Ballymena United's challenging season has come to an end, finishing in ninth place in the Northern Ireland Premiership. The Sky Blues began the season with promise but struggled with inconsistency throughout. They ended the season just three points above the promotion/relegation play-off spot, highlighting the need for improvement. A significant positive for Ballymena United was the performance of striker Igor Rutkowski, who joined from Armagh City in January and scored nine goals in just 11 appearances. This impressive contribution has provided a silver lining for the club. New manager Oran Kearney, who took over midseason, faces a crucial upcoming transfer window. The fans will be eager to see the club strengthen its squad to avoid another close call with relegation. Kearney acknowledged the pressure of maintaining distance from teams like Crusaders and Glenavon, stating that it was challenging to manage the team midseason. As Ballymena United looks ahead, the focus will be on building a more consistent and competitive side for the next campaign.