WATCH: Limavady title party as Championship champions sign off with loss on return home but Premiership adventure the summer focus
Limavady United’s bid to create Irish League history failed at the final hurdle on Friday – but it couldn’t stop the title party.
Limavady’s march to league-winning glory effectively ended last Saturday when a 2-0 victory away to Annagh United left Paul Owens’ team as second-tier champions.
It set up Friday’s final fixture as a perfect homecoming to Limavady Showgrounds with the visit of Queen’s University effectively a prelude to the post-match trophy presentation.
Owens’ challenge to cement a spot in the record books with the highest-ever points tally at that level ended in disappointment with a 1-0 defeat.
As a result, Limavady still sit level with Larne’s 2019 champions on 81 points.
But delivery of The George Wilson Cup after the final whistle was the only talking point as Limavady finished life in the Championship by starting off title celebrations.
Coleraine Showgrounds had provided a temporary home - during the pitch installation process transforming Limavady from grass to an artificial surface - but lasting memories, including as the scene for February’s shock Irish Cup exit of top-flight Linfield.
“Now we've got a 3G pitch and open with a league title coming, so everything's just fallen into place really, really nicely,” said Owens ahead of Friday’s game. “It's like a bit of a fairytale to be honest.
“We have just been so consistent.
“We drew two games (in February)...honestly, outside the club, outside the changing room, you would have thought we were in a real bad run.
“We had an unbelievable run. “We went to Ards on a Tuesday night (March 3) and lost…that was probably the best thing that happened to us because the wee fear of losing games, it maybe lifted us."
Limavady closed out the Championship programme with six wins, one draw and a defeat from that March 3 result against Ards on the march to title glory.
Having lost the opening match of the league campaign, Owens’ men signed off with the most wins in the division, fewest defeats as the only club with a single-digit loss tally and best defensive record.