The IRFU have announced changes to the All Ireland League for season 2011/2012.
The number of clubs participating in the league will be raised from
48 to
52.
Next season’s league
2010/2011 will still have the same format as last season. Division 1A and 1B will consist of eight teams each playing home and away and Division 2 and 3 will consist of 16 sides with each club playing each other once, 15 games.
In season
2011/12 the league will have a
Division 1A and
1B of ten teams each and they will play home and away.
Division 2A and 2B will consist of sixten teams each with each side playing 15 games.
To achieve the format for season 2011/2012 next season’s league will have the following promotion and relegation.
The
top two clubs in
Division 1B will be promoted to
Division 1A (to give a ten-team league).
A play-off between
bottom club in
Division 1A and
3rd team in
Division 1B.
The
top four clubs in
Division 2 will be promoted to
Division 1B (to give a ten-team league).
A play-off between bottom club in
Division 1B and
5th team in
Division 2.
The remaining clubs in
Division 2 will play in the
new Division 2A.
The
top four clubs in
Division 3 will be promoted to the
new Division 2A.
A play-off between
bottom club in
Division 2 and
5th team in
Division 3.
The remaining clubs in
Division 3 will play in the new
Division 2B.
There will be no relegation from
Division 3.
The
four provincial Qualifying League winners will be
promoted to the
new Division 2B.
When the new structure is operational, there will be
one automatic promotion and relegation between
Division 1A and 1B. and a play off between the side that
finished 9th in
Division 1A and the side that
finished second in
Division 1B.
Two sides will be relegated from
Division 1B to Division 2A and the
top two sides in
Division 2A will be promoted to
Division 1B.
Two sides will be promoted and relegated from
Division 2A and 2B. The side that finishes in
14th position in
Division 2A will play off against the side that finishes 3rd in
Division 2B.
The side that finishes
bottom of
Division 2B will be
relegated from the All Ireland League and the
winners of the
Qualifying League will be
promoted to Division 2B.
There will be a
play off between the sides that finishes
second last in
Division 2B and the
runners up in the
Qualifying League.
From season
2010/2011 the structure of the
All Ireland Cup will change to a
“Bateman” style Cup where the
Provincial Cup winners will compete in semi finals and finals to determine the AIL Cup winners.
There will be changes in the league as to the
eligibility of full contracted Provincial players.
The
Munster Junior League will have a different format for next season (2010/2011) with
14 sides playing in Division 1 & 2 and
13 sides playing in Division 3. Bantry Bay will be playing in Division 3 next season.