BY DAMIAN CAMPBELL
It's back to the backburner for SFL football for the next six to seven weeks as the preparation for the provincial final and the game after that take precedence over all else.
Last weekend then saw the last of league fare with round six being run off.
In the top division the programme is now one third of the way completed and a clear pattern has emerged. Currently leading the way are league holders Belcoo and Devenish with promoted Tempo hot on their heels in third place.
Perhaps the most interesting result of last Friday evening was the first setback suffered by previously unbeaten Devenish. Had they chalked up a sixth straight win the Blues would have opened up a handsome advantage for themselves at the top of the table.
But their defeat at the hands of Tempo has meant that Devenish have been sucked back closer to the chasing pack and this will have been of overall benefit to the league itself, not that Devenish will necessarily agree with that analysis.
As for Tempo, they appear to have shrugged off their disappointing start which saw them lose both their opening matches but the Maguires have now racked up four wins in a row and have begun to live up to the promise that they certainly possess.
But of course there is still a long, long road to travel and that will be the consolation that those teams who are struggling at the foot of the league ladder will be clinging to over the next month or so as they await the resumption of league fare.
Newtownbutler, so long the league specialists, have been ill at ease. Four defeats in six outings tells its own dismal tale for the First Fermanagh's. Not that they are all that far adrift as yet but it is obvious that significant improvement is required if they are to remain as one of the stronger forces.
Below the current county champions in the table are St Patricks and Brookeboro. The latter are having their predicted tough time in this grade and on Friday they suffered a particularly heavy reversal at the hands of Derrygonnelly.
Not looking good for them at the moment and St Patricks who have been skirting with relegation for a couple of seasons now could also be in deep trouble come the autumn.
In deep trouble too are Irvinestown in the second division. To make their situation more difficult is the fact that this league is a mere dozen games.
Not a lot of room for error and in Irvinestown's case they have dropped six points from ten. In essence they have now made all the mistakes that they can afford to make and still entertain the hope of finishing in the top two. Hard in fact to make a case for them given the fact that there are four sides above them and it will require an intricate series of results in the remaining programme for Irvinestown to clamber their way back into promotion contention.
Promotion very much back in Roslea's sights however. They had one nasty jolt early on but have absorbed that and are now clear at the top.
It was a surprise that Roslea fell through the trapdoor at the end of last season but they would appear to be heading for an immediate return to the top flight. All league issues however are now sidelined and if they remain in limbo until, who knows when, there will be no complaints.
