC Ballyclare Comrades TOB Tobermore United DGV Dergview KMR Killymoon Rangers 25 2 5 88 23 C,P 24 1 7 65 27 22 4 6 77 29 20 5 7 53 26 19 6 7 73 47 19 4 9 60 43 15 5 12 66 67 12 7 13 41 35 12 7 13 53 56 12 6 14 56 53 9 7 16 37 56 8 8 16 39 61 9 3 20 46 72 8 6 18 34 62 7 5 20 34 64 R 6 1 25 31 84 R 4 5 23 33 81 R #BBF3BB Promotion to IFA Premiership P #FFFFBB Qualification to promotion play-off PP #FFBBBB Relegation to IFA Championship 2 R R R 1st points; 2nd goal difference; 3rd goals scored; 4th head-to-head points; 5th head-to-head goal difference complete rsssf.com Interim Intermediate League From next season, the IFA Championship would consist of two divisions, Championships 1 and 2. The IFA Interim Intermediate League was introduced as a temporary third-tier league for the 2008–09 season only, consisting of the former members of the IFA Intermediate League (dissolved in 2008) who did not meet the criteria for the new Championship 2; it consisted of 12 clubs. Members of the Interim League had one year to make improvements in order to gain entry to Championship 2 for next season. 10 of the 12 clubs managed to meet the criteria, along with Sport & Leisure Swifts and Knockbreda who both achieved intermediate status, with only Brantwood and Oxford United Stars failing to do so. Harland & Wolff Welders were the champions. There was no promotion from the Interim League which meant that Championship 1 would be reduced to 14 clubs, with Championship 2 having 15. References Category:NIFL Championship seasons North Category:2008–09 in Northern Ireland association football