Athletic Union League (Dublin)
| Country | Republic of Ireland Ireland |
|---|---|
| Region | Dublin County Dublin |
| Divisions | 13 |
| Level on pyramid | 7 |
| Domestic cup(s) | FAI Junior Cup Leinster Senior Cup Leinster Junior Cup LFA Junior Shield |
| League cup(s) | Nivea Cup Liddy Cup |
| Current champions | Sheriff Y.C. |
| Website | http://www.aul.ie/ |
The Athletic Union League (AUL) is an association football league featuring junior and amateur teams mainly from the Northside of Dublin with additional teams from south-east Meath. The AUL currently operates thirteen divisions. Its senior division is known as the Premier A. Teams from the AUL also compete in the FAI Junior Cup and the Leinster Senior Cup. The AUL headquarters are at the AUL Complex at Clonshaugh/Swords, County Dublin. The AUL is affiliated to both the Football Association of Ireland and the Leinster Football Association.[1][2][3]
History
[edit | edit source]League of Ireland clubs
[edit | edit source]A number of current and former and League of Ireland clubs have played in the AUL at one time of another. At the end of the 1933–34 League of Ireland season, Shelbourne were suspended by the FAI and banned from playing football for one season. After completing their ban, Shelbourne spent the 1935–36 season playing in the AUL before rejoining the League of Ireland in 1936–37.[4][5] Athlone Town also played in the AUL during the 1930s.[6] Bray Wanderers played in the AUL between 1943–44 and 1954–55 before joining the Leinster Senior League.[7] St Francis joined the AUL in 1968 before they also joined the Leinster Senior League. In more recent seasons Frankfort, who were among the founding members of the League of Ireland, also played in the AUL.[citation needed]
Relationship with LSL
[edit | edit source]A promotion and relegation system operates within the AUL structure itself. However, there is no formal promotion and relegation relationship with the Leinster Senior League. However, there is a history of teams moving from the AUL to the LSL. A number of LSL clubs such as Wayside Celtic, St. Patrick's C.Y.F.C., Cherry Orchard, Tolka Rovers, Killester Utd and Portmarnock have played in the AUL before switching to the LSL. Strong AUL club Seaview Celtic later left the AUL to merge with Portmarnock. At the end of the 2013–14 season four AUL teams – CIE Ranch, Hartstown Huntstown, Corduff, and Ballymun United – all switched from the AUL to the LSL.[8][9][10][11][12]
2010s
[edit | edit source]In the 2010s Sheriff Y.C. have emerged as one of the AUL's strongest teams. Between 2009–10 and 2014–15 they have won the Premier A title six times. This included a five in a row sequence between 2011–12 and 2014–15. During this time Sheriff were also regular winners of the two AUL league cups, the Nivea Cup and the Liddy Cup. They also won two FAI Junior Cups and two Leinster Junior Cups. In 2013 Sheriff also won the Tom Hand Memorial Cup, a new cup featuring the winners of the FAI Intermediate Cup and the winners of the FAI Junior Cup. In the final they defeated Avondale United 3–2 at Turners Cross.[13][14]
The 2010s saw the loss of clubs such as St. Kevin's, Collinstown F.C. and Kilbarrack United to the Leinster Senior League.[15][16] These teams all played in the 2015–16 season of the AUL Premier A.[17]
Relationship with UCFL
[edit | edit source]In August 2024, the league announced they would combine their top division, which played games on Saturdays, with the top division of the United Churches Football League (UCFL). The newly created Premier Division consisted of 12 teams, six from the AUL and six from the UCFL, competing in a home-and-away format. Clubs remained as members of their respective leagues (either AUL or UCFL) and abided by their respective rules and regulations.[18] The founding teams were:[19][20]
| AUL | UCFL |
|---|---|
| Broombridge United | Blackforge |
| Blanchardstown Athletic | Harding |
| Ely Woodlawn | Livorno Carpenterstown |
| Howth Celtic | Malahide United |
| St Columban's | ROC Celtic |
| Valley Park United | Shelbourne A.F.C. |
In August 2025, the combined division was expanded to the second tier of both leagues; Division 1.[21][22]
League structure
[edit | edit source]The league originally had a high of 14 divisions, with a Premier A, B and C plus multiple Saturday and Sunday divisions.[23]
After the partnership with the UCFL, a new joint Saturday division was created in August 2024 which expanded to a second division in August 2025.
Teams
[edit | edit source]As of the 2015–16 season, the teams contesting the league included:[citation needed][needs update]
Premier A teams
| Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
|---|---|---|
| Baldoyle Grange United F.C. | Baldoyle | Brookstone Road |
| Beggsboro A.F.C. | Cabra, Dublin | Kilkiernan Road |
| Collinstown F.C. | Lucan, Dublin | Ballyowen Park |
| East Wall Bessborough F.C. | East Wall | Alfie Byrne Road |
| Finglas United F.C. | Finglas | Larney Park |
| O'Devaney Dunard F.C. | Cabra, Dublin | AUL Complex |
| Kilbarrack United | Kilbarrack | Greendale Open Space |
| Sandyhill Shangan F.C. | Ballymun | Coultry Park |
| St. Kevin's Boys F.C. | Santry | Shanowen Road |
| St. Paul's Artane F.C. | Artane, Dublin | Ribh Road/Lein Road |
| Sheriff Y.C. | Sheriff Street | Fairview Park, Dublin |
| Trinity Donaghmede F.C. | Donaghmede | Fr. Collins Park/Donaghmeade Park |
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ Junior Soccer Portal
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Premier B outfits to leave AUL to play Leinster Senior League next season
- ^ Ballymun Utd to make the switch from AUL to Leinster Senior League
- ^ Why they left the AUL? The JSP explore league migrations to the LSL
- ^ CIE Ranch become the fourth AUL side to move to LSL
- ^ After six AUL Premier A titles in seven years – Is it time for Sheriff YC to seek a new challenge?
- ^ www.fai.ie
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
Lua error in Module:Authority_control at line 153: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).