Crumlin Star put the seal on what has been another excellent season so far with a win over the remaining side who could pip them to the title, East Belfast, coming away from East Park with a 2-1 victory.

This gave the Star an unassailable lead at the summit and with that came their third Premier Division title in a row, a fantastic achievement for Paul Trainor’s men. The Star still have two league games to play. Next week sees them take on Queens at the National Stadium in the Final of the Intermediate Cup as they look to add yet more silverware to their bursting trophy cabinet.

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Ballynahinch Olympic came out winners by the odd goal in nine in a cracking game at home to Crumlin United, while Rathfriland secured a 3-2 win over Islandmagee as their surge up the table continued.

On Thursday night the Star celebrated the title win in some style, as they traveled to lowly Downpatrick and romped to a 10-1 victory. Rathfriland leapfrogged Islandmagee into fifth place by virtue of another win, this one coming at home to Ballynahinch Olympic. In the final game of another busy midweek in the NAFL saw East Belfast get back to winning ways thanks to a 3-1 away win across town at Albert Foundry.

With Hanover already crowned champions in Mid Ulster, the fight for places in the top four continued this midweek, with two games taking place that would have a big say in the final shake-up. Windmill Star remain in second position following this week’s games, but they have now fulfilled their fixtures. The three sides behind them are all in with a chance of overtaking them with their games in hand.

On Tuesday night Banbridge Rangers beat Star 1-0 in a hard-fought game at Cheney Park to move within a point of their rivals. Crewe also secured full points, theirs coming in a 3-2 win at home to Richhill AFC that moved them into fourth spot. Moneyslane are the third side chasing down Windmill, sitting three points behind with two games to play.

At the bottom of the table, Laurelvale made it six without defeat as they secured an excellent 4-1 victory away at Valley Rangers to jump into 10th position. Tandragee Rovers also got three points, theirs coming with a 2-0 win at Ballymacash Rangers, a result which sees them leapfrog their opponents.

The bottom two are now locked in following these results, however, with AFC Silverwood doomed from early on. St Marys have now dropped into that second bottom spot in the Intermediate B table.

Bangor, of course, have already secured their return to the PIL but there is still plenty going on below and plenty of goals across the three midweek games in the Ballymena League. On Tuesday night Coagh United played host to Chimney Corner, and the hosts came out on top after an exciting game with a 4-2 win. Elsewhere Cookstown Youth welcomed Brantwood to the MUSA and the visitors triumphed 3-1. On Wednesday night Ballynure OB welcomed St James to Mossley Park, and the title challenging side were given a bloody nose by the ‘Nure as the hosts ran out with an impressive 4-1 victory.

Northern Amateur Football League Premier Division

Thursday 2nd May

Rathfriland Rangers  2-1 Ballynahinch Olympic
Downpatrick F.C. 1-10 Crumlin Star
Albert Foundry F.C. 1-3 East Belfast

Tuesday 30th April

Ballynahinch Olympic  5-4 Crumlin United
East Belfast 1-2 Crumlin Star
Rathfriland Rangers 3-2 Islandmagee

POS TEAM P W D L F A GD PTS
1 Crumlin Star 24 20 4 0 82 11 71 64
2 East Belfast 25 17 4 4 87 24 63 55
3 Immaculata F.C. 25 17 3 5 53 24 29 54
4 Ballynahinch Olympic 24 15 2 7 68 38 30 47
5 Rathfriland Rangers 24 13 5 6 50 30 20 44
6 Islandmagee 25 13 3 9 61 46 15 42
7 Shankill United 25 10 7 8 51 45 6 37
8 Ards Rangers 26 8 4 14 38 58 -20 28
9 Crumlin United 24 8 3 13 47 56 -9 27
10 1st Bangor Old Boys 26 8 3 15 42 53 -11 27
11 Derriaghy C C 25 7 4 14 30 58 -28 25
12 Drumaness Mills 26 6 6 14 49 74 -25 21
13 Albert Foundry F.C. 25 2 7 16 28 59 -31 13
14 Downpatrick F.C. 24 1 3 20 21 131 -110 6

Mid Ulster Intermediate A

Tuesday 30th April

Ballymacash Rangers 0-2 Tandragee Rovers
Banbridge Rangers 1-0 Windmill Stars
Crewe United 3-2 Richhill AFC
Valley Rangers 1-4 Laurelvale

POS TEAM P W D L F A GD PTS
1 Hanover 26 20 4 2 75 30 45 64
2 Windmill Stars 26 15 4 7 66 30 36 49
3 Banbridge Rangers 23 14 6 3 59 24 35 48
4 Crewe United 22 15 2 5 71 39 32 47
5 Moneyslane 24 14 4 6 58 30 28 46
6 Valley Rangers 21 12 1 8 49 42 7 37
7 Richhill AFC 25 10 4 11 48 43 5 34
8 Fivemiletown United 22 8 7 7 47 41 6 31
9 Bourneview Mill 26 7 5 14 41 53 -12 26
10 Laurelvale 25 7 4 14 45 50 -5 25
11 Tandragee Rovers 25 6 7 12 41 50 -9 25
12 Ballymacash Rangers 24 7 4 13 34 47 -13 25
13 St Marys 26 7 3 16 43 72 -29 24
14 AFC Silverwood 25 0 1 24 10 136 -126 1

 

Ballymena & Provincial Intermediate League

Wednesday 1st May

Ballynure OB 4-1 St James Swifts

Tuesday 30th April

Coagh Utd 4-2 Chimney Corner
Cookstown Youth 1-3 Brantwood

POS TEAM P W D L F A GD PTS
1 Bangor FC 26 25 1 0 107 19 88 76
2 Glebe Rangers 28 22 1 5 66 30 36 67
3 St James Swifts 26 19 0 7 95 39 56 57
4 Coagh United 26 14 4 8 53 44 9 46
5 Ballymoney Utd 27 12 5 10 60 46 14 41
6 Brantwood 25 11 5 9 46 37 9 38
7 Newtowne 25 9 8 8 48 41 7 35
8 Dunloy FC 28 10 5 13 47 49 -2 35
9 Wakehurst FC 26 9 5 12 45 51 -6 32
10 Cookstown Youth 26 9 5 12 45 58 -13 32
11 Ballynure OB 27 8 6 13 51 62 -11 30
12 Chimney Corner 26 8 4 14 45 68 -23 28
13 Donegal Celtic 26 6 4 16 42 95 -53 22
14 Desertmartin 26 2 5 19 32 89 -57 11
15 Cookstown RBL 26 2 4 20 23 77 -54 10

NI Intermediate League

POS TEAM P W D L F A GD PTS
1 Strabane Athletic 14 11 3 0 40 8 32 36
2 Maiden City 14 9 3 2 33 14 19 30
3 Newbuildings Utd 14 8 1 5 31 20 11 25
4 Magherafelt Sky Blues 14 8 1 5 33 28 5 25
5 Ardstraw 14 5 1 8 17 29 -12 16
6 Dungiven 14 4 1 9 19 31 -12 13
7 Trojans 14 3 3 8 16 34 -18 12
8 Oxford United Stars 14 1 1 12 7 32 -25 4

 

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