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.

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, Ballinlough, Clapton Celtic, Green Rovers, Blackrock, Mountview, Marine Services, Cork Spinning and Ladyswell Brewery.

Leeside A.F.C. joined the Cork Athletic Union League (AUL) for the 1968–69 season.

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. Other clubs to switch from the Cork AUL to the MSL include Avondale United, Mallow United, Tramore Athletic, College Corinthians, Ringmahon Rangers, Everton and Rockmount.

2020s In August 2025, three new teams were added to the league. Sullane F.C. from Ballyvourney joined for the first time along with Inch United from Killeagh and Mallow Town. In addition, Grattan United, Glenthorn Celtic, Los Zarcos and Mogeely F.C. entered reserve sides.

League pyramid

The league's management committee decides the number of divisions and number of teams in each division. No club may have two teams in any one division of the league. A system of promotion and relegation applies in all divisions and is decided by the management committee before the start of each season. The below format has been agreed for the 2025–26 season:

County Level League(s) / division(s)1Cork AUL Premier League 8 clubs – 2 or 3 relegations2Cork AUL Premier A League 6 clubs – 2 or 3 promotions, 0 relegations3Cork AUL League 1 8 clubs – 3 promotions, 1 relegation4Cork AUL League 2 10 clubs – 2 promotions, 1 relegation5Cork AUL League 3 14 clubs – 4 promotions

Sources:

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. 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.

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.

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.

FAI Oscar Traynor Trophy Season Champions Runners-up1965–66Cork AULLeinster Junior League1994–95Athletic Union League (Dublin)Cork AUL2008–09Cork AULAthletic Union League (Dublin)

Sponsors The main sponsors of the Cork AUL are Murphy's Irish Stout. Other sponsors include the Evening Echo.

Clubs

List of winners by season Season Champions Runners-up1947–48 Mortonville Cobh Ramblers1948–49 Maymount Rovers Green Rovers1949–50St Finbarr's CelticMortonville1950–51Crosshaven1951–52CrosshavenCollins1952–53WembleyMallow United1953–54WembleyFermoy1954–55TransportWembley1955–56WembleyBlackrock1956–57FermoyWembley1957–58FermoyBlackrock1958–59Ringmahon RangersWembley1959–60Ringmahon RangersRockmount1960–61Ringmahon Rangers Castleview1961–62Castleview1962–63WembleyCastleview1963–64BlackrockSt Michael's (Cork)1964–65WembleyRingmahon Rangers1965–66St. Mary's Rockmount1966–67Everton Wembley1967–68CastleviewRockmount1968–69CastleviewRingmahon1969–70Crosshaven1970–71St. Mary's Wembley1971–72CrosshavenSt. Mary's1972–73CastleviewWembley1973–74St. Michael's (Tipp)St. Mary's1974–75St. Mary'sCastleview1975–76Rockmount St. Mary's1976–77CastleviewSt. Mary's1977–78Crofton CelticSt. Mary's1978–79CastleviewMidleton1979–80Casement CelticCobh Ramblers1980–81Casement Celtic St. Mary's1981–82St. Mary'sCasement Celtic1982–83St. Mary's Ballincollig1983–84Douglas HallBallincollig1984–85Temple UnitedSt. Mary's1985–86St. Mary'sDouglas Hall1986–87 Temple UnitedWaterloo1987–88 Temple UnitedBallincollig1988–89Temple UnitedAvondale United1989–90 Temple UnitedBallincollig1990–91BallincolligGreenmount Rangers1991–92 Temple UnitedCastleview1992–93 Temple UnitedBallincollig1993–94Temple UnitedCastleview1994–95 Temple UnitedMayfield United1995–96 Greenmount RangersCoachford1996–97 Greenmount Rangers1997–98 Greenmount RangersCoachford1998–99 Greenmount RangersLeeside1999–2000 Blarney UnitedLeeside2000–01 Greenmount RangersCoachford2001–02 Blarney UnitedLeeside2002–03 KinsaleBlarney United2003–04KinsaleBlarney United2004–05KinsaleMaymount Celtic2005–06KinsaleVilla United2006–07Grattan UnitedKinsale2007–08Grattan UnitedPark United2008–09Wilton United AKinsale 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 Grattan United A Pearse Celtic A 2017-18 Grattan United A Glenthorn Celtic A 2018-19 Knocknaheeney Celtic A Coachford 2019-20

List of winners by club Club Titles SeasonsTemple United91984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95Kinsale62002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2010–11 St. Mary's61965–66, 1970–71, 1974–75, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1985–86 Castleview51961–62, 1967–68, 1972–73, 1976–77, 1978–79Greenmount Rangers51995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01Wembley51952–53, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1962–63, 1964–65 Crosshaven41950–51, 1951–52, 1969–70, 1971–72Grattan United32006–07, 2007–08, 2014–15Park United32011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16Ringmahon Rangers31958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61Blarney United21999–2000, 2001–02Casement Celtic21979–80, 1980–81Fermoy21956–57, 1957–58Ballincollig11990–91Blackrock11963–64Crofton Celtic11977–78Coachford12012–13Everton11966–67Douglas Hall11983–84Maymount Rovers11948–49Mortonville11947–48Rockmount11975–76St Finbarr's Celtic11949–50St. Michael's 11973–74Transport11954–55Wilton United12008–09

References