Tummery Athletic player manager Ryan Hanna admits that winning the league on average points per game and not on the pitch is not ideal but he states that the Fermanagh and Western have come to the right decision with the Dromore outfit set to claim the Mercer League for the first time in their history, subject to ratification by the IFA.

The Fermanagh and Western announced on Monday night that following a vote by the member clubs, the current season would not be finished on the pitch and instead an average points per game system would be used to conclude the season.

Tummery had been sitting seven points clear with six games to go when the season was postponed and when the average points system was implemented they were close to ten points ahead of second placed Enniskillen Rangers.

“It’s not the way that you would want to win the title and obviously nothing is confirmed as the IFA have to ratify it,” said Hanna.

“As a club we wanted to win the league on the pitch but unfortunately we were unable to do that. You see the decision taken by NI Executive this week, there is no way that it would have been able to be finished on the pitch.

“In my opinion, if it had been finished on the pitch, I think we would have gone on to win it. Since I came in we have only dropped two points and that was my first game so we were in a very strong position to finish it off,” said Hanna.

And the Tummery boss felt that when the season could not be finished on the pitch then average points per game was the only way of concluding it.

“For me, it had to be one of the two average points per game options that were put to the clubs. I don’t think null and void at that stage of the season should ever be on the table and I’m delighted that the clubs voted the way they did. It was always going to be difficult but I would have to commend the Fermanagh and Western Management Committee for how effectively they went about things and getting the conclusion to the season,” he added.

And he says that if it is ratified that Tummery are champions then it is testament to the hard work that has been put in at the club.

“I’m delighted for the club and everybody involved. There is a lot of people who have put in a lot of hard work behind the scenes to help put is in the position we were in,” he said.