Leinster and Munster Senior League unveil new charity Challenge Cup

The winners of the 2018/19 Leinster Senior League and Munster Senior League will contest a charity match next year.

In a sign of greater integration between the country’s main intermediate leagues, the two top sides in each province will face off in a Challenge Cup with the gate receipts donated to two charities.

The best teams in intermediate football typically only face off in the latter rounds of the FAI Intermediate Cup after the early rounds are regionalised.

Crossover between leagues on the island have increased in recent times, however, and FAI Junior Cup winners North End United beat Enniskillen Rangers to claim the first President’s Junior Cup in August.

Bluebell United are currently champions of LSL Senior Sunday, having won three of the last four titles, while Midleton are currently holders of the MSL Senior Premier League.

So far this season, unbeaten Crumlin United are runaway leaders in the LSL with a ten-point gap to  Killester Donnycarney, while Ringmahon Rangers are top in Munster.

Should next year’s fixture between the intermediate leagues prove a success, there will surely be an appetite to make it a permanent fixture on the calendar.