The 2009 A Championship was the second season of the A Championship in Ireland. The season was sponsored by Newstalk. The league featured 18 teams. Shamrock Rovers A were the champions while the runners up, Salthill Devon, were promoted to the First Division.
Overview 18 teams participated in the 2009 A Championship. 12 of these were the reserve teams of League of Ireland clubs. The 2008 champions UCD A and Limerick 37 A did not enter teams for the 2009 season. They were replaced by Sporting Fingal A and Dundalk A. The six non-reserve teams included Salthill Devon and Tullamore Town, both of whom played in the 2008 season. Cobh Ramblers had been relegated from the 2008 Premier Division but were demoted directly to the A Championship after being refused a First Division licence. Castlebar Celtic, F.C. Carlow and Tralee Dynamos were making their debut at senior national level. They were the first clubs from their respective counties of Mayo, Carlow and Kerry to play at this level.
The regular season started on 4 April and was completed by early November. The format saw the 18 teams split into two groups of nine, divided roughly into southern and northern groups. The two groups used a traditional round-robin format. The two group winners, Shamrock Rovers A and Salthill Devon, then played off in a final. Shamrock Rovers emerged as champions. As the highest placed non-reserve team, Salthill Devon also qualified for a promotion/relegation play-off. However they were subsequently promoted directly to the 2010 First Division after their opponents, Kildare County, withdrew from the League of Ireland before the play-off could be played.
Group 1
Teams Team Base Stadium Castlebar Celtic Castlebar Celtic Park Derry City A Derry Brandywell Stadium Drogheda United A Drogheda United Park Dundalk A Dundalk Oriel Park Finn Harps A Ballybofey Finn Park Galway United A Galway Athenry Salthill Devon Salthill Drom Soccer Park Sligo Rovers A SligoShowgrounds Tullamore Town Tullamore Leah Victoria Park
Final table
Results
Group 2
Teams Team Base Stadium Bohemians A Phibsborough AUL Complex Bray Wanderers A Bray Jackson Park F.C. Carlow Ballon The Valley Cobh Ramblers Cobh St Colman's Park Cork City A Cork Turner's Cross Sporting Fingal A Fingal ALSAA Sports Complex St Patrick's Athletic AInchicore Richmond Park Shamrock Rovers A Tallaght Tallaght Stadium Tralee Dynamos Tralee Cahermoneen
Final table
Results
Final
See also 2009 League of Ireland Premier Division 2009 League of Ireland First Division 2009 League of Ireland Cup
References