Dundela's hopes of top-flight football ended as Wilgar Park pitch fails to meet Premiership size regulations

Dundela's hopes of top-flight promotion have ended after it was confirmed that the east Belfast side didn't apply for a Premiership licence due to the size of the pitch at Wilgar Park.

The development means the Duns, who are flying high at the top of the Playr-Fit Championship, will not be able to gain promotion to the Sports Direct Premiership next season.

The Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) requires - under the Joint Ground Criteria - that pitches should be at least 60 metres wide to gain a Premiership and promotion licence.

However, the pitch at Wilgar Park fails to meet that criteria by around four-and-a-half metres and despite asking NIFL for dispensation due to hosting top-flight opposition in Cup competitions and other ground improvements such as floodlight upgrades and new spectator stands, it was rejected by the powers-at-be.

The development means that if Dundela win the Championship, the next highest-placed team with a promotion licence will play the team who are bottom of the Premiership across a two-legged play-off.

Furthermore, if Dundela or another team without a promotion licence wins the Championship, whoever finishes 11th in the top-flight - currently Ballymena United - would completely avoid a relegation/promotion play-off at the end of the season.

The Championship title race continues to be full of excitement as leaders Dundela, Bangor, Portadown and fourth-placed Institute are all separated by seven points.

According to IFA licensing guidelines, documentation for Premiership licensing has to be submitted by the middle of February, with clubs finding out the status of decisions on April 26.