title: 1972–73 Irish League
text: # 1972–73 Irish League
  
  The 1972–73 Irish League was the 72nd edition of the Irish League, the highest level of league competition in Northern Irish football. The league consisted of 12 teams, and Crusaders won the championship.
  
  ## League standings
  
  | Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GR | Pts | Qualification |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Crusaders (C) | 22 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 50 | 22 | 2.273 | 32 | Qualification for the European Cup first round |
  | 2 | Ards | 22 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 49 | 22 | 2.227 | 31 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
  | 3 | Portadown | 22 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 37 | 27 | 1.370 | 29 | |
  | 4 | Coleraine | 22 | 13 | 2 | 7 | 51 | 31 | 1.645 | 28 | |
  | 5 | Linfield | 22 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 38 | 29 | 1.310 | 27 | |
  | 6 | Glenavon | 22 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 33 | 28 | 1.179 | 23 | |
  | 7 | Distillery | 22 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 40 | 47 | 0.851 | 22 | |
  | 8 | Glentoran | 22 | 9 | 3 | 10 | 48 | 40 | 1.200 | 21 | Qualification for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round |
  | 9 | Ballymena United | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 26 | 35 | 0.743 | 19 | |
  | 10 | Bangor | 22 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 28 | 32 | 0.875 | 18 | |
  | 11 | Cliftonville | 22 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 18 | 66 | 0.273 | 7 | |
  | 12 | Larne | 22 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 28 | 67 | 0.418 | 7 | |
  
  ## Results
  
  | Home \ Away | ARD | BAN | BLM | CLI | COL | CRU | DIS | GLV | GLT | LRN | LIN | POR |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Ards | | 3–1 | 3–1 | 7–0 | 1–1 | 5–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
  | Bangor | 1–1 | | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–5 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 |
  | Ballymena United | 0–2 | 1–0 | | 2–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 3–1 |
  | Cliftonville | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–0 | | 0–5 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 0–5 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–5 |
  | Coleraine | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | | 0–3 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 6–1 | 4–2 | 1–3 |
  | Crusaders | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 |
  | Distillery | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–2 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 0–8 | | 1–0 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
  | Glenavon | 1–2 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 2–0 | | 4–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 |
  | Glentoran | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 9–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 4–0 | | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 |
  | Larne | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 2–5 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–5 | | 0–2 | 2–3 |
  | Linfield | 4–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | | 3–1 |
  | Portadown | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | |
  