Irish Premiership: Linfield officially crowned 2019-20 league champions
- Published
Linfield have successfully defended the Gibson Cup
Linfield have retained their Irish Premiership title after being named champions of the curtailed 2019-20 campaign.
The Blues held a four-point lead at the top when the season was suspended in March, and have been awarded the Gibson Cup via a mathematical formula.
The final standings mirror how the table looked following the most recent round of fixtures three months ago, meaning Institute are relegated to the Championship while runners-up Coleraine have secured a Europa League spot.
Portadown are promoted to the top flight as winners of The Championship, while Annagh United are winners of the Premier Intermediate League and move up to the Championship.
After a long and protracted process delivered no unanimous verdict on how best to finish the season, the NI Football League board finally ruled on Monday that the league would be ended and decided via a mathematical formula produced by an independent stats company - 21st Club.
For Linfield it is a third league title in four seasons, having won 22 of their 31 games.
David Healy's Blues had won their last five league games when the campaign was halted, enough to see the south Belfast side hold off the challenge of Coleraine to keep the trophy in south Belfast.
As for the Bannsiders, a fine season following the return of manager Oran Kearney may result in more silverware yet, with Coleraine due to play Ballymena United in the Irish Cup semi-final in late July.
Coleraine beat Crusaders in the League Cup final in February.
The final lucrative European spot will be awarded to the Irish Cup champions. If Coleraine go on to lift the cup, then Crusaders will join them in the Europa League qualifiers by virtue of their third-placed finish in the league.
Institute boss Sean Connor described Institutes relegation via a mathematical formula as a "very sad day for football"
For Institute, the formula has confirmed their relegation and ended their two-season stint in the top flight.
Stute have already registered their discontent over how the season has been brought to an end.
It was a difficult season for the Brandywell outfit, whose form improved upon manager Sean Connor's appointment in September before dipping again as they fell behind Warrenpoint Town in the fight for survival.