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THREE teams instead of two will be relegated from Division One of the Fermanagh and Western League next season.
In fact that will be the case for the next two seasons as the Fermanagh and Western League attempts to re-balance the structure of its six divisions.
Because delegates voted against any relegation after the 2019-20 season had been disrupted by the arrival of the Covid pandemic the top flight of the local league had expanded to 14 teams.
In the season just completed that left just nine teams contesting Division Two and seven Division Three.
At last season’s annual meeting attempts to rectify the situation was rejected by the members clubs.
However at Monday’s evening AGM in the Bawnacre Centre league chairman Neil Jardine said “it was imperative to get Division One back down to 12 teams” and the membership took on board that advice by voting to relegate three teams from the top flight over the next two seasons.
Delegates rejected the nuclear proposal to relegate four teams in one foul swoop before backing the option to relegate three teams over the course of seasons 2022-23 and 2023-24.
At Monday’s nights meeting two new Tyrone teams were accepted into the league for next season. They are Omagh Albion which will play it’s home games at Donnelly’s Holm and Newtownstewart United which will play out of Vaughan’s Holm.
With Ardstraw being welcomed back into the league after 12 seasons playing in the Northern Ireland Intermediate League, it means nine teams will contest what looks like a much more competitive Division Three next season.
And with Castlederg United entering a reserve team a total of 63 teams will compete across all six divisions next season.
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