2014–15 NIFL Premiership

NIFL Premiership 2014–15 Crusaders1st Premiership title5th Irish title Institute Champions League Crusaders Europa League Glentoran (via Irish Cup)LinfieldGlenavon Joe Gormley (31 goals) Cliftonville 7–0Ballymena United(29 November 2014)Warrenpoint Town 7–0 Ballinamallard United(23 January 2015) Warrenpoint Town 0–5Glentoran(3 January 2015)Warrenpoint Town 0–5Coleraine(14 March 2015) Portadown 5–5Ballymena United(17 January 2015)Glenavon 3–7 Crusaders(21 February 2015) 228 719 6,538http://www.irishleaguesupporters.com/attendances.php?attseason=1415 Irish League Supporters Forum – Attendances Irish League Supporters Forum 14 August 2014Linfield 2–1 Glentoran(26 December 2014) 70Warrenpoint Town 5–1Institute(4 April 2015) 214,547 941 2013–14 2015–16 The 2014–15 NIFL Premiership (known as the Danske Bank Premiership for sponsorship reasons) was the 7th season of the NIFL Premiership, the highest level of league football in Northern Ireland, the 114th season of Irish league football overall, and the 2nd season of the league operating as part of the newly created Northern Ireland Football League.http://www.ifapremiership.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=870&catid=3&Itemid=12 NORTHERN IRELAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE NIFL Premiership Crusaders were champions, winning the league for the 5th time. Summary The season began on 9 August 2014, and concluded with the final round of fixtures on 25 April 2015. Cliftonville were the two-time defending champions, after they won a second consecutive title the previous season, a first consecutive title win in the club's history - their fourth outright league title and fifth overall.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/27113832 Cliftonville retain Irish Premiership title for first time 22 April 2014 BBC Sport BBC 22 April 2014 Ten years after suffering relegation to the second tier in 2004–05 and just eight years after their return to the top flight in 2006–07, Crusaders were this season's champions. They lifted the title for the fifth time overall on 18 April 2015 – their first top flight title in the 18 years since their last win in the 1996–97 season.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/32366061 Irish Premiership: Crusaders 2-0 Glentoran 18 April 2015 BBC Sport BBC 18 April 2015 For the second successive season, the newly promoted club finished bottom of the table and suffered relegation. Institute were relegated back to the second tier after only one season in the top flight. This was confirmed after they lost 2–1 against Ballymena United on 11 April 2015, leaving them bottom of the table by nine points with only two fixtures remaining.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/32266807 Irish Premiership: Institute 1-2 Ballymena Utd 11 April 2015 BBC Sport BBC 11 April 2015 Warrenpoint Town once again finished in 11th place – the Promotion/relegation play-off place – and faced Bangor over two legs for a place in next season's Premiership.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/32265685 Irish Premiership: Dungannon Swifts 1-1 Warrenpoint Town 11 April 2015 BBC Sport BBC 11 April 2015 After a 2–2 draw on aggregate, Warrenpoint Town won 3–1 on penalties to retain their Premiership status for next season.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/32558724 Premiership play-off: Warrenpoint beat Bangor on penalties 1 May 2015 BBC Sport BBC 1 May 2015 Teams In their first season back in the top flight since 2005–06, Ards finished bottom of the table the previous season. This was confirmed on 12 April 2014, after Warrenpoint Town defeated Dungannon Swifts 4–0 to leave Ards 10 points adrift in 12th place with only three fixtures remaining.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/26995097 Irish Premiership: Dungannon Swifts 0-4 Warrenpoint Town 12 April 2014 BBC Sport BBC 16 April 2014 Subsequently, Ards were relegated to Championship 1. Institute replaced them in the Premiership, after securing the 2013–14 Championship 1 title. Institute returned to the top flight for the first time in four years since they were relegated in the 2009–10 season. The Promotion/relegation play-off was not played the previous season because the runners-up of Championship 1, Bangor, were ineligible for promotion as they did not possess a licence to participate in top-flight football. As a result, this gave a reprieve to the previous season's 11th-placed team, Warrenpoint Town, who retained their Premiership status by default.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/27154450 Ards relegated as Bangor draw gifts promotion to Institute 26 April 2014 BBC Sport BBC 26 April 2014 Stadia and locations UK Northern Ireland right 350 Location of teams in the 2014–15 NIFL Premiership UK Northern Ireland 12 54.602945 -5.891278 Belfast top UK Northern Ireland 54.414427 -7.599786 bottom Ballinamallard United UK Northern Ireland 54.87016 -6.265211 top Ballymena United UK Northern Ireland 55.13287 -6.659904 bottom Coleraine UK Northern Ireland 54.489581 -6.745935 top Dungannon Swifts UK Northern Ireland 54.453889 -6.336389 top Glenavon UK Northern Ireland 54.97574 -7.277176 left Institute UK Northern Ireland 54.41306 -6.457686 bottom Portadown UK Northern Ireland 54.11786 -6.263430 bottom Warrenpoint Town UK Northern Ireland 55.32 -8.2 TransparentPlaceholder.png Belfast teams : CliftonvilleCrusadersGlentoranLinfield Greater Belfast 350 right Location of the Belfast-based teams in the 2014–15 NIFL Premiership Greater Belfast 54.619250 -5.947383 left Cliftonville Greater Belfast 54.62428 -5.922017 top Crusaders Greater Belfast 54.60270 -5.893478 right Glentoran Greater Belfast 54.57083 -5.963302 bottom Linfield ClubStadiumLocationCapacityhttp://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/questions/printquestionsummary.aspx?docid=79814 AQW 1178/11 18 October 2010 niassembly.gov.uk 21 December 2011http://www.sportni.net/NR/rdonlyres/5854FC89-D9B6-4B17-9C60-34D977CEBEB0/0/AnnualReview200809.pdf Sport NI Annual review 2008/09 18 sportni.net 14 May 2013 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130928175439/http://www.sportni.net/NR/rdonlyres/5854FC89-D9B6-4B17-9C60-34D977CEBEB0/0/AnnualReview200809.pdf 28 September 2013 Ballinamallard United Ferney Park Ballinamallard 2,000 (250 seated) Ballymena United The Showgrounds Ballymena 3,050 (2,200 seated) Cliftonville Solitude Belfast 2,530 (all seated) Coleraine The Showgrounds Coleraine 2,496 (1,106 seated) Crusaders Seaview Belfast 3,383 (all seated) Dungannon Swifts Stangmore Park Dungannon 5,000 (300 seated) Glenavon Mourneview Park Lurgan 4,160 (4,000 seated) Glentoran The Oval Belfast 6,054 (4,989 seated) Institute Riverside Stadium Drumahoe 3,110 (1,540 seated) Linfield Windsor Park Belfast 10,500 (all seated) Portadown Shamrock Park Portadown 3,940 (2,765 seated) Warrenpoint Town Milltown Warrenpoint 2,000 (250 seated) Windsor Park redevelopment As a result of Windsor Park being redeveloped, its capacity was limited to approximately 10,500. This was still more than large enough to accommodate the average Premiership attendance at the stadium. Linfield were forced to play their first six league games of the season away from home while a new playing surface was laid at the stadium. Linfield's first home league game of the season was on 13 September 2014 against Warrenpoint Town, which resulted in a 1–0 home win.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/29192709 Irish Premiership: Linfield 1-0 Warrenpoint Town 13 September 2014 BBC Sport BBC 14 September 2014 On 31 March 2015, the West Stand of the stadium was sealed off after cracks in the structure were discovered. Construction work related to the stadium redevelopment had been ongoing behind the stand in the weeks prior to the damage, but it was not known if that was directly related.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/32137105 Windsor Park: Safety fears over West Stand after cracks spotted 31 March 2015 BBC Sport BBC 22 April 2015 The closure of the stand ultimately forced Linfield to play their remaining two home games of the season against Glenavon and Crusaders at the Ballymena Showgrounds and the Oval respectively. League table main football complete rsssf.com CRU LIN GLA POR CLI GLT yes BYM COL BMD DUN WPT INS CL2Q EL1Q EL1Q EL1Qcup PRPO REL 10 9 19 40 71 15 6 17 62 75 16 13 9 71 47 13 7 18 48 55 25 7 6 93 43 C 8 13 17 38 56 20 6 12 82 65 16 10 12 67 51 4 9 25 36 84 R 21 9 8 67 46 17 11 10 65 56 6 12 20 50 76 O Ballinamallard United Ballymena United Cliftonville Coleraine Crusaders Dungannon Swifts Glenavon Glentoran Institute Linfield Portadown Warrenpoint Town 5 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference QR green1 Qualification to Champions League first qualifying round blue1 Qualification to Europa League first qualifying round blue1 Qualification to Europa League first qualifying round red2 Qualification to Promotion/relegation play-off red1 Relegation to NIFL Championship 1 Glentoran qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round as 2014–15 Irish Cup winners. Coleraine and Institute both fielded an ineligible player in the same match. The original 4–0 Coleraine win was voided with a 3–0 loss being recorded for both clubs, resulting in the final league table having two more losses than wins, and an overall goal difference of –6.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30248995 Coleraine deducted three points in Ruairi Harkin case BBC Sport 28 November 2014 24 May 2015https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30716926 Coleraine lose appeal over deduction of points in Harkin case BBC Sport 7 January 2015 24 May 2015 COL Results Matches 1–22 During matches 1–22 each team played every other team twice (home and away). main FBR grey BMD BYM CLI COL CRU DUN GLA GLT INS LIN POR WPT Ballinamallard United 3–0 0–4 1–0 1–1 2–0 1–0 2–2 2–3 1–3 0–2 3–1 Ballymena United 3–0 2–2 0–2 0–2 2–2 1–4 2–2 2–1 2–3 3–2 2–0 Cliftonville 3–2 7–0 2–3 0–1 1–1 3–3 0–0 4–0 0–0 2–0 3–1 Coleraine 1–1 1–2 2–0 2–6 1–2 2–1 1–0 NR 1–2 0–0 0–0 Crusaders 3–1 2–2 0–1 3–0 1–0 1–4 1–0 3–2 2–2 2–3 3–0 Dungannon Swifts 1–1 0–3 1–3 0–1 2–2 2–1 2–3 2–2 0–1 2–3 0–2 Glenavon 1–0 2–1 1–3 2–3 2–2 0–2 1–2 1–1 1–2 2–4 3–2 Glentoran 3–1 4–0 2–1 2–0 1–3 1–0 2–4 2–1 2–3 1–1 3–1 Institute 0–2 1–2 2–3 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–4 1–1 1–1 0–4 1–0 Linfield 3–0 3–2 1–3 2–1 1–2 4–0 0–1 2–2 3–1 3–2 1–0 Portadown 3–0 2–1 0–1 0–2 3–1 1–0 3–2 3–1 4–1 3–0 2–2 Warrenpoint Town 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–3 0–3 3–3 0–2 2–5 0–1 1–2 2–1 Original 4–0 result overturned to a 0–3 defeat for both clubs, after both fielded ineligible players in the match. complete rsssf.com Matches 23–33 During matches 23–33 each team played every other team for the third time (either at home, or away). main FBR grey BMD BYM CLI COL CRU DUN GLA GLT INS LIN POR WPT Ballinamallard United 1–3 1–1 2–1 null null 1–3 null null 1–1 0–0 null Ballymena United null null 4–3 1–3 null 2–4 1–3 3–0 null null null Cliftonville null 1–0 null null null 2–3 1–1 5–1 null null 2–2 Coleraine null null 0–0 1–5 1–2 1–1 1–1 null null 0–1 null Crusaders 3–0 null 4–1 null null null null 3–1 2–1 6–0 4–1 Dungannon Swifts 2–0 1–0 1–1 null 1–1 null null null 0–3 null null Glenavon null null null null 3–7 2–1 null 2–1 1–0 null 2–2 Glentoran 4–0 null null null 1–2 2–0 1–2 4–1 null null null Institute 1–1 null null 0–2 null 1–2 null null 0–1 null 1–1 Linfield null 2–1 2–2 1–1 null null null 2–1 null 1–2 3–0 Portadown null 5–5 0–2 null null 1–1 3–3 1–1 2–1 null null Warrenpoint Town 7–0 2–0 null 0–5 null 1–1 null 0–5 null null 0–0 complete rsssf.com Matches 34–38 During matches 34–38 each team played every other team in their half of the table once. As this was the fourth time that teams had played each other this season, home sides were chosen so that they had played each other twice at home and twice away. Section A main FBR grey CLI CRU GLA GLT LIN POR Cliftonville 0–1 null null 2–2 4–0 Crusaders null 4–0 2–0 null null Glenavon 5–0 null 4–0 null 3–2 Glentoran 1–0 null null 1–2 0–0 Linfield null 3–1 0–2 null null Portadown null 1–0 null null 1–1 complete rsssf.com Section B main FBR grey BMD BYM COL DUN INS WPT Ballinamallard United null null 1–0 2–0 3–3 Ballymena United 2–1 null 1–0 null 2–1 Coleraine 1–2 0–1 null 3–1 2–1 Dungannon Swifts null null 1–0 1–1 1–1 Institute null 1–2 null null null Warrenpoint Town null null null null 5–1 complete rsssf.com Promotion/relegation play-off 11th-placed Warrenpoint Town played NIFL Championship 1 runners-up Bangor over two legs for a place in next season's Premiership. Warrenpoint Town played the first leg away from home, with home advantage for the second leg. Warrenpoint Town won 3–1 on penalties and retained their Premiership status. 28 April 2015 19:45 BST Bangor 2–0 Report Warrenpoint Town Moan 29 o.g.McDowell 90+2 Clandeboye Park, Bangor Ian McNabb 1 May 2015 19:45 BST Warrenpoint Town 2–0 yes 3–1 McGuigan McDonnell M. Hughes McVeigh S. Hughes Cooling McDowell Gardiner Hall Report Bangor McDonald 12McVeigh 76 Milltown, Warrenpoint 2–2 on aggregate after extra time. Warrenpoint Town won 3–1 on penalties. Season statistics Top goalscorers RankScorerClubGoalshttps://www.fifa.com/world-match-centre/nationalleagues/nationalleague=northern-ireland-premiership-2000000003/top-scorers/index.html https://web.archive.org/web/20140307044515/http://www.fifa.com/world-match-centre/nationalleagues/nationalleague=northern-ireland-premiership-2000000003/top-scorers/index.html dead March 7, 2014 FIFA.com - Danske Bank Premiership 2014/2015 Top Scorers 8 September 20141NIR Joe GormleyCliftonville312NIR Paul HeatleyCrusaders273NIR Jordan OwensCrusaders264NIR Aaron BurnsLinfield17NIR Daniel HughesWarrenpoint Town176NIR Curtis AllenGlentoran15NIR Kevin BraniffGlenavon15NIR Andrew WaterworthLinfield159NIR Eoin BradleyGlenavon13NIR Darren MurrayPortadown13NIR Jordan StewartGlentoran13SCO Gary TwiggPortadown13 References Association football Northern Ireland 2014-15 North 1