Newfoundland and Labrador Challenge Cup

The Newfoundland and Labrador Challenge Cup, known as the Molson Coors Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the premier senior men's soccer competition in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is held annually from May until August and was contested for the first time in 1967. The winner represents Newfoundland and Labrador at the Canadian National Challenge Cup. The competition is governed and organized by the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Association. The St. Lawrence Laurentians are reigning champions as of the 2013 season. The St. Lawrence Laurentians and Holy Cross have traditionally dominated the competition, having won a combined total of 39 Cups out of 46 times that the Challenge has been contested.

Format

The Newfoundland Challenge Cup consists of Newfoundland-based men's senior amateur soccer clubs. The teams first compete to qualify for a playoff round in a league format, where each team usually plays each other team 6 times (3 home, 3 away). At the end of the league phase, the 4 clubs with the most points qualify for the playoffs (3 points are awarded for a win, 1 point is awarded for a draw, and none for a loss), if there is a tie in the standings, the team with the greatest goal difference is given precedence.^[1]

The playoff round of the NLCC was formerly a Page Playoff format until the 2011 season when a more common 1 v 4 and 2 v 3 system was instituted. It takes place at one location over Labour Day weekend each year. It consists of two single-game knockout rounds: in the 1st round, the first seed plays the fourth seed and the second seed plays the third seed; the winners of those matches advance to the Challenge Cup Final. The winner of the final is crowned Challenge Cup Champions and qualify for the Canadian National Challenge Cup, representing Newfoundland and Labrador.^[2]

Champions

Bold indicates a current Challenge Cup team

Club	# of Challenge Cups	Years
St. Lawrence Laurentians	24	1967, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2013
Holy Cross FC	15	1973, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014
Burin Eagles FC	2	1990, 1991
Feildians Athletic	1	1969
Grand Bank	1	1974
Lawn	1	1987
Marystown United	1	2004
Mount Pearl	1	2003
Newfoundland All Stars	1	1970

Recent Seasons

2013

The 2013 Newfoundland and Labrador Challenge Cup, its 46th instance, began on 4 May in a match between the St. Lawrence Laurentians and Mount Pearl at the Gushue Complex in Mount Pearl. The same 5 clubs returned from the previous year and the Newfoundland and Labrador Men's U18 soccer team played on an exhibition basis in the lead-up to the 2013 Canada Games.^[3]

Standings

Pos	Team	Matches Played	Wins	Draws	Losses	Goals For	Goals Against	Goal Diff.	Points	Clinch Qualification for Playoffs	Clinch League Champion
1	Holy Cross Kirby Group	27	19	5	3	94	26	+68	62	Y	Y
2	St. Lawrence Labatt Laurentians	27	15	7	5	66	22	+44	52	Y	-
3	Mount Pearl Molson	27	12	4	11	35	38	-3	40	Y	-
4	Feildians E&Y Orenda	27	10	9	8	35	29	+6	39	Y	-
5	Conception Bay Auto Strikers FC	27	1	1	25	7	107	-100	4	-	-

NL Canada Games playing on exhibition basis only

Team	Matches Played	Wins	Draws	Losses	Goals For	Goals Against	Goal Diff.	Points
NL Canada Games	15	5	0	10	16	31	-15	15

as of 2013-09-02

Playoffs

St. Lawrence Laurentians are 2013 Newfoundland and Labrador Challenge Cup Champions and qualify for the 2013 Challenge Trophy

2012

The 2012 Newfoundland and Labrador Challenge Cup, its 45th instance, began on May 23 with a match between St. John's rivals Holy Cross and Feildian at King George V Park. The same 5 clubs returned from the previous year, along with the St. John's U-18 team, who once again played on an exhibition basis only and could therefore not qualify for the playoffs. The U-18s also played a reduced schedule, playing only three matches against other clubs. Western United FC did not compete for the second year in a row. Holy Cross won their fourth consecutive Challenge Cup, as well as their fourth consecutive league-cup double after defeating St. John's rivals Feildians in the final.^[4][5]

Standings

Pos	Team	Matches Played	Wins	Draws	Losses	Goals For	Goals Against	Goal Diff.	Points	Clinch Qualification for Playoffs	Clinch League Champion
1	Holy Cross Kirby Group	19	16	1	2	80	15	+65	49	Y	Y
2	St. Lawrence Labatt Laurentians	19	11	2	6	55	29	+26	35	Y	-
3	Feildians E&Y Orenda	19	9	3	7	30	28	+2	30	Y	-
4	Mount Pearl Molson	19	7	5	7	33	21	+12	26	Y	-
5	Conception Bay Auto Strikers FC	19	5	3	11	28	61	-33	18	-	-

St. John's U-18s playing on exhibition basis only

Team	Matches Played	Wins	Draws	Losses	Goals For	Goals Against	Goal Diff.	Points
St. John's U-18s	15	0	0	15	6	77	-71	0

as of 2013-08-14

Playoffs

Holy Cross are 2012 Newfoundland and Labrador Challenge Cup Champions and qualify for the 2012 Canadian Challenge Trophy tournament

2011

The 2011 Newfoundland and Labrador Challenge Cup began on May 13. It is the 44th time that the Cup has been contested. It featured 5 teams competing for the Cup and the St. John's U-18s who played on an exhibition basis only, although points gained from matches against them counted towards the final standings. Western United FC did not compete in the 2011 season. The final was won 4-3 on penalties by Holy Cross over Mount Pearl after the match finished 1-1 in extra time in one of the more exciting finals in recent years.^[6][7] Holy Cross did very well at the 2011 Canadian Challenge Trophy tournament, bowing out 2-1 to tournament favourites ICST Pegasus of British Columbia (who would finish runner-up) in the Semi-Final, finishing 4th out of 12. After finishing 2nd in their group, Holy Cross were underdogs in the quarter finals against an Alberta club who had won their group, but instead dominated in a 4-0 win. This proved to be a great year in Newfoundland soccer with one of the province's best showings at the nationals since St. Lawrence finished runners-up in 2002.

Standings

Pos	Team	Matches Played	Wins	Draws	Losses	Goals For	Goals Against	Goal Diff.	Points	Clinch Qualification for Playoffs	Clinch League Champion
1	Holy Cross Kirby Group	20	18	1	1	79	10	+69	55	Y	Y
2	Mount Pearl Molson	20	13	3	4	50	20	+30	42	Y	-
3	St. Lawrence Labatt Laurentians	20	9	2	9	27	30	-3	29	Y	-
4	Feildians E&Y Orenda	20	7	2	11	19	35	-16	23	Y	-
5	Conception Bay Auto Strikers	20	6	4	10	29	33	-4	22	-	-

St. John's U-18s playing on exhibition basis only

Team	Matches Played	Wins	Draws	Losses	Goals For	Goals Against	Goal Diff.	Points
St. John's U-18s	20	0	2	18	7	74	-67	2

Playoffs

Holy Cross are 2011 Newfoundland Challenge Cup Champions and qualify for the 2011 Canadian Challenge Trophy tournament

2010

The 2010 Newfoundland and Labrador Challenge Cup began on June 5 and the final was held on September 5. It was the 43rd time the Challenge Cup was contested. The St. John's U-18s competed on an exhibition basis only, with points earned in matches against them counted towards the final standings. Holy Cross won the final against Mount Pearl 3-1 on the Burin Peninsula and represented Newfoundland and Labrador at the 2010 Canadian National Challenge Cup, finishing last (10th) in the tournament. ^[8]

• see 2011 season

Standings

Pos	Team	Matches Played	Wins	Draws	Losses	Goals For	Goals Against	Goal Diff.	Points	Clinch Qualification for Playoffs	Clinch League Champion
1	Holy Cross Kirby Group	23	17	5	1	67	16	+51	56	Y	Y
2	Mount Pearl Molson	23	15	6	2	53	14	+39	51	Y	-
3	St. Lawrence Labatt Laurentians	23	15	4	4	62	19	+43	49	Y	-
4	Feildians E&Y Orenda	23	8	3	12	44	48	-4	27	Y	-
5	Conception Bay Auto Strikers	23	4	3	16	20	63	-43	15	-	-
6	Rugged Edge Western United FC	23	3	1	19	20	76	-56	10	-	-

Team	Matches Played	Wins	Draws	Losses	Goals For	Goals Against	Goal Diff.	Points
St. John's U-18s	23	4	2	12	25	55	-30	14

Playoffs

Holy Cross are 2010 Newfoundland Challenge Cup Champions and qualify for the 2010 Canadian Challenge Trophy tournament

2009

The 2009 Newfoundland and Labrador Challenge Cup began on June 13 and the final was held on September 6. It was the 42nd time the Challenge Cup was contested. The Newfoundland and Labrador Canada Games Team (U-18s) competed on an exhibition basis only*. Holy Cross won the final against Mount Pearl 1-0 and represented Newfoundland and Labrador at the 2009 Canadian National Challenge Cup, finishing 6th out of 10.^[9][10]

Standings

Pos	Team	Matches Played	Wins	Draws	Losses	Goals For	Goals Against	Goal Diff.	Points	Clinch Qualification for Playoffs	Clinch League Champion
1	Holy Cross The Dock	18	13	3	2	47	19	+28	48	Y	Y
2	St. Lawrence Labatt Laurentians	18	10	5	3	36	39	+14	51	Y	-
3	Mount Pearl Molsons	18	8	5	5	33	24	+9	33	Y	-
4	Rugged Edge Western United FC	10	1	4	5	10	23	-13	14†	Y	-
5	Feildians E&Y Orenda	18	1	5	12	24	48	-25	8	-	-

†as Western Utd. FC didn't complete a full season, it's points were adjusted to the value of 18 matches

Team	Matches Played	Wins	Draws	Losses	Goals For	Goals Against	Goal Diff.	Points
Canada Games Team NFLD U-18	18	5	3	10	23	36	-13	18

Playoffs

Holy Cross are 2009 Newfoundland Challenge Cup Champions and qualify for the 2009 Canadian Challenge Trophy tournament

Canadian Challenge Trophy

This is a list of Newfoundland clubs who have reached the finals at the annual Canadian Challenge Trophy tournament, which features the best senior men's amateur clubs from each province in Canada. Holy Cross FC are currently the only Newfoundland club to ever become national champions.^[11]

Bold indicates a current Challenge Cup team

Italics indicate a runner-up finish

Club	Nationals wins	Runner-up	Years
Holy Cross	1	1	1988, 1989,
St. Lawrence	0	3	1975, 1977, 2002

as of 2012-07-24

Records

Record	Club	#
Most total Cups	St. Lawrence Laurentians	24
Most consecutive Cups	St. Lawrence Laurentians	8; 1995-2002

References

External links

• www.nlsa.ca
• www.canadasoccer.com