The NI Football League can reveal a positive new change to the post-split schedule for this season.
A revision of the traditional post-split fixture sequence was approved by the NIFL Competitions Committee and will see the biggest games now take centre stage at the business end of the Irish League campaign.
The most notable change to the fixture schedule will see the top two placed clubs in the Premiership face-off on the penultimate round of the league season, as opposed to previously being the first fixture played following the ‘split’.
NI Football League Chief Executive Gerard Lawlor said, “We are always reviewing ways that we can improve and enhance the league, and it was clear to us that, by moving the top two fixture from matchday 34 to matchday 37, it has the potential to provide a much greater climax to the season and increase interest in the League and competing clubs.
“The league provides so much excitement and drama and we want to ensure that our biggest games are given the best slots in the football calendar.”
The Danske Bank Premiership completes the regular season round of fixtures after each team has played 33 matches and breaks into two sections based on rankings at that point. The popular ‘split’ scenario allows the clubs to compete amongst their peers for the final five matches to determine the outcome of the Gibson Cup, European qualification and survival from relegation.
The newly agreed post-split sequence will be applied to the top three men’s divisions; the Danske Bank Premiership, the Lough 41 Championship and Lough 41 Premier Intermediate League with immediate effect.
Revised post split sequence
