Soccer - Promotion blow for Limavady United

Winning the league will not mean promotion for United

By Carl Purvis

Limavady United will not be promoted even if they win the league after their application for a licence to play in the NIFL Championship One was rejected. The Roesiders currently sit one point behind PSNI at the top of the Championship Two after a 5-1 demolition of Wakehurst last time out. With four games remaining, they are in with a great chance of winning the league. However, problems with licencing have resulted in Paul Owens’ side being denied the chance to win promotion for the second time in recent years. Player-manager Owens said both he and his players are still focused on the objective of winning the league, but admitted the news came as a huge blow. He said: “There’s a real sense of disappointment not just with the players and the club but through the whole town, but at the start of the season the objective was to win the league and that hasn’t changed. “I want to be able to say we did our job, and by winning the league we’ll prove that we’re good enough to be a Championship One team.” Despite United being told it had been rejected, the IFA say they have yet to officially decide whether to grant the licence to The Roesiders. The application will be considered and a final decision will be made at a Licencing Committee meeting on April 25. Owens said the club are appealing the decision, and is hopeful the situation will have a positive resolution.