2016–17 NIFL Championship

The 2016–17 NIFL Championship was the first season of the second-tier Irish League since gaining senior status. The fixtures were announced on 7 July 2016.[1] The season began on 13 August 2016 and concluded on 29 April 2017.

NIFL Championship
Season2016–17
Dates13 August 2016 – 29 April 2017
ChampionsWarrenpoint Town
PromotedWarrenpoint Town
RelegatedArmagh City
Annagh United
Matches played192
Goals scored665 (3.46 per match)

On 1 April 2017, Warrenpoint Town came from 0–2 down to defeat Institute 3–2 to clinch the league title and an instant return to the NIFL Premiership for the 2017–18 season.[2]

Teams

The 2016–17 NIFL Championship consisted of 12 teams. Ards were champions of Championship 1 in the previous season and were promoted to the 2016–17 NIFL Premiership.[3] The next highest place team eligible for promotion, fifth-placed finishers Institute were defeated by Ballinamallard United in the Premiership play-off; therefore failing to achieve promotion.

The bottom two teams from the previous season, Lisburn Distillery and Donegal Celtic were relegated to the third-tier NIFL Premier Intermediate League; they were joined by Bangor after they failed to gain the Championship Licence, required for playing at second-tier level. They were replaced by PSNI, runners-up of the (now defunct) Championship 2 in the previous season; champions Limavady United were ineligible for promotion after failing to gain the required licence.

Stadia and locations
Locations of the 2016–17 NIFL Championship teams
Locations of the Belfast-based 2016–17 NIFL Championship teams
Club Location Stadium Capacity[4]
Annagh UnitedPortadownTandragee Road1,250
Armagh CityArmaghHolm Park3,000
Ballyclare ComradesBallyclareDixon Park5,333
DergviewCastledergDarragh Park1,200
Harland & Wolff WeldersBelfastTillysburn Park3,000
InstituteDrumahoeYMCA Grounds1,570
KnockbredaBelfastBreda Park1,000
LarneLarneInver Park3,000
LoughgallLoughgallLakeview Park3,000
Lurgan CelticLurganKnockramer Park1,000
PSNIBelfastNewforge Lane1,500
Warrenpoint TownWarrenpointMilltown1,280

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation[lower-alpha 1]
1 Warrenpoint Town (C, P) 32 22 6 4 78 35 +43 72 Promotion to the NIFL Premiership
2 Institute 32 16 9 7 64 39 +25 57 Qualification for the promotion play-offs
3 Ballyclare Comrades 32 15 6 11 64 56 +8 51
4 PSNI 32 13 10 9 49 44 +5 49
5 Dergview 32 12 6 14 67 55 +12 42
6 Loughgall 32 12 3 17 54 59 −5 39
7 Harland & Wolff Welders 32 15 6 11 52 41 +11 51
8 Knockbreda 32 14 4 14 56 52 +4 46
9 Larne 32 11 7 14 52 51 +1 40
10 Lurgan Celtic 32 12 3 17 56 71 −15 39
11 Armagh City (R) 32 9 7 16 41 55 −14 34 Qualification for the relegation play-off
12 Annagh United (R) 32 4 7 21 32 107 −75 19 Relegation to the NIFL Premier Intermediate League
Source: NIFL Championship, Soccerway (top six), Soccerway (bottom six)
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Play-off (subject to IFA decision)[5]
(C) Champion; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. Teams played each other twice (22 matches), before the league split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six) for the last ten matches.

Results

Matches 1–22

During matches 1–22 each team played every other team twice (home-and-away).

Home \ Away ANN ARM BCC DGV H&W INS KNB LAR LOU LGC PSNI WPT
Annagh United — 3–0 0–4 0–8 1–4 2–2 0–7 0–4 0–5 2–4 0–0 2–2
Armagh City 4–2 — 3–1 1–3 2–2 1–4 4–0 1–0 2–3 1–3 0–1 2–1
Ballyclare Comrades 3–1 2–0 — 5–1 0–2 2–2 1–3 3–2 5–2 2–1 3–2 2–2
Dergview 9–0 4–0 0–2 — 0–3 1–1 2–1 2–0 6–2 3–4 0–0 2–3
Harland & Wolff Welders 1–1 3–0 0–1 1–1 — 0–2 0–2 3–2 1–1 1–0 2–2 1–2
Institute 5–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 3–1 — 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–1 4–0 0–1
Knockbreda 1–2 1–1 0–5 1–2 0–2 1–1 — 1–1 0–2 4–2 3–1 1–2
Larne 4–1 2–1 2–3 3–2 2–1 6–0 3–1 — 1–4 2–0 2–2 0–1
Loughgall 7–0 3–1 2–1 0–4 3–0 1–2 2–3 1–1 — 0–2 3–0 2–2
Lurgan Celtic 3–1 0–2 3–1 3–3 2–3 4–3 3–3 2–0 2–0 — 2–5 2–6
PSNI 3–1 1–1 4–4 1–1 3–1 1–0 0–1 1–1 4–2 3–0 — 1–0
Warrenpoint Town 7–0 1–1 3–3 3–1 1–0 2–1 3–1 4–1 4–1 4–2 3–0 —
Source: NIFL Championship
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Matches 23–32

During matches 23–32 each team played every other team in their half of the table twice (home-and-away).

Play-offs

NIFL Premiership play-offs

The second and third-placed teams from the Championship, Institute and Ballyclare Comrades respectively, took part in the Premiership play-off semi-final. The winners will then play Carrick Rangers in the play-off final; the winners of this tie will play in the top-flight next season.

Main article: 2016–17 NIFL Premiership § NIFL Premiership play-offs

NIFL Championship play-off

The eleventh-placed team from the Championship, Armagh City, played the runners-up from the 2016–17 Premier Intermediate League, Newry City, over two legs for one spot in the 2017–18 NIFL Championship.

Newry City4–0Armagh City
Armagh City1–3Newry City

Newry City won 7–1 on aggregate and are promoted to the 2017–18 NIFL Championship; Armagh City are relegated to the 2017–18 NIFL Premier Intermediate League.

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References
  1. "2016-17 SEASON FIXTURES RELEASED". nifootballleague.com. 7 July 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  2. "'POINT CLINCH CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE". nifootballleague.com. 1 April 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  3. "IRISH LEAGUE: Ards promoted to Danske Bank Premiership". News Letter. 30 April 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  4. "Championship 2016/2017 - Venues". Scoresway. Archived from the original on 2 January 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  5. "Championship 2016/2017 - Season rules". Scoresway. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
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