The NI Football League has announced a change to this season's post-split schedule in a bid to ramp up the title drama.
A revision of the final round of games will see the top two in the Premiership face each other on the penultimate day of the campaign.
Previously they would have met in the first fixture following the ‘split’.
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Just seven points separate the top five clubs in the Premiership, with a resurgent Glentoran also in the mix, with fans gearing up for one of the most exciting title races in years.
NI Football League Chief Executive Gerard Lawlor believes the change will "provide a much greater climax" to the Premiership season.
He said: “We are always reviewing ways that we can improve and enhance the league, and it was clear to us that, by moving the top two fixture from matchday 34 to matchday 37, it has the potential to provide a much greater climax to the season and interest in the League and competing clubs.
“The league provides so much excitement and drama and we want to ensure that our biggest games are given the best slots in the football calendar.”
The Danske Bank Premiership completes the regular season round of fixtures after each team has played 33 matches and breaks into a top and bottom six.
The popular ‘split’ scenario allows the clubs to compete amongst their peers for the final five matches to determine the outcome of the Gibson Cup, European qualification and survival from relegation.
The newly agreed post-split sequence will also be applied to the Lough 41 Championship and Lough 41 Premier Intermediate League with immediate effect.
Revised post split sequence
- Matchday 34 – (Section A) 1st vs 5th, 2nd vs 4th, 3rd vs 6th; (Section B) 7th vs 11th, 8th vs 10th, 9th vs 12th
- Matchday 35 – (Section A) 1st vs 3rd, 2nd vs 5th, 4th vs 6th; (Section B) 7th vs 9th, 8th vs 11th, 10th vs 12th
- Matchday 36 – (Section A) 1st vs 4th, 2nd vs 6th, 3rd vs 5th; (Section B) 7th vs 10th, 8th vs 12th, 9th vs 11th
- Matchday 37 – (Section A) 1st vs 2nd, 3rd vs 4th, 5th vs 6th; (Section B) 7th vs 8th, 9th vs 10th, 11th vs 12th
- Matchday 38 – (Section A) 1st vs 6th, 2nd vs 3rd, 4th vs 5th; (Section B) 7th vs 12th, 8th vs 9th, 10th vs 11th
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