Munster Senior League (association football)
The Munster Senior League is an association football league organised by the Munster Football Association. The league consists of three senior divisions and is responsible for a further six divisions as well as various cup competitions. Its Senior Division lies at the third level of the Ireland [football league">Ireland national football team (1882-1950)">Ireland [football league system]. Munster Senior League teams also compete in the Munster Senior Cup, the FAI Cup, the FAI Intermediate Cup and the FAI Junior Cup. In recent seasons the winners of the Senior Division have qualified to play in the League of Ireland Cup.
Despite including the word 'Munster' and referencing senior football in its title, as of 2024, the league is considered to be at intermediate level with all participating clubs based solely in County Cork. However, in the past it has included clubs from County Limerick, County Waterford, County Kerry and County Tipperary.
History
Early years
The original Munster Football Association was founded in 1901 and it is believed that a Munster League was founded within a few years. The 1909–10 season saw six teams representing the Highland Light Infantry, the Royal Welch Fusiliers, the Durham Light Infantry, the Sherwood Foresters, the King's Regiment and Haulbowline all played in the Munster League First Division. A Munster Intermediate League featured the reserve teams of all these British Army regiments plus teams representing the Royal Engineers, the Royal Field Artillery and the Royal Army Service Corps. In the Munster Cup the Highland Light Infantry lost 1–0 to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in the final played at Turner's Cross. Cahir Park F.C. was founded in 1910 and by 1912–13 they were the Munster Senior League second division champions. However these leagues were effectively disbanded during the First World War and Irish War of Independence era.Reformed
In 1921 Harry Buckle, a former Ireland [national football team (1882-1950)|Ireland] international, settled in Cork and began working for the Ford Motor Company. Finding little or no association football activity in the city, Buckle initially founded Fordsons F.C. and then helped found the County Cork–based South Munster League for the team to play in. In addition to playing and coaching with the new club, Buckle also served as president of the Tipperary/Limerick based – North Munster League and helped reform the Munster Football Association. By 1922–23 the South Munster League and North Munster Leagues had effectively merged to become the Munster Senior League. Barrackton United of the South Munster League became the first post–First World War Munster Senior League champions after defeating Cahir Park F.C. of the North Munster League in a play-off.League pyramid
The Munster Senior League has three league sections: the Senior League, the Junior League and the Floodlit League.The Junior League consists of reserve teams that belong to the Senior League clubs. However, as of 2024, three clubs had their main team competing in the Junior League; Ballincollig AFC, Brideview United and Crosshaven AFC. The most recent member is Brideview United of Tallow, having joined in August 2024 after the demise of the West Waterford East Cork junior league. Brideview are also the only non-Cork club in the Munster Junior League. At the end of the 2024–25 season, Crosshaven joined the Senior League with Wilton United and Mallow United leaving the senior ranks.
As of November 2024, there is no promotion or relegation system in place between the League of Ireland First Division and the intermediate provincial leagues, which includes Munster. Additionally, while any junior club in Munster can apply to join the intermediate ranks if they feel they are capable, there is no formal promotion or relegation between the junior leagues and the Munster intermediate ranks.
The divisions of the league are decided by the Management Committee each season, based on the number of clubs available and on any vacancies that may have arisen in the off-season. As such, the number of teams in each division may vary. Below is the format for the 2024–25 season, which employs 3rd place playoffs for relegation & promotion.
| Colour-coding key |
| Intermediate |
| Junior |
Teams
Intermediate Leagues
Selected others
This is a selection of teams playing in the lower levels of the Munster Senior League.| Team | Home town/suburb | Home county | Home ground |
| Mallow United | Mallow | County Cork | Town Park |
| Wilton United | Wilton | County Cork | Pat Bowdren Park |
Cup competitions
Donie Forde Trophy
First held in 2005–06 and named after the former MFA secretary, the competition consists of a straight knockout between the top four from the MSL Senior Premier Division and the top four from the Senior First Division.Representative team
A Munster Senior League representative team competes in the FAI Intermediate Interprovincial Tournament against teams representing the Ulster Senior League, the Leinster Senior League and Connacht.2024-25 season
Senior Premier Division
End of Season Table| Team | Qualification or Relegation | ||||||
| 1 | Midleton ' | 18 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 43 | Champions |
| 2 | Ringmahon Rangers | 18 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 37 | |
| 3 | Avondale United | 18 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 32 | |
| 4 | College Corinthians | 18 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 24 | |
| 5 | St. Mary's FC | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 20 | |
| 6 | Rockmount AFC | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 20 | |
| 7 | Cobh Wanderers | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 20 | |
| 8 | UCC ' | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 19 | Playoff with First Division |
| 9 | Douglas Hall ' | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 19 | Relegation to First Division |
| 10 | Leeds AFC ' | 18 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 14 | Relegation to First Division |
Source:
' Champions; ' Play-off winners; Relegated
Table at Christmas
| Team | Qualification or Relegation | ||||||
| 1 | Midleton | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 22 | Champions |
| 2 | Avondale United | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 19 | |
| 3 | Ringmahon Rangers | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 19 | |
| 4 | Rockmount AFC | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 13 | |
| 5 | College Corinthians | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 10 | |
| 6 | Douglas Hall | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 9 | |
| 7 | UCC | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 | |
| 8 | Leeds AFC | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 7 | |
| 9 | St. Mary's FC | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | Relegation to First Division |
| 10 | Cobh Wanderers | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | Relegation to First Division |
Senior First Division
End of Season Table| Team | Qualification or Relegation | ||||||
| 1 | Mayfield United ' | 18 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 42 | Promotion to Premier Division |
| 2 | Carrigaline United | 18 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 36 | Promotion to Premier Division |
| 3 | Castleview AFC | 18 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 30 | Playoff with Premier Division |
| 4 | Bandon AFC | 18 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 28 | |
| 5 | Riverstown | 18 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 24 | |
| 6 | Wilton United | 18 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 22 | |
| 7 | Blarney United | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 22 | |
| 8 | Everton AFC ' | 18 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 17 | Playoff with Second Division |
| 9 | Leeside AFC ' | 18 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 17 | Relegation to Second Division |
| 10 | Lakewood Athletic ' | 18 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 8 | Relegation to Second Division |
Source:
' Champions; ' Play-off winners; Relegated
Table at Christmas
| Team | Qualification or Relegation | ||||||
| 1 | Mayfield United | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 20 | Champions/Promotion to Premier Division |
| 2 | Carrigaline United | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 19 | Promotion to Premier Division |
| 3 | Bandon AFC | 18 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 18 | |
| 4 | Riverstown | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 16 | |
| 5 | Blarney United | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 15 | |
| 6 | Castleview | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 14 | |
| 7 | Wilton United | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 11 | |
| 8 | Leeside United | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | |
| 9 | Everton AFC | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 | Relegation to Second Division |
| 10 | Lakewood Athletic | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 6 | Relegation to Second Division |
Senior Second Division
End of Season Table| Team | Qualification or Relegation | ||||||
| 1 | Passage AFC ' | 22 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 56 | Promotion to First Division |
| 2 | Mallow United | 22 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 55 | Promotion to First Division |
| 3 | Ballinhassig AFC | 22 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 45 | Playoff with First Division |
| 4 | Fermoy FC | 22 | 13 | 1 | 8 | 40 | |
| 5 | Youghal United | 22 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 38 | |
| 6 | Carrigtwohill United | 22 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 33 | |
| 7 | Park United | 22 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 29 | |
| 8 | Kanturk AFC | 22 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 24 | |
| 9 | Kinsale AFC | 22 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 19 | |
| 10 | Temple United | 22 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 16 | |
| 11 | Macroom FC | 22 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 15 | |
| 12 | Buttevant | 22 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 7 | No Formal Relegation to Junior Leagues |
Source:
' Champions; Play-off winners
Table at Christmas
| Team | Qualification or Relegation | ||||||
| 1 | Passage AFC | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 25 | Champions/Promotion to First Division |
| 2 | Mallow United | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 22 | Promotion to First Division |
| 3 | Fermoy FC | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 19 | |
| 4 | Youghal United | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 19 | |
| 5 | Ballinhassig | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 17 | |
| 6 | Kanturk AFC | 11 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 13 | |
| 7 | Park United | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 13 | |
| 8 | Temple United | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12 | |
| 9 | Kinsale AFC | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 11 | |
| 10 | Carrigtwohill United | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 10 | |
| 11 | Buttevant | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 | |
| 12 | Macroom FC | 10 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 4 |