The newly trimmed and slimed down league set up for the 2011 soccer season in Mayo was announced during the week. With the size of most of the league divisions being reduced to eight teams, there will now be six divisions of Mayo soccer as opposed to five last season. The new divisions run from top down now as follows; Super League, Premier A, Premier B, League One, League Two, and League Three. The top four divisions all have eight sides in each division, with the bottom two having seven sides. The Mayo league says this could change if a a new club applies for membership of the league, additional teams being entered (B or C, teams ), or clubs withdrawing or failing to meet the criteria required for their division.
At the top level the situation was pretty simple, four drop from the Super League down to the next tier, which is now called Premier A. But for those in the old Premier Division it was not so easy. With only eight sides in the league for next season, four were always going to be the sides which were relegated from the Super League, Ballyheane, Snugboro United, Straide and Foxford United, and Fahy Rovers, then two more would be the sides promoted from the old first division Killala and Conn Rangers, that leaves six spots filled and only two left, so whichever team came fifth was going down (As title winners Claremorris and second placed Ballinrobe Town were being promoted ). Westport United finished in third place, which leaves Bangor Hibs and Clew Bay United battling it out for survival, both sides finished on 26 points each after the 18 game season. They now will have to be separated by means of a play off this weekend to see which survives. There was no midtable safety in Mayo this year, in fact Ballyglass, who are now going to be playing in the new Premier B next season, saw a three division swing go against them last weekend. Had they managed to beat Bangor Hibs to whom they lost, they would have been promoted to the Super League, but instead of being in the top tier they find themselves in the third tier of Mayo football next season. A similar situation to the Clew Bay United and Bangor Hibs dilemma also occurs in the old division one, where both Kiltimagh/Knock United and Castlebar Celtic B are locked together on 14 points at the bottom of the division. Both sides must now play off to see which goes into the new fourth tier of football in Mayo and which drops into the fifth tier.
The new divisions are as follows:
Super League: Ballina Town, Ballinrobe Town, Castlebar Celtic, Claremorris, Iorras Aontaithe, Manulla, Swinford, Westport United.
Premier A: Ballyheane, Conn Rangers, Fahy Rovers, Killala, Snugboro United, Straide and Foxford, Westport United B, Bangor Hibs or Clew Bay United.
Premier B: Ballyglass, Crossmolina, Iorras Aontaithe B, Kilmore, Moy Villa, Mulranny United, Partry Athletic, Bangor Hibs or Clew Bay United.
League One: Achill Rovers, Ballyvary Blue Bombers, Charlestown Athletic, Claremorris B, Inver United, Urlar United, Westport United C, Castlebar Celtic B or Kiltimagh/Knock United.
League Two: Ballina United, Ballyhaunis Town, Cross Celtic, Glenhest Rovers, Manulla B, Parkside Celtic, Straide and Foxford United B, Castlebar Celtic B or Kiltimagh/Knock United.
League Three: Ballyglass B, Ballyheane B, Bangor Hibs B, Conn Rangers B, Crossmolina B, Hollister, Moy Villa B, Swinford B.
