BY DAMIAN CAMPBELL

The departure of Maguiresbridge from the second division to ply their league trade in Erne Cup one will have a couple of effects on the competition in this grade over the coming months.

First and foremost it will mean that the campaign will be a relatively short process of just a dozen games. Secondly the absence of the 'Bridge will mean that in overall terms the division will be that shade more evenly balanced.

Maguiresbridge had been more or less the divisional cannon fodder and their presence was really doing themselves or the division no particular favour.

FORECAST

Yet when going to forecast how matters will shape up over the coming months the division still has a very predictable look about it. The two relegated teams, in this case Irvinestown and Roslea, will be regarded, initially at least, as the firmest of favourites.

It has been quite sometime since that sequence was broken.

Irvinestown have been travelling this particular road for several seasons. Roslea will be relative newcomers, their relegation last season, in truth something of a surprise.

Of course neither will be able to coast their way back to the top division. There are a couple of teams who should be capable of making difficulty for the fancied duo over the coming summer.

St Josephs have been threatening to escape and last year with wins over Brookeboro they did indeed seem capable of making the promotion slot, but they faltered in the end. Still, they will have benefited from having scented the possibility and if they can collect something from their games with Roslea and Irvinestown, they may not be all that far away.

Certainly in their derby jousts with Irvinestown, the Ederney side will be confident that they can do the business.

Kinawley are another team who would have the potential to cause a ripple or two. Solid citizens at this level, the Brian Boru's will collect enough wins to keep them in the chase.

In fact with such a limited span of matches, no team can really afford to drop too many points, so there will be a distinct edge to quite a number of the fixtures.

This will especially so in the games featuring the above named quartet.

The other three clubs are Erne Gaels, Derrylin and Aughdrumsee. Hard to see any of this trio being able to improve sufficiently on their moderate efforts of last season, to emerge as promotion contenders.

Which is not to say that they don't possess the ability to pose problems. In the derby clashes, Kinawley v Derrylin, Roslea v Aughdrumsee, there will be no quarter offered.

Erne Gaels have been showing signs that they are on their way back after a couple of disastrous campaigns, the memory of their SFL division one triumph now more than a decade behind them. Yet they would acknowledge that they still have a long road to travel before they approach that standard again.

TWO TIER

So there would appear to be a rough two tier division two, four clubs who could be considered as the promotion runners with the other three not really looking strong enough to force the issue.

Irvinestown and Roslea start out as favourites and should justify that assertion come the end of summer. But the chances of either St Josephs or Kinawley upsetting that prediction cannot be ruled out. A crucial win or two for either of the latter duo and suddenly things would become very interesting indeed.

In a sense things really haven't changed a great deal in this division. It will all come down to a handful of key games.