Gaelic Life understands that a meeting took place last night involving GAA officials, Down County Board officials and representatives from the two clubs.

It was decided that the first league meeting between the two teams in 2017 will now double up as the final, with two points also on offer. The match is expected to be played at Pairc Esler with the teams flipping a coin to decide who will have been deemed to have had home advantage for the fixture.

Castlewellan were awarded the title after Kilcoo pulled out of the league final in November, which was scheduled to take place a few days after their Ulster Club meeting with Glenswilly.

It means the unusual situation that Castlewellan will now play a league final under without the manager who got them there – John ‘Shorty’ Trainor. Mark Doran, part of the coaching team last season, is now over the Town.