2016–17 NIFL Championship

The 2016–17 NIFL Championship consisted of 12 teams. Ards were champions of Championship 1 in the previous season and were promoted to the 2016–17 NIFL Premiership.{{cite web|url=http://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/football-news/irish-league-ards-promoted-to-danske-bank-premiership-1-7359644 |title=IRISH LEAGUE: Ards promoted to Danske Bank Premiership |work=News Letter |date=30 April 2016 |accessdate=20 November 2016}} The next highest place team eligible for promotion, fifth-placed finishers Institute were defeated by Ballinamallard United in the Premiership play-off; therefore failing to achieve promotion.

The bottom two teams from the previous season, Lisburn Distillery and Donegal Celtic were relegated to the third-tier NIFL Premier Intermediate League; they were joined by Bangor after they failed to gain the Championship Licence, required for playing at second-tier level. They were replaced by PSNI, runners-up of the (now defunct) Championship 2 in the previous season; champions Limavady United were ineligible for promotion after failing to gain the required licence.

{{Location map+ |UK Northern Ireland |float=right |width=400 |caption=Locations of the 2016–17 NIFL Championship teams |places=

{{Location map~ |UK Northern Ireland |marksize=12 |lat=54.602945 |long=-5.891278 |label=Belfast |position=top}}

{{Location map~ |UK Northern Ireland |lat=54.409555 |long=-6.438328 |position=bottom|label=Annagh }}

{{Location map~ |UK Northern Ireland |lat=54.34349 |long=-6.628479 |position=bottom|label=Armagh City }}

{{Location map~ |UK Northern Ireland |lat=54.75101 |long=-6.002269 |position=left|label=Ballyclare }}

{{Location map~ |UK Northern Ireland |lat=54.707400 |long=-7.599873 |position=right|label=Dergview }}

{{Location map~ |UK Northern Ireland |lat=54.97574 |long=-7.277176 |position=right|label=Institute }}

{{Location map~ |UK Northern Ireland |lat=54.85013 |long=-5.827303 |position=top|label=Larne }}

{{Location map~ |UK Northern Ireland |lat=54.469105 |long=-6.364089 |position=right|label=Lurgan Celtic }}

{{Location map~ |UK Northern Ireland |lat=54.407050 |long=-6.611546 |position=left|label=Loughgall }}

{{Location map~ |UK Northern Ireland |lat=54.11786 |long=-6.263430 |position=right|label=Warrenpoint Town }}

{{Location map~ |UK Northern Ireland |lat=55.32 |long=-8.2 |mark=TransparentPlaceholder.png |label=Belfast teams : H&W Welders
Knockbreda
PSNI}}

}}

{{Location map+ |Greater Belfast |width=400 |float=right |caption=Locations of the Belfast-based 2016–17 NIFL Championship teams |places=

{{Location map~ |Greater Belfast |lat=54.61651 |long=-5.863953 |position=right|label=H&W Welders }}

{{Location map~ |Greater Belfast |lat=54.56689 |long=-5.853528 |position=right|label=Knockbreda }}

{{Location map~ |Greater Belfast |lat=54.559056 |long=-5.940977 |position=top|label=PSNI }}

}}

{{#invoke:Sports table|main|style=WDL

|source=[http://www.nifootballleague.com/nifl-championship/table NIFL Championship], [https://int.soccerway.com/national/northern-ireland/championship-1/20162017/promotion-round/r38006 Soccerway (top six)], [https://int.soccerway.com/national/northern-ireland/championship-1/20162017/relegation-round/r38007 Soccerway (bottom six)]

|team1=WPT |team2=INS |team3=BCC |team4=PSN |team5=DGV |team6=LGL |team7=H&W |team8=KNB |team9=LAR |team10=LGC |team11=ARM |team12=ANN

|split6=yes

|note_header_res=Teams played each other twice (22 matches), before the league split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six) for the last ten matches.

|result1=PRO |result2=PROPO |result3=PROPO |result11=RELPO |result12=REL

|update=complete

|win_ANN=4 |draw_ANN=7 |loss_ANN=21|gf_ANN=32|ga_ANN=107

|win_ARM=9 |draw_ARM=7 |loss_ARM=16|gf_ARM=41|ga_ARM=55

|win_BCC=15|draw_BCC=6 |loss_BCC=11|gf_BCC=64|ga_BCC=56

|win_DGV=12|draw_DGV=6 |loss_DGV=14|gf_DGV=67|ga_DGV=55

|win_H&W=15|draw_H&W=6 |loss_H&W=11|gf_H&W=52|ga_H&W=41

|win_INS=16|draw_INS=9 |loss_INS=7 |gf_INS=64|ga_INS=39

|win_KNB=14|draw_KNB=4 |loss_KNB=14|gf_KNB=56|ga_KNB=52

|win_LAR=11|draw_LAR=7 |loss_LAR=14|gf_LAR=52|ga_LAR=51

|win_LGL=12|draw_LGL=3 |loss_LGL=17|gf_LGL=54|ga_LGL=59

|win_LGC=12|draw_LGC=3 |loss_LGC=17|gf_LGC=56|ga_LGC=71

|win_PSN=13|draw_PSN=10|loss_PSN=9 |gf_PSN=49|ga_PSN=44

|win_WPT=22|draw_WPT=6 |loss_WPT=4 |gf_WPT=78|ga_WPT=35

|status_WPT=CP

|status_ARM=R

|status_ANN=R

|name_ANN=Annagh United

|name_ARM=Armagh City

|name_BCC=Ballyclare Comrades

|name_DGV=Dergview

|name_H&W=Harland & Wolff Welders

|name_INS=Institute

|name_KNB=Knockbreda

|name_LAR=Larne

|name_LGL=Loughgall

|name_LGC=Lurgan Celtic

|name_PSN=PSNI

|name_WPT=Warrenpoint Town

|show_limit=5

|class_rules =1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Play-off (subject to IFA decision){{cite web|url=http://www.scoresway.com/?sport=soccer&page=competition&id=310&view=rules|title=Championship 2016/2017 - Season rules|publisher=Scoresway|accessdate=20 November 2016}}

|res_col_header=PQR

|col_PRO=green1 |text_PRO=Promotion to the NIFL Premiership

|col_PROPO=yellow1 |text_PROPO=Qualification for the promotion play-offs

|col_REL=red1 |text_REL=Relegation to the NIFL Premier Intermediate League

|col_RELPO=red2 |text_RELPO=Qualification for the relegation play-off

}}

During matches 1–22 each team played every other team twice (home-and-away).

{{#invoke:sports results|main

| source = [http://nifootballleague.com/nifl-championship/results NIFL Championship]

| update = complete

| a_note =

| matches_style = FBR

| team1= ANN | team2= ARM | team3 = BCC | team4 = DGV | team5 = H&W | team6 = INS | team7= KNB | team8= LAR | team9= LOU | team10 = LGC | team11 = PSNI | team12 = WPT

| name_ANN = Annagh United

| name_ARM = Armagh City

| name_BCC = Ballyclare Comrades

| name_DGV = Dergview

| name_H&W = Harland & Wolff Welders

| name_INS = Institute

| name_KNB = Knockbreda

| name_LAR = Larne

| name_LOU = Loughgall

| name_LGC = Lurgan Celtic

| name_PSNI= PSNI

| name_WPT = Warrenpoint Town

| match_ANN_ARM = 3–0

| match_ANN_BCC = 0–4

| match_ANN_DGV = 0–8

| match_ANN_H&W = 1–4

| match_ANN_INS = 2–2

| match_ANN_KNB = 0–7

| match_ANN_LAR = 0–4

| match_ANN_LOU = 0–5

| match_ANN_LGC = 2–4

| match_ANN_PSNI= 0–0

| match_ANN_WPT = 2–2

| match_ARM_ANN = 4–2

| match_ARM_BCC = 3–1

| match_ARM_DGV = 1–3

| match_ARM_H&W = 2–2

| match_ARM_INS = 1–4

| match_ARM_KNB = 4–0

| match_ARM_LAR = 1–0

| match_ARM_LOU = 2–3

| match_ARM_LGC = 1–3

| match_ARM_PSNI= 0–1

| match_ARM_WPT = 2–1

| match_BCC_ANN = 3–1

| match_BCC_ARM = 2–0

| match_BCC_DGV = 5–1

| match_BCC_H&W = 0–2

| match_BCC_INS = 2–2

| match_BCC_KNB = 1–3

| match_BCC_LAR = 3–2

| match_BCC_LOU = 5–2

| match_BCC_LGC = 2–1

| match_BCC_PSNI= 3–2

| match_BCC_WPT = 2–2

| match_DGV_ANN = 9–0

| match_DGV_ARM = 4–0

| match_DGV_BCC = 0–2

| match_DGV_H&W = 0–3

| match_DGV_INS = 1–1

| match_DGV_KNB = 2–1

| match_DGV_LAR = 2–0

| match_DGV_LOU = 6–2

| match_DGV_LGC = 3–4

| match_DGV_PSNI= 0–0

| match_DGV_WPT = 2–3

| match_H&W_ANN = 1–1

| match_H&W_ARM = 3–0

| match_H&W_BCC = 0–1

| match_H&W_DGV = 1–1

| match_H&W_INS = 0–2

| match_H&W_KNB = 0–2

| match_H&W_LAR = 3–2

| match_H&W_LOU = 1–1

| match_H&W_LGC = 1–0

| match_H&W_PSNI= 2–2

| match_H&W_WPT = 1–2

| match_INS_ANN = 5–0

| match_INS_ARM = 2–0

| match_INS_BCC = 1–1

| match_INS_DGV = 1–1

| match_INS_H&W = 3–1

| match_INS_KNB = 3–1

| match_INS_LAR = 1–1

| match_INS_LOU = 2–0

| match_INS_LGC = 2–1

| match_INS_PSNI= 4–0

| match_INS_WPT = 0–1

| match_KNB_ANN = 1–2

| match_KNB_ARM = 1–1

| match_KNB_BCC = 0–5

| match_KNB_DGV = 1–2

| match_KNB_H&W = 0–2

| match_KNB_INS = 1–1

| match_KNB_LAR = 1–1

| match_KNB_LOU = 0–2

| match_KNB_LGC = 4–2

| match_KNB_PSNI= 3–1

| match_KNB_WPT = 1–2

| match_LAR_ANN = 4–1

| match_LAR_ARM = 2–1

| match_LAR_BCC = 2–3

| match_LAR_DGV = 3–2

| match_LAR_H&W = 2–1

| match_LAR_INS = 6–0

| match_LAR_KNB = 3–1

| match_LAR_LOU = 1–4

| match_LAR_LGC = 2–0

| match_LAR_PSNI= 2–2

| match_LAR_WPT = 0–1

| match_LOU_ANN = 7–0

| match_LOU_ARM = 3–1

| match_LOU_BCC = 2–1

| match_LOU_DGV = 0–4

| match_LOU_H&W = 3–0

| match_LOU_INS = 1–2

| match_LOU_KNB = 2–3

| match_LOU_LAR = 1–1

| match_LOU_LGC = 0–2

| match_LOU_PSNI= 3–0

| match_LOU_WPT = 2–2

| match_LGC_ANN = 3–1

| match_LGC_ARM = 0–2

| match_LGC_BCC = 3–1

| match_LGC_DGV = 3–3

| match_LGC_H&W = 2–3

| match_LGC_INS = 4–3

| match_LGC_KNB = 3–3

| match_LGC_LAR = 2–0

| match_LGC_LOU = 2–0

| match_LGC_PSNI= 2–5

| match_LGC_WPT = 2–6

| match_PSNI_ANN= 3–1

| match_PSNI_ARM= 1–1

| match_PSNI_BCC= 4–4

| match_PSNI_DGV= 1–1

| match_PSNI_H&W= 3–1

| match_PSNI_INS= 1–0

| match_PSNI_KNB= 0–1

| match_PSNI_LAR= 1–1

| match_PSNI_LOU= 4–2

| match_PSNI_LGC= 3–0

| match_PSNI_WPT= 1–0

| match_WPT_ANN = 7–0

| match_WPT_ARM = 1–1

| match_WPT_BCC = 3–3

| match_WPT_DGV = 3–1

| match_WPT_H&W = 1–0

| match_WPT_INS = 2–1

| match_WPT_KNB = 3–1

| match_WPT_LAR = 4–1

| match_WPT_LOU = 4–1

| match_WPT_LGC = 4–2

| match_WPT_PSNI= 3–0

}}

During matches 23–32 each team played every other team in their half of the table twice (home-and-away).

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{#invoke:sports results|main

| source = [http://nifootballleague.com/nifl-championship/results NIFL Championship]

| update = complete

| a_note =

| matches_style = FBR

| team1= BCC | team2= DGV | team3= INS | team4= LOU | team5= PSNI | team6= WPT

| name_BCC = Ballyclare Comrades

| name_DGV = Dergview

| name_INS = Institute

| name_LOU = Loughgall

| name_PSNI= PSNI

| name_WPT = Warrenpoint Town

| match_BCC_DGV = 2–1

| match_BCC_INS = 2–4

| match_BCC_LOU = 1–0

| match_BCC_PSNI= 0–3

| match_BCC_WPT = 1–0

| match_DGV_BCC = 1–0

| match_DGV_INS = 1–5

| match_DGV_LOU = 2–0

| match_DGV_PSNI= 1–2

| match_DGV_WPT = 2–0

| match_INS_BCC = 2–2

| match_INS_DGV = 2–1

| match_INS_LOU = 1–0

| match_INS_PSNI= 1–1

| match_INS_WPT = 0–1

| match_LOU_BCC = 4–2

| match_LOU_DGV = 1–0

| match_LOU_INS = 0–4

| match_LOU_PSNI= 2–0

| match_LOU_WPT = 1–4

| match_PSNI_BCC= 1–0

| match_PSNI_DGV= 4–1

| match_PSNI_INS= 0–1

| match_PSNI_LOU= 1–0

| match_PSNI_WPT= 1–3

| match_WPT_BCC = 4–0

| match_WPT_DGV = 4–1

| match_WPT_INS = 3–2

| match_WPT_LOU = 1–0

| match_WPT_PSNI= 1–1

}}

{{col-2}}

{{#invoke:sports results|main

| source = [http://nifootballleague.com/nifl-championship/results NIFL Championship]

| update = complete

| a_note =

| matches_style = FBR

| team1= ANN | team2= ARM | team3= H&W | team4= KNB | team5= LAR | team6= LGC

| name_ANN = Annagh United

| name_ARM = Armagh City

| name_H&W = Harland & Wolff Welders

| name_KNB = Knockbreda

| name_LAR = Larne

| name_LGC = Lurgan Celtic

| match_ANN_ARM = 4–4

| match_ANN_H&W = 1–2

| match_ANN_KNB = 1–2

| match_ANN_LAR = 3–1

| match_ANN_LGC = 1–1

| match_ARM_ANN = 0–0

| match_ARM_H&W = 0–3

| match_ARM_KNB = 1–2

| match_ARM_LAR = 1–1

| match_ARM_LGC = 3–0

| match_H&W_ANN = 2–0

| match_H&W_ARM = 2–1

| match_H&W_KNB = 0–1

| match_H&W_LAR = 1–1

| match_H&W_LGC = 4–1

| match_KNB_ANN = 6–1

| match_KNB_ARM = 1–0

| match_KNB_H&W = 1–0

| match_KNB_LAR = 4–0

| match_KNB_LGC = 1–2

| match_LAR_ANN = 2–0

| match_LAR_ARM = 0–1

| match_LAR_H&W = 2–3

| match_LAR_KNB = 2–1

| match_LAR_LGC = 3–0

| match_LGC_ANN = 0–2

| match_LGC_ARM = 0–2

| match_LGC_H&W = 2–3

| match_LGC_KNB = 3–1

| match_LGC_LAR = 2–0

}}

{{col-end}}

The second and third-placed teams from the Championship, Institute and Ballyclare Comrades respectively, took part in the Premiership play-off semi-final. The winners will then play Carrick Rangers in the play-off final; the winners of this tie will play in the top-flight next season.

{{Main|2016–17 NIFL Premiership#NIFL Premiership play-offs}}

The eleventh-placed team from the Championship, Armagh City, played the runners-up from the 2016–17 Premier Intermediate League, Newry City, over two legs for one spot in the 2017–18 NIFL Championship.

{{football box

|date = {{Start date|2017|5|2|df=y}}

|time = 19:45 BST

|team1 = Newry City

|score = 4–0

|report =

|team2 = Armagh City

|goals1 =

|goals2 =

|stadium = The Showgrounds, Newry

|attendance =

|referee =

}}

----

{{football box

|date = {{Start date|2017|5|5|df=y}}

|time = 19:45 BST

|team1 = Armagh City

|score = 1–3

|report =

|team2 = Newry City

|goals1 =

|goals2 =

|stadium = Holm Park, Armagh

|attendance =

|referee =

}}

Newry City won 7–1 on aggregate and are promoted to the 2017–18 NIFL Championship; Armagh City are relegated to the 2017–18 NIFL Premier Intermediate League.

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://nifootballleague.com/}}

{{NIFL Championship seasons}}

{{2016–17 in Northern Ireland association football}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2016-17 NIFL Championship}}

Category:NIFL Championship seasons

Northern Ireland

Category:2016–17 in Northern Ireland association football