Best Junior Leagues In Ireland?

**DerekMcKenna** · 29/05/2013, 10:20 AM

Im looking to include the four / five best junior leagues in Ireland on the website www.thejuniorsoccerportal.info . What do you all reckon are the best / highest standard? I have gone with Dub AUL Prem A + B, Cork AUL Premier, Limerick Premier and Galway Premier. Am I right ?

**Innishvilla** · 29/05/2013, 2:44 PM

Wow there definitely will be opinions on this topic...

Question would be are you trying to get the largest catchment of people of find the best leagues and if the best leagues are you looking for the highest standard or most competitive???

Dublin AUL is very strong but doesn't even have a discussion forum here on the foot.ie site (that I've noticed anyways) while (my area of knowledge) Cork AUL is diluted by the presence of the MSL junior section and also the possibility of teams moving to the MSL as well but has a very active forum.

**passinginterest** · 29/05/2013, 3:47 PM

Best way of deciding is probably looking at the last 16 of the FAI junior for the last 10 years or whatever. Something tells me Division 3 of the United Churches League is not going to make the cut

**biglad101** · 29/05/2013, 8:48 PM

The TSDL would be up there aswel always has teams contesting the munster and fai in the latter stages.

**DerekMcKenna** · 29/05/2013, 10:16 PM

I think I'm right with Dublin and Cork AUL as well as Limerick as far as competitiveness and standard go, judging by the amount of times teams from there have won the FAI Junior Cup. But I suppose I am stuck on which other leagues to include... All the junior leagues are diluted by the move up to the intermediates but that's life... 'm not familiar with the TSDL can someone fill me in who is in that league?

**celticlads** · 29/05/2013, 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by DerekMcKenna

I think I'm right with Dublin and Cork AUL as well as Limerick as far as competitiveness and standard go, judging by the amount of times teams from there have won the FAI Junior Cup. But I suppose I am stuck on which other leagues to include... All the junior leagues are diluted by the move up to the intermediates but that's life... 'm not familiar with the TSDL can someone fill me in who is in that league?

TSDL and Waterford arent bad, both Clonmel sides and St Michaels in Tipp are good clubs, Tramore and Carrick in Waterford, we are part of North Tipp but i dont think you are considering us for the top 5 are you

**pixiehead** · 29/05/2013, 10:30 PM

Mayo league by far in terms of all round advantages. All teams own their own grounds and are required to have proper changing rooms ect. Summer soccer has made pitches far better and standard higher. Take a look at our junior team websites

**biglad101** · 29/05/2013, 11:58 PM

Yea your prob right with your thinking that dublin cork an limerick are prob most competitive leagues, hard to say with other leagues usually 3 maybe 4 teams at a higher standard than the rest. Not long ago st michaels got to back to back fai finals losing both also contested a couple of munster finals as has clonmel town, clonmel celtic are a team on the up getting to semi's of the fai last year and losing out to a great pike team this year in the munster final. Tis hard to judge really everyone will have different opinions.

**footballfanatic** · 30/05/2013, 11:57 AM

The last 4 years in a row the tsdl has been won by 4 different clubs, very equal and a good standard.

clonmel celtic, st michaels and clonmel town always go close or win munsters and havent won the fai for a while but always very close every year. Every club in the league with very good facilities, i doubt there is 5 better leagues than it in the country, just my opinion.

**Patrick Dunne** · 30/05/2013, 12:20 PM

Galway and District League not a very high standard comparatively (no offence to anyone playing in it) due mainly to five LOI sides, two senior and three U19, drawing mostly from the league clubs. No team from Galway has ever won the FAI Junior Cup, only one Oscar Traynor win in the early 1970s.

**DerekMcKenna** · 30/05/2013, 1:08 PM

I think I may substitute the TSDL for the Galway one then so. It seems to be a higher standard with the calibre of clubs that are in it. Thanks. Any other suggestions?

**First** · 30/05/2013, 1:21 PM

Other than the money clubs in Limerick the rest is fairly average so to say it is a top league is skewed. Some of the score lines would seem to indicate a big gulf.

**dirtfree** · 30/05/2013, 1:38 PM

Infairness the top 2/3 in limk could/would win nearly every league in Ireland . I think the standard in limk is very good just these 2/3 teams are way ahead

**DerekMcKenna** · 30/05/2013, 1:50 PM

Originally Posted by dirtfree

Infairness the top 2/3 in limk could/would win nearly every league in Ireland . I think the standard in limk is very good just these 2/3 teams are way ahead

I'm inclined to agree. That league has consistently produced teams into the quarters, semis and final of the FAI Junior. Without a doubt Limerick Prem and Dub AUL Prem A are the two top leagues in the country

**First** · 30/05/2013, 2:08 PM

Originally Posted by dirtfree

Infairness the top 2/3 in limk could/would win nearly every league in Ireland . I think the standard in limk is very good just these 2/3 teams are way ahead

They probably would/ could win any other league but is that not representative of a few clubs that can sign the best, as oppose to the Limerick league being that good?

It's like claiming the SPL is (was) a good league with the Old Firm way ahead of the rest. It's like in Clare 2 teams and the rest,doesn't make it a good league. I think the question should be more along the lines of who are the top clubs in Ireland and that can be answered by the FAI etc, results.

**dirtfree** · 30/05/2013, 2:46 PM

I take your point and agree to an extent. But do you not agree you can get better by playing better teams week in week out. And in my opinion outside the top 3 in limk 3/4 more of the teams are pretty good football teams.