The new club season rolls into action this weekend and the 2014 league will have added significance for clubs with placings for the 2015 Championships based on how sides perform in the league this season.

The senior championship will switch to an eight team competition from 2015 and it will include the top seven in this year’s Division One plus the Intermediate Championship winners. However, if this year’s senior championship winners finish outside the top seven in Division One then only the top six will qualify along with the Senior and Intermediate Championship winners.

It therefore means, that at least two of the ten Division One teams will be in the Intermediate Championship in 2015, which should make it even more competitive than it already has been in recent years.

Division One has proven to be a successful competition over the last few years with a number of clubs fancying their chances of challenging for honours.

And there is no reason to expect anything different in the coming campaign with a host of clubs expected to be among the contenders for the league crown.

Under the guidance of Iggy Gallagher, Ederney claimed their first Division One title in 44 years at the end of last year and they will be hoping to build on that in 2014.

Gallagher has a strong squad of players at his disposal with the likes of Declan McCusker, Paul McCusker, Chris Snow and Stephen McElrone all involved in the county squad while they will have the benefit of having Marty McGrath available all season following his retirement from inter-county football.

However, the battle for a top four slot, and a place in the Division One semi-finals, will be intense and two teams who are sure to be major players as the season unfolds is Roslea and Tempo, the last two senior championship winners.

Both these sides will be targeting a top four finish while having half an eye on the championship later in the year.

In terms of the league, both should have strong hands throughout given that they only have one county representative each.

Roslea have appointed the joint management team of Errigal Ciaran pair Mark Harte and Adrian O’Donnell to fill the shoes of Peter McGinnity who stepped down at the end of last year after a hugely successful spell.

Fermanagh’s loss will certainly be Roslea’s gain as the Shamrocks will have the Quigley brothers, Sean, Seamie and Conor focusing solely on their club after leaving the county set up while they have a good mix of youth and experience sprinkled throughout their squad.

Peter Sherry is sure to be a key performer while James Sherry will be expected to provide leadership when he returns to action. With the likes of Niall Cassidy and Conor Mulligan also to factor in, it is hard to not see the Shamrocks being contenders.

Tempo were the league and championship double winners of 2012 but saw both their crowns slip last season so they will be keen to bounce back in 2014.

In John McElroy they have an experienced manager and he has the players to make a big impact in the league and the championship. With Daryl Keenan and Damian Kelly not playing county football this season, it can only be a boost to the Maguires as both are vital to the side. McElroy can also call on his sons Ciaran and Niall to influence matters for them while Rory Foy and Conor Foy will also have important roles to play as they look to return to the top of Fermanagh football.

It was a mixed bag last season for Belcoo with their league struggles in stark comparison to their championship form that saw them progress through to the final where they were eventually beaten by Roslea.

Damian Gormley stepped in late last season into the manager’s seat after Colm Bradley was forced to step down for personal reason. He will now though have a full pre-season behind him and with the advantage of knowing the players, they will be aiming for higher.

The O’Rahillys have a talented bunch to call on and if they can hit the ground running then they could well be contenders. Defensively, the Leonard twins Gavin and Ryan along with Niall McGovern and Niall Leonard give them a solid base while further up the field they will look to the likes of Shane McCabe, Paul McGrath, Johnny Feeley and the veteran Stevie Maguire. Devenish have been a team that traditionally have been strong performers in the league and when you look at the strength of their squad it is surprising that they have not made more of an impact in the championship.

The Garrison outfit reached the Division One final last year where they lost out to Ederney and they should be among those making a push once again this year.

Marty O’Brien, Barry Mulrone, Anthony McGuinness, Chris O’Brien and Terry O’Flanagan give them a steady platform to build from and manager Sid Mulrone will feel that if they can stay injury free then they will not be too far away.

Derrygonnelly will be looking to make inroads into the top four. Paul Greene is in his second year in charge and can look to the Jones brothers Ryan and Conal as well as Tiarnan Daly, Paul Ward, Eamon McHugh and Michael Jones to help with their push.

For others it is going to be a matter of consolidation and trying to stay in the division, with a eye particularly on the top six.

Erne Gaels have managed to hold on to their Division One status for the past few years and they will now hope to build on that with the likes of Ryan Lyons, Brian Mullins and Thomas McCaffrey likely to be to the fore.

St. Pat’s to will be keen to push on from last season. They have enjoyed great success at underage level over the past number of years and they will be looking to integrating those players with the more experienced performers like Eamon Maguire, Pat Cadden and Paul Cosgrove.

That then leaves the two promoted sides and as always, with the division so tight at the top and bottom, securing their league status will be the goal.

Teemore are always a difficult proposition and in the likes of Eoin McManus and Cian McManus they have some real quality coming through the ranks to complement the experienced hands such as Barry Owens and Hugh Brady while Newtown manager Darren Chapman has a core of experienced players in the shape of Ryan Carson, Colum Monahan and Brendan McBrien who will once more play a key role as they look to stay in the division.

Division One is the type of league that any sort of winning run will send you towards the top four and the opposite will see you tumbling towards the bottom.

The key is consistency, and any team performing on a consistent basis should find themselves in that battle at the top end.