Ulster Senior League (men's hockey)


The Ulster Senior League is a league competition for the first teams of men's hockey clubs affiliated to the Ulster Hockey Union of Hockey Ireland.

Formation

At a Special General Meeting of the Union held on 15 October 1897 in the Royal Avenue Hotel, Belfast, the clubs present resolved to form the Ulster Senior League. Eight teams participated in the first season: Antrim, Ards, Cliftonville, King's Regiment, Lisburn, North Down, North Staffordshire Regiment and Ulster

Current composition of the Senior League

In 2019-20, 12 clubs will start the Ulster Senior League season.
Premier League
Ballynahinch
Bangor
Cookstown
Instonians
Kilkeel
Mossley
Newry Olympic
North Down
Portadown
Queen's University
Raphoe
South Antrim

Early format

From its formation until 1953 entry to the Ulster Senior League could only be obtained by application to the Ulster Hockey Union. The applicant club would then have to be successful in a vote amongst the Senior Clubs. The size of the Senior League varied between seven competing clubs in the 1900s to as many as eighteen in the late 1920s. With eighteen teams it was necessary to play the league in two pools with the winners of the pools playing a Test Match to decide that year's league champions.

1953 reorganisation

In 1953 the eight team Senior League amalgamated with the eight team Qualifying League. There was no realignment of teams at this time, the only difference was the renaming of the two leagues as Senior League Section A and Senior League Section B. Teams did not change Sections during this period and no teams were promoted or relegated to or from the Senior League.
At the end of each league season the winner of Section A played the winner of Section B in a Test Match to decide the winner of the Keightley Cup. The loser of the Test Match was awarded the Ireland's Saturday Night Cup. During this period the trophy was always won by the Section A winner.
Section ASection B
AntrimAlbert Foundry
BanbridgeDown
Belfast YMCAEast Antrim
CliftonvilleHolywood
LisnagarveyMossley
North DownNewry Olympic
PortrushParkview
Queen's UniversitySouth Antrim

1958 reorganisation

Prior to the start of the 1957-58 season, the Council of the Ulster Branch made a controversial decision. Portrush, who had finished bottom of Section A in 1956-57 were demoted to Section B. Parkview, the winners of Section B in 1956-57, were moved to Section A. This signalled the intention of the League to move to Promotion and Relegation. A report was commissioned by the Council of the Ulster Branch to establish new league structures.
The report and debate lead to the league reorganising to allow for promotion and relegation prior to the start of the 1958-59 season. There were eight teams in each league section. A Qualifying League in two sections provided two lower rungs for the league, with a further Intermediate section below that. The formation of the sections again proved controversial, as some clubs were not placed in the section that their previous seasons standing would merit. In particular, it was reported that Saintfield had finished above four clubs in 1957-58 that were placed in Qualifying B.
Senior LeagueQualifying AQualifying BIntermediate A
AntrimAlbert FoundryBallymenaCookstown
BanbridgeDownBangorCourtalds
Belfast YMCAEast AntrimKing's ScholarsDunmurry
CliftonvilleHolywoodLisburn OBHollerith
LisnagarveyMossleyNICSLisnafillin
ParkviewNewry OlympicOld BleachMontalto
PortrushNorth DownRUCPortadown
Queen's UniversitySouth AntrimShorts & HarlandSaintfield

1969 reorganisation

At the end of the 1968-69 season the Senior League expanded from eight to ten teams and was renamed as Senior League Section 1. The remaining six Qualifying League 'A' were joined by the top four teams from Qualifying 'B' to form a ten team league known as Senior League Section 2. All remaining club first teams were entered in the Intermediate League. In season 1975-76 Section 2 was increased to 12 teams.
Membership of the two Senior League Sections at the start of the 1969-70 season was as follows
Section 1Section 2
AntrimBangor
BanbridgeCookstown
Belfast YMCACrossgar
CliftonvilleEast Antrim
Friends School OBNewry
InstoniansNorth Down
LisnagarveyN.I.C.S.
MossleyParkview
PortrushR.U.C.
Queen's UniversitySaintfield

2001 reorganisation

In 2001 Section 1 was reduced to eight teams, and was renamed as the Premier League. Section 2 remained with twelve teams and was renamed as Senior 1. The Intermediate League was renamed as Senior 2, with all remaining teams placed in this section.
The top three teams in the Premier League at the end of the season qualify for the All-Ireland Club Championship.

2015 reorganisation

The top four teams departed for the new Irish Hockey League and the league reduced from three divisions to two. The League champions now qualify for the Provincial Play-offs where they compete for promotion to the IHL.

2017 reorganisation

Four teams dropped into junior hockey and the two divisions were amalgamated into a single Premier League of fourteen teams.

2018 reorganisation

The Intermediate League was revived.

Trophies

2018-19 on

YearRelegated from Irish Hockey LeaguePremier League winnerAlso promoted from Premier LeaguePremier League relegatedIntermediate League promoted
2019-20
2018-19CookstownInstoniansn/aAntrim
Belfast Harlequins
NICS		Ballynahinch

2017-18

YearRelegated from Irish Hockey LeaguePremier League winnerAlso promoted from Premier LeaguePremier League relegated
2017-18n/aKilkeeln/aCliftonville1

Key:
YearRelegated from Irish Hockey LeaguePremier League winnerAlso promoted from Premier LeaguePremier League relegatedSenior One winner
2016-17InstoniansCookstown1Annadale2Campbellians3South Antrim4
2015-16Annadale & CookstownInstonians5n/aSouth AntrimCampbellians

Key:
YearPremier League WinnerPremier League RelegatedSenior One WinnerSenior One RelegatedSenior Two Winner
2014-15Banbridge1Antrimunknown2PSNICliftonville3
2013-14LisnagarveyRaphoeNewryCliftonvillePortrush
2012-13BanbridgeMossleyRaphoeArmagh
Ballynahinch		PSNI4
2011-12CookstownNorth DownAntrimCliftonvilleBallynahinch
2010-11LisnagarveyBangorBelfast HarlequinsBallynahinchCampbellians
2009-10CookstownRaphoeN.I.C.S.DownBallynahinch
2008-09CookstownRaphoe5Kilkeel6BallynahinchDown
2007-08CookstownKilkeelRaphoeDownArmagh
2006-07AnnadaleN.I.C.S.MossleyPSNIDown
2005-06AnnadaleNorth DownKilkeelArmaghSouth Antrim
2004-05AnnadaleRaphoeNorth DownSouth AntrimArmagh
2003-04AnnadaleKilkeelRaphoeArmaghBallynahinch
2002-03AnnadaleMossleyBangorParkviewPortadown
2001-02LisnagarveyNewryKilkeelPortadownParkview

Key:
YearSection 1 WinnerSection 1 RelegatedSection 2 WinnerSection 2 RelegatedIntermediate Winner
2000-01LisnagarveyNorth Down & RaphoeBangor1Larne, Parkview & PortrushArmagh
1999-00LisnagarveyCliftonvilleN.I.C.S.DownR.U.C.
1998-99LisnagarveyBangorNorth DownR.U.C.Portrush
1997-98InstoniansHolywood '87BangorBallynahinchLarne & South Antrim2
1996-97LisnagarveyCliftonville3Bangor3R.U.C.3Larne3
1995-96InstoniansBangorCliftonvillePortrushNorth Down
1994-95LisnagarveyCliftonvilleBangorEast AntrimR.U.C.
1993-94LisnagarveyBangorRaphoeSouth AntrimParkview
1992-93Holywood '87Queen's UniversityBangorR.U.C.Portrush
1991-92LisnagarveyBangorCliftonvilleWanderersPortadown
1990-91LisnagarveyR.U.C.BangorNorth DownBallynahinch
1989-90LisnagarveyBangorNewryFriends School Old BoysNorth Down
1988-89BanbridgeCollegiansQueen's UniversityNorth DownWanderers
1987-88BanbridgeAntrimCollegiansPortrushN.I.C.S.
1986-87BanbridgeRaphoeR.U.C.CorinthiansKilkeel
1985-86BanbridgeR.U.C.RaphoeN.I.C.S.Collegians
1984-85Belfast Y.M.C.A.CliftonvilleAnnadaleCollegiansDown
1983-84Belfast Y.M.C.A.AnnadaleR.U.C.ParkviewCollegians
1982-83CookstownQueen's UniversityAnnadalePortadownEast Antrim
1981-82Belfast Y.M.C.A.PortadownBangorDown & East AntrimNewry & Parkview
1980-81LisnagarveyAnnadalePortadownNewry & ParkviewCorinthians & Down
1979-80Belfast Y.M.C.A.RaphoeQueen's UniversityCollegians & DownNorth Down & Parkview
1978-79Belfast Y.M.C.A.4BangorRaphoeNorth Down & ParkviewDown & South Antrim
1977-78LisnagarveyMossley5N.I.C.S.5Crossgar & StranmillisCollegians & Newry
1976-77LisnagarveyPortrushBangorCollegians & NewryRaphoe & Stranmillis
1975-76CliftonvilleFriends School Old BoysAnnadaleStranmillisPortadown
1974-75InstoniansParkviewCookstownNo relegationN.I.C.S. & Newry
1973-74CliftonvilleQueen's UniversityBelfast Y.M.C.A.NewryEast Antrim
1972-73CliftonvilleCollegiansBanbridgeEast AntrimNewry
1971-72LisnagarveyBanbridgeCollegiansNewryStranmillis
1970-71Belfast Y.M.C.A.ParkviewN.I.C.S.Annadale
1969-70LisnagarveyBanbridge & Mossley6Parkview6SaintfieldCollegians

Key:
YearSenior WinnerSenior RelegatedQual. 'A' WinnerQual. 'A' RelegatedQual. 'B' WinnerQual. 'B' RelegatedInter. 'A' Winner
1968-69CliftonvilleF.S.O.B.North DownCollegians
1967-68CliftonvilleR.U.C.MossleyEast Antrim1CookstownShort & Harland
1966-67CliftonvilleBanbridgeR.U.C.PortadownEast AntrimBallymenaCookstown
1965-66LisnagarveyMossleyInstoniansLissara2F.S.O.B.HolywoodEast Antrim
1964-65Lisnagarvey3ParkviewMossleyNorth DownLissaraAlbert FoundryLisburn OB4
1963-64Y.M.C.A.BangorParkviewMontalto5PortadownNone5Lissara
1962-63LisnagarveyParkviewPortrushHolywoodInstoniansSouth AntrimKing's Scholars
1961-62BanbridgePortrushBangorDownOld BleachEast AntrimInstonians
1960-61LisnagarveyMossleyParkviewAlbert FoundryBangorShort & HarlandPortadown
1959-60LisnagarveyParkviewCliftonvilleSouth AntrimMontaltoKing's ScholarsSaintfield
1958-59CliftonvilleMossleyEast AntrimRUCLisburn OBMontalto
1957-58North DownPortrush----

KEY