Firies to lead the way

FIVE of the clubs in this division have Munster Club titles of some description (Castlegregory, Cromane, Gneeveguilla, Skellig Rangers and St Michaels/Foilmore) with three All-Ireland Club titles as well (Castlegregory, Skellig and Ballyfoilmore) making one ponder how fortunes can change so quickly that they find themselves here after such success.

The Premier Junior runners-up from last year, Firies, still being stuck here shows how much being higher in the league can mean for winning at club championship level.

Those coming out of Division 5 in recent years have found the step up that bit harder here with a lot of swift returns after, but Templenoe (here in 2012 on their way to the top flight) are the most significant movers from this position in recent times.

However, Ballydonoghue’s back-to-back promotions (in 2015 they were promoted from here after getting out of Division Five a year earlier) not seeing them move as quickly forward as many would have thought.

Last year’s promotion race was dominated by five sides with a relegation battle pretty much decided with only two rounds left. How competitive at either end it is will probably be determined by the opening rounds.

PROMOTION: Castlegregory, Firies, Fossa RELEGATION: Ballylongford, Cromane, Renard

Fossa’s Paudie Clifford (red strip) in action against Jeremy King of Beale in the 2016 County JFC Final. The clubs meet in Round 9 of the County SFL in July