# Ulster Senior League (association football)

The Ulster Senior League was an association football league featuring amateur, intermediate, and League of Ireland reserve teams. Together with the Leinster Senior League Senior Division and the Munster Senior League Senior Premier Division, it formed the third level of the Republic of Ireland football league system. Ulster Senior League teams also competed in the FAI Cup and the FAI Intermediate Cup. The winners of the Ulster Senior League were also invited to play in the now defunct League of Ireland Cup. Despite using the Ulster name in its title, almost all of its clubs were based in County Donegal and the City of Derry. The most successful club in the league was Fanad United who won fourteen league titles and ten league cups. Since 2006 the USL had operated as a summer league with the season typically operating from April to October. In 2023, there were five teams competing in the league.
The League was dissolved in 2024, with the member clubs returning to junior football in Inishowen and Donegal leagues.

## History

The Ulster Senior League was formed in 1986. The driving force behind the establishment of the league was Fr. Michael Sweeney, a pioneer of junior and intermediate association football in County Donegal. In addition to founding the USL, Sweeney had earlier been instrumental in both establishing the Donegal League and forming Fanad United. Fanad United were the inaugural USL champions in 1986–87 and they subsequently went on to become the league's most successful club, winning fourteen league titles and ten league cups. In more recent seasons, Cockhill Celtic have challenged Fanad United's dominance, winning their first title in 2010 and then nine consecutive titles between 2013 and 2022. The winners of the Ulster Senior League have regularly been invited to participate in the League of Ireland Cup. In 1987–88 Fanad United were semi-finalists. Cockhill Celtic, Culdaff and Swilly Rovers have all represented the USL in the League of Ireland Cup. Fanad United have also won the FAI Intermediate Cup twice while Letterkenny Rovers were finalists in 2015–16.
September 2020 saw the leagues most successful club, Fanad United, announce their withdrawal from the USL to join the Donegal Junior League
2021 saw Monaghan United F.C., a former League of Ireland club, join the Ulster Senior League, the first club from Counties Cavan or Monaghan to do so. They withdrew from the league after just one season.

## 2022-23 teams

| Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
| Bonagee United | Letterkenny | Dry Arch Park |
| Cockhill Celtic | Buncrana | Charlie O'Donnell Sports Grounds |
| Derry City Reserves | Derry | Brandywell Stadium |
| Finn Harps U21 | Ballybofey | Finn Park |
| Letterkenny Rovers | Letterkenny | Leckview Park |
Source:

## Champions
### List of winners by season

| Season | Winner | Runner-up |
| 2022-23 | Cockhill Celtic | Bonagee United |
| 2021-22 | Cockhill Celtic | Bonagee United |
| 2019-20 | Cockhill Celtic | Bonagee United |
| 2018-19 | Cockhill Celtic | |
| 2017–18 | Cockhill Celtic | |
| 2016–17 | Cockhill Celtic | Letterkenny Rovers |
| 2016 | Cockhill Celtic | Derry City Reserves |
| 2015 | Cockhill Celtic | Bonagee United |
| 2014 | Cockhill Celtic | Derry City Reserves |
| 2013 | Cockhill Celtic | Drumkeen United |
| 2012 | Derry City Reserves | Cockhill Celtic |
| 2011 | Fanad United | Cockhill Celtic |
| 2010 | Cockhill Celtic | |
| 2009 | Letterkenny Rovers | Kildrum Tigers |
| 2008 | Kildrum Tigers | Fanad United |
| 2007 | Kildrum Tigers | Fanad United |
| 2006–07 | Fanad United | Kildrum Tigers |
| 2005–06 | Fanad United | Kildrum Tigers |
| 2004–05 | Letterkenny Rovers | Kildrum Tigers |
| 2003–04 | Kildrum Tigers | Letterkenny Rovers |
| 2002–03 | Quigley's Point Swifts | Letterkenny Rovers |
| 2001–02 | Quigley's Point Swifts | |
| 2000–01 | Fanad United | Quigley's Point Swifts |
| 1999–00 | Swilly Rovers | Keadue Rovers |
| 1998–99 | Finn Harps Reserves | Swilly Rovers |
| 1997–98 | Fanad United | Swilly Rovers |
| 1996–97 | Fanad United | |
| 1995–96 | Fanad United | Derry City Reserves |
| 1994–95 | Fanad United | |
| 1993–94 | Fanad United | |
| 1992–93 | Fanad United | Finn Harps Reserves |
| 1991–92 | Buncrana Hearts | Fanad United |
| 1990–91 | Fanad United | |
| 1989–90 | Fanad United | |
| 1988–89 | Culdaff | Fanad United/Letterkenny Rovers |
| 1987–88 | Fanad United | Letterkenny Rovers |
| 1986–87 | Fanad United | |
Source:

### List of winners by club

| Club | Titles | Seasons |
| Fanad United | 14 | 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2011 |
| Cockhill Celtic | 11 | 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2021-22, 2022-23 |
| Kildrum Tigers | 3 | 2003–04, 2007, 2008 |
| Letterkenny Rovers | 2 | 2004–05, 2009 |
| Quigley's Point Swifts | 2 | 2001–02, 2002–03 |
| Buncrana Hearts | 1 | 1991–92 |
| Culdaff | 1 | 1988–89 |
| Derry City Reserves | 1 | 2012 |
| Finn Harps Reserves | 1 | 1998–99 |
| Swilly Rovers | 1 | 1999–00 |
Source:

## Ulster Senior League Cup

The Ulster Senior League Cup has had four different sponsors since first being played for in 1986–87. Initially, the competition was sponsored by the Hotel Glenveagh in Gweedore before being sponsored by Hydro Seafoods and then Marine Harvest. It is now known as the Donegal News Ulster Senior League Cup.

### Finals

| Season | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
| 1986–87 | Carndonagh | 1–0 | Culdaff |
| 1987–88 | Fanad United | 4–4 | Buncrana Hearts |
| Replay | Fanad United | 1–0 | Buncrana Hearts |
| 1988–89 | Fanad United | 3–0 | Derry City Reserves |
| 1989–90 | St Catherine's | 4–3 | Swilly Rovers |
| 1990–91 | Derry City Reserves | 0–0 | Fanad United |
| Replay | Derry City Reserves | 0–0 | Fanad United |
| 2nd Replay | Derry City Reserves | 2–0 | Fanad United |
| 1991–92 | Letterkenny Rovers | 3–0 | Bonagee United |
| 1992–93 | Fanad United | 1–0 | Buncrana Hearts |
| 1993–94 | | | |
| 1994–95 | Fanad United | 3–1 | Buncrana Hearts |
| 1995–96 | Fanad United | 2–1 | Drumoghill Celtic |
| 1996–97 | Derry City Reserves | 2–0 | Drumkeen United |
| 1997–98 | Swilly Rovers | 5–0 | Derry City Reserves |
| 1998–99 | Swilly Rovers | 2–1 | Fanad United |
| 1999–00 | Drumoghill Celtic | 3–0 | Fanad United |
| 2000–01 | Derry City Reserves | 2–0 | Quigleys Point Swifts |
| 2001–02 | Letterkenny Rovers | 3–0 | Swilly Rovers |
| 2002–03 | Bonagee United | 2–0 | Fanad United |
| 2003–04 | Letterkenny Rovers | 4–0 | Keadue Rovers |
| 2004–05 | Fanad United | 3–0 | Swilly Rovers 0 |
| 2005–06 | Fanad United | 1–1 | Killea |
| 2006–07 | Kildrum Tigers | 2–0 | Fanad United |
| 2007 | Fanad United | 1–0 | Swilly Rovers |
| 2008 | Fanad United | 2–0 | Buncrana Hearts |
| 2009 | Drumkeen United | 2–2 | Fanad United |
| 2010 | Cockhill Celtic | 3–0 | Derry City Reserves |
| 2011 | Fanad United | 2–1 | Cockhill Celtic |
| 2012 | Letterkenny Rovers | 5–3 | Drumkeen United |
| 2013 | Cockhill Celtic | 1–0 | Drumkeen United |
| 2014 | Cockhill Celtic | 1–0 | Swilly Rovers |
| 2015 | Cockhill Celtic | 2–1 | Bonagee United |
| 2016 | Cockhill Celtic | 2–0 | Letterkenny Rovers |
Source:

#### Notes

* ↑ After extra time
* ↑ Final abandoned with Swilly Rovers leading Derry City Reserves 5–0 at half-time
* ↑ After extra time. Fanad United win 4–2 on penalties
* ↑ After extra time. Drumkeen United win 4–2 on penalties

## Representative team

An Ulster Senior League representative team competes in the FAI Intermediate Interprovincial Tournament against teams representing the Leinster Senior League, the Munster Senior League and Connacht.

## Notable former players
### Republic of Ireland internationals

* Shay Given

### Northern Ireland U21 international

* Michael Duffy

### League of Ireland First Division Top Scorer

* Kevin McHugh

### League of Ireland manager

* Paul Hegarty