Enniskillen Rangers returned to the big time this year as they won a second Irish Junior Cup title with a superb performance at the National Stadium at Windsor Park on the May Bank Holiday.
Michael Kerr has done a wonderful job as player-manager of Rangers and they were in free scoring form throughout the competition, the ‘Gers bagging 51 goals in all over their eight game run.
A victory in their last 16 tie against Rosemount Rec, who were beaten finalists the previous season, gave Kerr and his charges belief that they could go on and really make a challenge for the Junior Cup and they followed it up with a hard fought 2-1 win over Lower Shankill to book their place in the semi-finals.
The last four opponents were Newry Celtic with the game played at Holm Park Armagh and a fine ‘Gers performance saw them sail into the final with a 5-0 win.
Lurgan outfit Hill Street provided the opposition in the final at Windsor Park in what was expected to be a tight encounter.
However, a stunning first half display by Rangers put the game to bed by the break.
Rangers made full use of the width of the pitch and their pace and energy caused Hill Street all sorts of problems. And from the moment that captain Willie Burleigh put the Ball Range based side in front after 19 minutes there was only ever going to be one winner.
Stuart Rainey then hit a brace and Burleigh also added his second to leave it 4-0 at half time.
Hill Street did pull a goal back but Rangers wrapped things up with Andy Johnston netting a fifth for the Fermanagh and Western side with ten minutes to go to see them run out 5-1 victors.
Indeed, Kerr has made no secret of his aim of retaining the cup in 2018 with Rangers having come through the early rounds unscathed.
In the Mercer League, Strathroy Harps returned to the winners enclosure as they secured their third league title in four years. Seamus Fanthorpe’s side suffered only one defeat over the course of the campaign and eventually ran out winners, eight points clear of second placed Lisbellaw United and nine ahead of Enniskillen Town in third spot.
At the other end of the table it was curtains for Enniskillen Santos who finished bottom of the Division One table and subsequently folded while Strule dropped out of the top flight with Mountjoy United and Lisnaskea Rover promoted from Division Two.
And in Division Three, there was title success for Fintona Swifts with Ardstraw Reserves joining them in gaining promotion to Division Two.
Strathroy’s successful season did not finish with the league with the Omagh side going on to complete a league and cup double as they lifted the Mulhern Cup for a third year in a row.
In a tightly fought encounter, they sealed the cup with a penalty shoot out win over Beragh Swifts in a game that was to prove to be Fanthorpe’s last in the hotseat as he stepped down following a hugely successful spell in charge.
In the Reserve League, Tummery Athletic claimed the Reserve Division One title, Lisnaskea Rover Reserves the Division Two crown and the Division Three champions were Mountjoy III.
The Reihill Cup final was an all Enniskillen derby as Enniskillen Town Reserves took on Enniskillen Rangers Reserves with Town coming out on top with a 4-1 victory at Ferney Park.
In the Danske Bank Premiership, Ballinamallard started 2017 sitting third from bottom of the table and they were to stay there until the season finished to secure their status in the top flight.
Manager Gavin Dykes, in his first season at the club, will have been pleased with how his side recovered after a difficult start to the season. In January they were able to bring in real quality in the shape of goalkeeper Richard Brush, striker Ryan Curran and midfielder Stuart Hutchinson and although they were hit badly by injuries to the likes of Shane McCabe and James McKenna for a period, they were always able to maintain a safe gap between them and second from bottom Carrick with safety sealed with three games to go.
It has though been a very tough finish to 2017 for Dykes and his team who are rooted to the bottom of the table and needing a strong second half to the season if they are to survive for another season in the Premiership.
The loss of Shane McCabe who retired at the end of last season was a massive blow to Dykes with his experience and leadership badly missing over the opening months of the season.
The Mallards, who have been hit with a number of injuries that left the squad thin, have shipped too many goals and not scored enough but Dykes has remained optimistic that they can climb the table. The manager brought in the likes of Matthew Smyth and Richard Clarke in the summer  while he is expecting to do a lot of business in January to strengthen his squad ahead of the battle for survival.
There was league and cup success though for local pair Roy Carroll and Mark Stafford who were part of the Linfield side that secured the double last season.
On the international front, there was disappointment for Michael McGovern, Roy Carroll and Kyle Lafferty as they fell at the play-off stage of World Cup qualification. 
A good campaign had seen them finish second to Germany in the group stages and progress to a play-off against the Swiss. 
However, a 1-0 defeat at the National Stadium at Windsor Park was to prove costly and a 0-0 draw away ended their World Cup dreams.
At the Super Cup NI, the Fermanagh Juniors began their tournament with a glamour tie against Manchester United and they produced a fine performance before suffering late heartbreak as two late goals for the English giants saw them seal a 4-2 victory.
A strong display saw the Juniors clinch a 3-2 win over Dundalk Schoolboys and they were unlucky in going down on penalties to Strikers FC.
The Premier side showed improvement as the tournament progressed, beating Co. Down 3-2 before overcoming Vendee in the semi-final of the Vase. 
The final against GPS Bayern was a tight affair but the Fermanagh lads were to lose out on penalties.