The Cork Athletic Union League, also known as the Cork AUL, is an association football league featuring amateur and junior clubs from County Cork. Its top division, the Premier League, is a seventh level division in the Republic of Ireland football league system. The Cork AUL is currently sponsored by Murphy's Irish Stout. It is affiliated to the Munster Football Association. Clubs in the Cork AUL also compete in the FAI Junior Cup. Three League of Ireland clubs – Cobh Ramblers, Cork Hibernians and Albert Rovers – were originally members of the Cork AUL.
| Founded | 1947 |
|---|---|
| Country |  Ireland |
| Confederation | Munster Football Association[1] |
| Divisions | Premier Premier A League 1 League 1A League 2 League 2A League 3 League 3A |
| Number of teams | 70 (2016–17)[2] |
| Level on pyramid | 7–11 |
| Domestic cup(s) | FAI Junior Cup |
| League cup(s) | AOH Cup Linnane League Cup City Challenge Cup County Cup St Michael's Cup Saxone Cup President’s Cup Corinthians Cup |
| Current champions | Park United A |
| Most championships | Temple United (9) |
History
Inaugural season
The Cork Athletic Union Football League, originally known as the Cork City and County Athletic Union Junior League, was founded in 1947. Its founding members included two future members of the League of Ireland, Cobh Ramblers and Albert Rovers and the inaugural champions, Mortonville. The other eleven original members were Maymount Rovers, Prospect Rovers, Grattan, Ballinllough, Clapton Celtic, Green Rovers, Blackrock, Mountview, Marine Services, Cork Spinning and Ladyswell Brewery.[3]
Munster Senior League
In addition to Cobh Ramblers, Cork Hibernians and Albert Rovers joining the League of Ireland, a number of current Munster Senior League clubs were also originally members of the Cork AUL before switching from junior to intermediate football. Five of the Cork AUL's most successful clubs – Temple United, Kinsale, St. Mary's, Wembley and Castleview – all subsequently joined the MSL.[4][5] Other clubs to switch from the Cork AUL to the MSL include Avondale United,[6] Mallow United,[7] Tramore Athletic,[8] College Corinthians, Ringmahon Rangers, Everton and Rockmount.[9][5]
Cup competitions
In its inaugural season, 1947–48 the Cork AUL featured three league cup competitions, the City Challenge Cup, the Saxone Cup and the Miniature Cup.[3] The Cork AUL's main league cup is the AOH Cup which was presented to the league in 1951 by the Ancient Order of Hibernians.[4] Clubs in the Cork AUL also compete in the FAI Junior Cup. In 1973–74 St. Michael's of Tipperary won the competition while playing in the Cork AUL. Six other Cork AUL clubs – Castleview, Blackrock, Douglas, Everton, St. Mary's and Temple United – have all been finalists. Between 1961–62 and 1965–66 Cork AUL clubs were runners-up in four out of five seasons.[10]
Representative team
The senior Cork AUL representative team competes in the Oscar Traynor Trophy against other representative teams of similar junior leagues. They have won the competition on two occasions, in 1965–66 and again in 2008–09. They were also runners-up in 1994–95.[11]
- FAI Oscar Traynor Trophy
| Season | Champions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 1965–66 | Cork AUL | Leinster Junior League |
| 1994–95 | Athletic Union League (Dublin) | Cork AUL |
| 2008–09 | Cork AUL | Athletic Union League (Dublin) |
Source:[11]
Sponsors
The main sponsors of the Cork AUL are Murphy's Irish Stout. Other sponsors include the Evening Echo.[12]
2015–16 clubs
- Murphy's Irish Stout Premier League
| Club | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
|---|---|---|
| Blarney Street Athletic | Monard, County Cork | |
| Carrigtwohill United A | Carrigtwohill | Ballyadam Park |
| Coachford | Coachford | |
| Glenthorn Celtic A | Glenthorn, Dublin Hill | |
| Grattan United A | O'Neill Park | |
| Killumney United | Killumney | |
| Kilreen Celtic | Ballyphehane | Ballyphehane Park |
| Park United A | Mitchelstown | Brigown |
| Pearse Celtic A | Togher, Cork | Clashduv Road |
| Village United | Mayfield, Cork | Silverheights Park |
List of winners by season
| Season | Champions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 1947–48 | Mortonville | Cobh Ramblers |
| 1948–49 | Maymount Rovers | Green Rovers |
| 1949–50 | St Finbarr's Celtic | Mortonville |
| 1950–51 | Crosshaven | |
| 1951–52 | Crosshaven | Collins |
| 1952–53 | Wembley | Mallow United |
| 1953–54 | Wembley | Fermoy |
| 1954–55 | Transport | Wembley |
| 1955–56 | Wembley | Blackrock |
| 1956–57 | Fermoy | Wembley |
| 1957–58 | Fermoy | Blackrock |
| 1958–59 | Ringmahon Rangers | Wembley |
| 1959–60 | Ringmahon Rangers | Rockmount |
| 1960–61 | Ringmahon Rangers | Castleview |
| 1961–62 | Castleview | |
| 1962–63 | Wembley | Castleview |
| 1963–64 | Blackrock | St Michael's (Cork) |
| 1964–65 | Wembley | Ringmahon Rangers |
| 1965–66 | St. Mary's | Rockmount |
| 1966–67 | Everton | Wembley |
| 1967–68 | Castleview | Rockmount |
| 1968–69 | Castleview | Ringmahon |
| 1969–70 | Crosshaven | |
| 1970–71 | St. Mary's | Wembley |
| 1971–72 | Crosshaven | St. Mary's |
| 1972–73 | Castleview | Wembley |
| 1973–74 | St. Michael's | St. Mary's |
| 1974–75 | St. Mary's | Castleview |
| 1975–76 | Rockmount | St. Mary's |
| 1976–77 | Castleview | St. Mary's |
| 1977–78 | Crofton Celtic | St. Mary's |
| 1978–79 | Castleview | Midleton |
| 1979–80 | Casement Celtic | Cobh Ramblers |
| 1980–81 | Casement Celtic | St. Mary's |
| 1981–82 | St. Mary's | Casement Celtic |
| 1982–83 | St. Mary's | Ballincollig |
| 1983–84 | Douglas Hall | Ballincollig |
| 1984–85 | Temple United | St. Mary's |
| 1985–86 | St. Mary's | Douglas Hall |
| 1986–87 | Temple United | Waterloo |
| 1987–88 | Temple United | Ballincollig |
| 1988–89 | Temple United | Avondale United |
| 1989–90 | Temple United | Ballincollig |
| 1990–91 | Ballincollig | Greenmount Rangers |
| 1991–92 | Temple United | Castleview |
| 1992–93 | Temple United | Ballincollig |
| 1993–94 | Temple United | Castleview |
| 1994–95 | Temple United | Mayfield United |
| 1995–96 | Greenmount Rangers | Coachford |
| 1996–97 | Greenmount Rangers | |
| 1997–98 | Greenmount Rangers | Coachford |
| 1998–99 | Greenmount Rangers | Leeside |
| 1999–2000 | Blarney United | Leeside |
| 2000–01 | Greenmount Rangers | Coachford |
| 2001–02 | Blarney United | Leeside |
| 2002–03 | Kinsale | Blarney United |
| 2003–04 | Kinsale | Blarney United |
| 2004–05 | Kinsale | Maymount Celtic |
| 2005–06 | Kinsale | Villa United |
| 2006–07 | Grattan United | Kinsale |
| 2007–08 | Grattan United | Park United |
| 2008–09 | Wilton United A | Kinsale A |
| 2009–10 | Kinsale | Leeside |
| 2010–11 | Kinsale | Wilton United |
| 2011–12 | Park United A | Killumney United |
| 2012–13 | Coachford A | Park United A (Note) |
| 2013–14 | Park United A | Killumney United |
| 2014–15 | Grattan United A | Glenthorn Celtic A |
| 2015–16 | Park United A | Village United |
| 2016–17 |
Source:[9]
List of winners by club
| Club | Titles | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Temple United | 9 | 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95 |
| Kinsale | 6 | 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2010–11 |
| St. Mary's | 6 | 1965–66, 1970–71, 1974–75, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1985–86 |
| Castleview | 5 | 1961–62, 1967–68, 1972–73, 1976–77, 1978–79 |
| Greenmount Rangers | 5 | 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01 |
| Wembley | 5 | 1952–53, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1962–63, 1964–65 |
| Crosshaven | 4 | 1950–51, 1951–52, 1969–70, 1971–72 |
| Grattan United | 3 | 2006–07, 2007–08, 2014–15 |
| Park United | 3 | 2011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16 |
| Ringmahon Rangers | 3 | 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61 |
| Blarney United | 2 | 1999–2000, 2001–02 |
| Casement Celtic | 2 | 1979–80, 1980–81 |
| Fermoy | 2 | 1956–57, 1957–58 |
| Ballincollig | 1 | 1990–91 |
| Blackrock | 1 | 1963–64 |
| Crofton Celtic | 1 | 1977–78 |
| Coachford | 1 | 2012–13 |
| Everton | 1 | 1966–67 |
| Douglas Hall | 1 | 1983–84 |
| Maymount Rovers | 1 | 1948–49 |
| Mortonville | 1 | 1947–48 |
| Rockmount | 1 | 1975–76 |
| St Finbarr's Celtic | 1 | 1949–50 |
| St. Michael's | 1 | 1973–74 |
| Transport | 1 | 1954–55 |
| Wilton United | 1 | 2008–09 |
Source:[9]