The Fermanagh and Western Football League held its fifth annual awards dinner at the Killyhevlin Hotel and it was a good night for Killen Rangers as they scooped the Player and Young Player of the Year awards.

The Teams of the Year for the three top divisions were also named but therein lies a bit of problem with this night which fittingly heaps praise on the players and teams that make the Fermanagh and Western the top junior league in the province.

No one can deny that a dominant Strathroy Harps have been by far and away the best team in the league but only one Harps player made the Division One team of the Year (Darren Teague) while Division Two champions Enniskillen Santos had no representation on that division’s top team.

There is no doubt that the marking system which sees teams mark their opponents after every game needs a review and league chairman Neil Jardine is open to suggestions while he also took the opportunity to round on the social media critics who blamed the Fermanagh and Western for the picking of the team.

“Remember,” he said. “It is chosen by you the clubs and the teams and not the Fermanagh and Western and hence the social media critics do not know what they are talking about.” Moreover, if teams took more time and gave more thought to filling in the marks it may improve matters while there is also merit in league secretary Gerry Connolly’s assertion that breaking down the nominations into goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and strikers may help. This may help gain a more accurate reflection.

Having said all that, it is better to have a team of the year than none and it is better to promote the league and the qualities within it at an awards ceremony which must continue and strive to be bigger, better and more enjoyable each year. As said, it was a good night for Killen Rangers as former Ballinamallard star Andy Crawford was named Player of the Year while his team-mate Andy Sproule picked up the Young Player of the Year gong.

Crawford received the Robin Mitchell Memorial Cup named after the long serving official who died earlier this year. Members of Robin’s family were in attendance at the night and the Player of the Cup will be a fitting way to remember each year Robin’s commitment to the local game.

Christopher Currie of Enniskillen Athletic won Division Two Player of the Year while Mountjoy United’s David Long was the top man in Division Three.

A new introduction this year was the marking of the referees each week and this resulted in Danny Colton from Omagh being named Referee of the Year while Matthew Gilchrist also from Omagh was Young Referee of the Year.

The Fermanagh and Western Football League held its fifth annual awards dinner at the Killyhevlin Hotel and it was a good night for Killen Rangers as they scooped the Player and Young Player of the Year awards.

The Teams of the Year for the three top divisions were also named but therein lies a bit of problem with this night which fittingly heaps praise on the players and teams that make the Fermanagh and Western the top junior league in the province.

No one can deny that a dominant Strathroy Harps have been by far and away the best team in the league but only one Harps player made the Division One team of the Year (Darren Teague) while Division Two champions Enniskillen Santos had no representation on that division’s top team.

There is no doubt that the marking system which sees teams mark their opponents after every game needs a review and league chairman Neil Jardine is open to suggestions while he also took the opportunity to round on the social media critics who blamed the Fermanagh and Western for the picking of the team.

“Remember,” he said. “It is chosen by you the clubs and the teams and not the Fermanagh and Western and hence the social media critics do not know what they are talking about.” Moreover, if teams took more time and gave more thought to filling in the marks it may improve matters while there is also merit in league secretary Gerry Connolly’s assertion that breaking down the nominations into goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and strikers may help. This may help gain a more accurate reflection.

Having said all that, it is better to have a team of the year than none and it is better to promote the league and the qualities within it at an awards ceremony which must continue and strive to be bigger, better and more enjoyable each year. As said, it was a good night for Killen Rangers as former Ballinamallard star Andy Crawford was named Player of the Year while his team-mate Andy Sproule picked up the Young Player of the Year gong.

Crawford received the Robin Mitchell Memorial Cup named after the long serving official who died earlier this year. Members of Robin’s family were in attendance at the night and the Player of the Cup will be a fitting way to remember each year Robin’s commitment to the local game.

Christopher Currie of Enniskillen Athletic won Division Two Player of the Year while Mountjoy United’s David Long was the top man in Division Three.

A new introduction this year was the marking of the referees each week and this resulted in Danny Colton from Omagh being named Referee of the Year while Matthew Gilchrist also from Omagh was Young Referee of the Year.

WINNERS ON THE NIGHT: Player of the Year: Andrew Crawford (Killen Rangers).

Division Two Player of the Year: Christopher Currie (Enniskillen Athletic).

Division Three Player of the Year: David Long (Mountjoy United).

Young Player of the Year: Jamie Sproule (Killen rangers).

Referee of the Year: Danny Colton (Omagh).

Young Referee of the Year: Matthew Gilchrist (Omagh).

Division One Team of the Year: Trevor Morrison (Killen Rangers); Michael Brown (Beragh Swifts); Kyle McCleery (Lisbellaw United); Stephen Chambers (Enniskillen Town); Shane Ingram (Lisnaskea Rovers); Jamie Sproule (Killen Rangers); Ryan Hanna (Enniskillen Town); David Fulton (Beragh Swifts); Darren Teague (Strathroy Harps); Andrew Crawford (Killen Rangers); Mark Jones (NFC Kesh).

Division Two Team of the Year: Christopher Burke (Glebe United); Warren Stewart (Magheraveely); Jonathan O’Malley (Magheraveely); Liam Murphy (Irvinestown Wanderers); Paul Elliott (Magheraveely); Daniel Parkinson (Strule United); Joseph Williamson (Magheraveely); Gary Maguire (Irvinestown Wanderers); Brian Sweeney (Glebe United); Gregory Johnston (Magheraveely); Christopher Currie (Enniskillen Athletic).

Division Three Player of the Year: Aiden McAleer (Omagh Hospitals); Gordon Gregg (Erne Rovers); David Long (Mountjoy United); Christopher Gorman (Mountfield); Jordan Dennison (Drumquin United); Bartley Clancy (Erne Rovers); Trevor Pattison (Ardstraw Reserves); Daryl Kelly (Mountfield); Martin Doherty (Erne Rovers); Andrew Gilfillan (Mountjoy United); Michael McMenamin (Dunbreen Rovers).