Northern Ireland Football League confirm Warrenpoint Town to play in expanded Premier Intermediate League next season

The Northern Ireland Football League have confirmed that Warrenpoint Town will play in an expanded 14-team Premier Intermediate League next season.
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Warrenpoint were refused a Championship licence by the Irish FA last month and last week their appeal against the decision was also denied.

In a decision which ‘was taken by the NIFL Board in consultation with both the Irish FA and the Premier Intermediate League’, the new-look third-tier of Northern Irish football will consist of 14 clubs, playing 26 matches each with no split and straight relegation of the bottom club into the fourth tier.

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It has also been confirmed that Premier Intermediate League clubs will continue to play in regional cup competitions.

Warrenpoint Town manager Barry GrayWarrenpoint Town manager Barry Gray
Warrenpoint Town manager Barry Gray

Membership will consist of the following: Warrenpoint Town, the defeated team in the Championship Promotion-Relegation playoff; the remaining ten clubs from the 2022/2023 season; and two newly promoted intermediate clubs.

The two promoted clubs will be determined by the existing eligible applicants upon the conclusion of the current season across the regional intermediate leagues.

Gerard Lawlor, NIFL Chief Executive said; “We have been having discussions with our clubs regarding the size of the structure of this league for some time, this has involved the number of games played and their involvement in various cup competitions.

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"Following Warrenpoint Town’s licence refusal clearly preventing them from playing in the Premiership or the Championship, this provides us both the opportunity and need to increase the membership of the league.

“After positive consultation with the Irish FA and our PIL Clubs the fourteen-team league proposal, which was previously suggested by the Irish FA as their preferred model in the recent review of Intermediate football, has support from our existing PIL clubs.

“In situations like this we must work together to find solutions to issues and I’m both thankful and delighted a solution has been found to solve a number of our potential longer-term issues, far and beyond Warrenpoint Town”.