With no threat on the relegation front in division three the only way is up but tradition does dictate that the competition is keenly contested as those teams involved strive for those promotion places.
St Paul’s find themselves in the bottom division and such certainly arrived as a major surprise to most observers in the county.
The Shaw’s road residents were up there taking on the best on the senior trail in the recent past and their ‘demise’ was not at all anticipated.
Paddy Linden will take a firm hold of the rudder this term as team manager assisted by Seamus O’ Tuama entrusted to initiate a return to the positive.
St Paul’s will be certainly cast in the role as strong favourites to make a strong bid for silverware in 2019 and most pundits would anticipate a quick return upwards.
O’ Donnell’s struggled to gain a foothold in the second grade last season and after just a single year in division 2 the Mc Crory Park residents are back again in the third level.
The Whiterock road men have installed Mark Donnegan to take charge in the management role with assistants to be installed.
O’ Donnell’s endured a poor 2018 season in which positive returns proved mostly elusive but having learned from the experience gained in the second division they may well make a bid to return.
Kickham’s Ardoyne remain as contenders in this grade and they were right in the mix for promotion again last term only finishing a couple of points behind the front pairing.
The North Belfast side retains firm ambitions as reflected in the provision of their excellent facilities and in choice of team management with former Antrim and St Gall’s man Paddy Murray and Michael Maguire installed in the team management positions.
Ardoyne are likely to provide a strong challenge for silverware in the division and they are fully expected to be up there with a real shout.
St Comgall’s were in the mix for promotion for much of last term but a poor finish to their league campaign saw them drop of the pace in the run in to the league.
The Antrim residents who finished with 25 points in 2019 will look for slight improvement this term to assume the role of challengers but they have yet to make appointments on the managerial front.
St Malachy’s were not far off the top last term and having amassed a healthy 21 points the Market’s men were based in a commendable 5th spot at conclusion.
Peter Murray has taken the reins this term assisted by Seamus McKenna and they will be striving to close the gap.
The Mal’s will look for a little in the way of improvement this season and should not be far away at seasons end.
Patrick Pearses having seen better days in days gone by have shown signs of improvement in the recent past and the long established north Belfast club will hope to keep on such progressive mode.
They completed their league allocation last year on 17 points in a snug mid table berth, and they have appointed Jamie Curran and Marty Hull as management this term in the hope of further progression.
The Pearses men are more than capable, but they may well look for major improvement this term if they are to challenge for honours.
Mc Quillan’s Ballycastle are the sole representatives from the North Antrim region in the football leagues and the sea siders have struggled to make impact.
They have installed former Slaughtneil man Dessie Mellon in the managerial role to be assisted in the leadership role by Conor Kelly and James Connolly for the season ahead.
The McQuillan’s are capable of gaining a few more points that the 10 gained last term but as for aspirations of silverware such will be based on hope rather than any airs of confidence.
Eire Og do seem to have digressed a little in recent years and with only a 9 point haul gathered from their valiant endeavours of 2019 the report card may well have said, ‘must do better’.
Another year and another season ahead and they will start with a clean slate in hope of improvement but few will anticipate the arrival of silverware.
Laochra Loch Lao are the ‘new kids on the block’ in terms of Antrim fare and although they did struggle to make impact in their opening year of competition they are on a learning curve.
Having only gained a single win last term Laochra Loch Lao will be looking for a better return this term and such may well be forthcoming.
Liam Burke will take hold of the reins this term and he will be seeking to gain progress.
St Agnes have known life in the top division but although the Andersonstown road based club are ambitious in the extreme with facilities to match it has been a while since they made impact.
They did struggle to get the winning show on the road last term despite considerable effort but they have installed Moneyglass native Kieran McCoy and Kevin Burke as the men to lead the way.
The Aggies only amassed a 6 point total in the league last term but they did do much better in the championship, pushing St. Patrick’s Lisburn all the way in the Junior Championship semi-final and they may well be set on an upward trajectory.