Warrenpoint Town's Player of the Year had no doubts about extending stay despite drop to Premier Intermediate League

The 25-year-old was named the club’s Player of the Year for a second consecutive campaign in 2022/23 and has committed his immediate future to the Milltown outfit by signing a new contract.

Barry Gray’s side finished second in the Championship last season and had their sights set on a top-flight play-off against Dungannon Swifts, but instead find themselves in the third-tier after the Irish FA denied them both promotion and Championship licences.

While it was a tough one to take for everyone associated with Warrenpoint, Ball says he feels he owes it to the club to try and help them bounce back.

"I didn't really fancy going anywhere else and have enjoyed my time at Warrenpoint,” he said. “With the way things ended last year I didn't want to pack up and leave - I feel like I owe something to the club to try get back up.

"It (how last season ended) was very disappointing. It was a very strange time because you're sitting there not knowing what is happening.

"I wasn't trying to keep prepared for the games because I was out injured but the lads didn't know what was happening.

"We were still coming in when the season was meant to be finished and lads are away on holiday so you have half a squad in training. You're waiting around and it wasn't great.

"Winning the league would have been great to go straight back up but there's no better feeling than winning a play-off when there's a lot of pressure on the line.

"Winning that would have been great so we were all sitting round waiting for it and it does put a big dampener on it when it's off-field stuff.

"We'd done everything to get ourselves into the position for what we wanted to achieve and then it's taken away from you."

Warrenpoint have lost the likes of Adam Carroll (Newry City), Johnny McMurray (Ballymena United) and Kealan Dillon (Dungannon Swifts) from a squad that only lost five of 20 league matches in 2023.

Jim O’Hanlon, Lewis Deane and Ray O’Sullivan have joined Ball in sticking around for at least another season and they’ll be spurred on by the disappointment of what happened last term.

"It is (motivation) with me and for the lads that are staying,” added Ball. “That's the main goal and anyone who comes in will know with us and Barry that it's a big year to get back up towards where we belong.

"The goal this year is the same as it was last year - to get promoted. It's just about getting back to the Premiership as quickly as we can. It's a setback but the goals remain the same."

Ball joined Warrenpoint from the Leinster Senior League in August 2020 and has impressed at both Premiership and Championship level after scoring seven times in 33 appearances last season.

The defender feels his performances in 2022/23 were some of the best he has produced in the past three years and wants to kick on once again.

"The last few seasons with Warrenpoint have been the most enjoyable on the pitch,” he said. “I really feel like I've kicked on.

"The first year I was here I was finding my feet and then the second year in the Premiership was good and I got Player of the Year.

"Last year I changed position and moved a bit more further forward and I could see the benefits of it. I enjoyed my time last year and it probably was the best season that I've had."