While the under 15s competition was set to have a full complement of six teams, only three had committed to under 16s.

After a meeting between delegates from each of the junior and senior clubs on Wednesday a decision was made to combine the two age groups this season.

"We had six in the under 15s but only three maybe three and a half in the 16s so we didn't have much choice," operations manager Paul McKelvie said.

"It was a no brainer really so we've combined under 15s and 16s and gone to Friday night."

The under 16s becomes a nine-team competition.

Despite the drop off in the oldest age group there will still be the same number of junior sides competing this season.

It comes after an increase in teams in the under 10s and under 11s age groups.

"It turns out we have the same amount of teams, 47, as we did last year," McKelvie said.

"We've got a few more in the 10s and 11s and obviously the 16s have dropped off a fraction."

With the late change the under 16s will play on Friday evenings, along with the under 11s and under 13s competitions.

The under 10s, 12s and 14s competitions will remain on Saturday mornings.

All six grades start play next week, along with the four senior grades.

READ MORE