© NI Football League
Alyn Spratt (Bluefin Sport Head of Sport, NI & ROI) presents the Bluefin Sport Fair Play award for the Championship to Tiernan Lynch, manager of Larne.
The Bluefin Sport Fair Play Awards have been decided for both the Championship and Premier Intermediate League.
Both league champions in each of the Bluefin Sport sponsored divisions came out on top in the Fair Play standings for a league ‘double’ for Larne in the Championship and Queen’s University in the Premier Intermediate League.
The Fair Play Awards were introduced for the first time this season and were aimed at promoting fair play and good sportsmanship and were calculated using a metric of one point per yellow card and three points per red card each club accumulates throughout the entire league campaign.
Andrew Johnston, Managing Director of NI Football League said; “Congratulations to both Larne and Queen’s University on being the first winners of the Bluefin Sport Fair Play Awards. The awards are recognition for the sportsmanship both clubs have shown during the past season and our thanks go to league sponsors Bluefin Sport for supporting this initiative.”
Larne manager Tiernan Lynch stated; “We aim to install a sense of discipline within the squad, both in training and in matches and it's good for their hard work to be recognised in this way. Many thanks to those at NIFL and the sponsors Bluefin Sport for introducing this award."
Queens’ University manager Peter Thompson said: “It is no coincidence that the two best teams in the Championship and PIL this season had the best fair play records. Maintaining discipline on the pitch is up there with physical fitness, tactical understanding and technical ability. Fair play is a must for any team wanting to be successful.”
The winning clubs will both receive a year’s free personal accident insurance for the 2019/2020 season, as well as their commemorative Bluefin Sport Fair Play trophy.
Final standings for the Bluefin Sport Fair Play Awards; (Championship) 1st – Larne (31 pts), 2nd – Ballinamallard United (42 pts), 3rd – HW Welders (47 pts); (Premier Intermediate League) 1st – Queens University (17 pts), 2nd Banbridge Town (29 pts), 3rd Lisburn Distillery (41 pts).
