Whilst I agree with the general gist of what you're saying here, it wouldn't be unreasonable for someone like the FAI to analyse which large population centres (i.e. places with the key basic ingredient of potential support) don't currently have an LOI club, and speak to existing clubs thetre to encourage them to aspire to senior status in the future.
I think the examples you've given from the north are flawed. Warrenpoint got relegated last month after a fairly poor season in which I think they didn't register a win until after the split in the table? They were clearly out of their depth in the top division, and will b einteretsing to see if they make it back again. I doubt Ballinamallard will be troubling the top division in NI again any time soon either, and if they do will not be there for long. Even Dungannon, who've made a cup final, Europe etc over the last decade or so, tend to be near the lower end of the table and get poor crowds. If clubs with bigger potential like Ards ever get their act together again, you could see the likes of Dungannon fall out of the top tier to make way for them. So I don't think relatively brief flourishes with the big boys for the likes of Warrenpoint and Ballinamallard proves much to be honest. If anything, it shows the IL's lack of strength within the IL that very small clubs like them can rise to the top table.
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