title: 1956–57 Irish League
text: # 1956–57 Irish League
  
  The 1956–57 Irish League was the 56th edition of the Irish League, the highest level of league competition in Northern Irish football. The league comprised 12 teams, and Glenavon won the championship.
  
  ## League standings
  
  | Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GR | Pts | Qualification |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Glenavon (C) | 22 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 71 | 22 | 3.227 | 35 | Qualification for the European Cup preliminary round |
  | 2 | Linfield | 22 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 67 | 32 | 2.094 | 34 | |
  | 3 | Glentoran | 22 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 56 | 39 | 1.436 | 30 | |
  | 4 | Ards | 22 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 65 | 34 | 1.912 | 28 | |
  | 5 | Coleraine | 22 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 54 | 51 | 1.059 | 25 | |
  | 6 | Distillery | 22 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 47 | 62 | 0.758 | 22 | |
  | 7 | Bangor | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 47 | 44 | 1.068 | 20 | |
  | 8 | Crusaders | 22 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 38 | 46 | 0.826 | 20 | |
  | 9 | Derry City | 22 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 41 | 52 | 0.788 | 19 | |
  | 10 | Portadown | 22 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 47 | 66 | 0.712 | 16 | |
  | 11 | Ballymena United | 22 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 35 | 72 | 0.486 | 9 | |
  | 12 | Cliftonville | 22 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 31 | 79 | 0.392 | 6 | |
  
  ## Results
  
  | Home \ Away | ARD | BAN | BLM | CLI | COL | CRU | DIS | DER | GLV | GLT | LIN | POR |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Ards | | 5–4 | 2–1 | 4–3 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 8–1 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 4–1 |
  | Bangor | 0–3 | | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 6–1 | 5–0 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 |
  | Ballymena United | 0–5 | 2–3 | | 4–3 | 1–1 | 5–2 | 2–4 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–6 | 6–1 |
  | Cliftonville | 0–7 | 2–6 | 2–1 | | 3–4 | 0–2 | 1–6 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 1–3 |
  | Coleraine | 2–1 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 2–2 | | 2–5 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 5–2 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 |
  | Crusaders | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–3 | | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–5 | 4–2 |
  | Distillery | 3–1 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–5 | 2–2 | | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 2–2 |
  | Derry City | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–4 | 2–2 |
  | Glenavon | 1–0 | 3–0 | 5–0 | 6–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 8–1 | 7–1 | | 3–1 | 3–2 | 5–0 |
  | Glentoran | 1–0 | 3–1 | 7–2 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | | 1–3 | 5–4 |
  | Linfield | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | | 3–2 |
  | Portadown | 4–4 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 5–3 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 0–4 | |
  