Who will challenge for the Fermanagh and Western honours?

GOING into the final month of last season, Enniskillen Town United were well placed to complete a magnificent treble.

The Enniskillen side had reached the final of both the Irish Junior and Mulhern Cups and had a comfortable lead at the top of Division One to make them odds on to lift the Mercer League trophy.

However Ryan Hanna’s team surrendered a 2-0 lead to lose the Junior Cup decider to Ardmore at The National Stadium and from that moment on things began to unravel.

Granted Town staged a stunning comeback to defeat NFC Kesh 4-3 in the Mulhern Cup Final after extra-time but the fact they had to claw back a 3-1 deficit suggested the Enniskillen side wasn’t quite the well-oiled machine it had been earlier in the season.

Meanwhile Killen were quietly picking up points very under the radar, and, as Town stuttered and stumbled, Andy Crawford and Clive Morrison’s team chipped away at any advantage to the point that Rangers had a shot at winning a first ever Division One title by defeating Town in their final game of the season on their home patch.

Town bossed the game but Killen took their chances and midfielder Graham Young blasted home a second half winner in a 2-1 victory which saw Rangers crowned champions for the first time in the club’s 43-year history.

Town, too, lost their final game to ultimately finish third with NFC Kesh securing runners-up spot.

At the bottom of the table Irvinestown Wanderers were relegated and Ardstraw joined them in Division Two after losing a play-off with Beragh Swifts.

Despite a summer of rumour and speculation of players on the move and claims of some being offered financial incentives to switch allegiances, there appears to have been little movement.

That would suggest that the same contenders will be chasing glory again while others will again be focused on preserving their top-flight status.

Perhaps the one unknown is where do the promoted sides, Magheraveely and Ballinamallard United Reserves fit into the Division One picture.

The Ducks second string have been the most active when it comes to bringing in new faces and Ally Irwin’s dark horses might be worth keeping an eye on.

As for the Clones-based Magheraveely they’ll probably be happy enough to stay clear of the relegation dogfight and give the cups a rattle.

In truth, there’s probably five or six teams in the same boat!

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