ALL eyes were on Newtownards RBL as they began the defence of their Premier Division title on the road to newly promoted Comber YM.
RBL started this one as firm favourites and despite dominating the first half, they were to arrive at half-time playing catch up with the home side leading thanks to a Michael Crooks effort.
Legion’s equaliser came five minutes into the second half through the prolific David Brady and, with the momentum with the reigning champions, I’d have expected them to kick on and take maximum points from this one. But Comber showed great resilience as they saw out the rest of the game to claim a valuable point.
2023/24 runners-up Castle Juniors pushed Newtownards RBL all the way last time out and kick-started their fresh title bid with a tough away game against North Down, a side with title aspirations of their own.
This one looked like being a keenly fought contest, but North Down had other ideas as they came out of the blocks quickly to find themselves 3-0 up in the opening quarter of an hour as two goals from Jordan McMillan and another from Philip Hannah gave them a dream start.
Things got even better for the hosts when McMillan completed his hat-trick to make it 4-0 before half-time, with Castle’s Jake McAdam scoring from the penalty spot in added on time.
The second half proved to be the tight contest I had expected, with neither team able to add to their totals as North Down got their campaign up and running in style.
Ballynafeigh Breda Star claimed the Division 1 title last season and got their top flight challenge underway by welcoming established outfit Ballygowan to Ulidia. The visitors moved into an early lead through Andrew Strain, but Ballynafeigh hit back almost instantly via Lee Spiers.
Finely balanced at 1-1 and there for either team to claim, the decisive blow came 15 minutes from time as Ryan Betts delivered the home side’s first DAWFL Premier Division win. Where will they end up this season?
Millisle had their struggles last year and would have been looking to start this campaign off on a positive note as they entertained Ards Rangers III. Early goals from Adam Kennedy and Jack Patterson saw the hosts race in front, before a Ross White own goal set up an intriguing second period.
Kennedy claimed his second of the day on the hour mark to restore Millisle’s two-goal advantage and that’s how it stayed until late in the day when Rangers substitute Finlay halved the deficit.
The last game in this division saw another of the newly promoted outfits, Comber Rec III, start life in the Premier Division at home to Corrymeela. It proved to be a tight affair initially, but two goals in three minutes from Michael Browne and Sean McGuigan would hand the visitors a comfortable 2-0 advantage at the break.
Within 10 minutes of the restart, the game was as good as over as Browne struck twice more to complete his hat-trick and Corrymeela into a commanding 4-0 lead. Comber did make a fight of things with two quickfire efforts from McBroom and Thompson cutting the deficit in half, but it proved too little too late as Corrymeela secured the points.
Agapé suffer second-half collapse, 3rd Bangor earn derby win
442 TEAMWEAR DAWFL DIVISION 1
WILLOWFIELD Parish 10th Old Boys showed their credentials last season by making it to two cup finals and no doubt have aspirations of mounting a promotion challenge this season. Within six minutes of their league opener against Victoria Athletic, Willowfield were two goals to the good, but the visitors fought back with two of their own to leave the game finely poised at the break.
Victoria started well in the second period and were rewarded as Reuben Stewart moved them in front for the first time. There was to be another twist in the tail though with Matthew Rooney bagging a late equaliser for a share of the spoils in a 3-3 draw.
Agapé began their campaign with an away clash against newly promoted Blackstaff and got off to a poor start, finding themselves two behind after a quarter of an hour. But they showed the fighting spirit they are renowned for and turned things around with a brace from Paul Hamilton and one from Bradley Hollinger moving Agapé into a 3-2 lead.
From there however, Blackstaff took charge of the game to flip it back in their favour with four goals coming without reply, as they sealed a 6-3 win to put an early dent in Agapé’s challenge.
Holywood III earned promotion last time out and started their campaign with an away clash against Carryduff Colts III, another of the promoted outfits. Ross Stewart’s 43rd-minute goal was all that separated the sides at the interval, before Holywood gave themselves some breathing space as Steven Moore doubled their advantage early in the second half.
Carryduff’s Daniel Schubotz clawed his side back into the game on the hour mark, but Moore’s second of the day on 78 followed by a late Wilson goal saw Holywod rubber stamp the result and make a perfect start to life in Division 1.
With local bragging rights at stake, 3rd Bangor entertained Abbey Villa III at the Sportsplex. The deadlock was broken just after the quarter-hour mark as Huish gave the home team an early lead, only for Nicholas Milliken to hit back for the Villa a couple of minutes later.
The next goal crucial, it came 10 minutes after the restart as Andrew Curran-Cochrane edged 3rd Bangor in front for a second time before a Matt McArthur effort sealed this one to give 3rd Bangor a 3-1 win.
442 TEAMWEAR DAWFL DIVISION 2
THIS division looks like being very open with any of the 11 teams able to make a case for the title.
Ravenhill YM II were returning to the DAWFL this season and they started their campaign with an away clash to Ballyhalbert United, who had rebuilt themselves over the close season after a tough campaign last time out. Ballyhalbert edged themselves in front midway through the first half through McCoubrey, but on the stroke of half-time Carolan equalised for Ravenhill to leave this one finely poised at the interval.
Ballyhalbert retook the lead in the 70th minute through McClure and this time it proved to be decisive, as the peninsula team saw out the remainder of the game to claim a 2-1 win.
43rd Dundonald suffered relegation last season and they began life in Division 2 away from home against Queens Grads III, who also failed to avoid the drop last year.
This one was to be settled in the first half following a five-star performance from 43rd Dundonald. The game had barely kicked off when they found themselves 1-0 up through Damba and it was soon 2-0 as Makinson added his name to the scoresheet. Damba then got his second and, with the game not yet 35 minutes old, completed his hat-trick to make it 4-0.
After McClorie got in on the act to make it five before the break, it wasn’t until midway through the second half that 43rd Dundonald would add to their total as Damba got his fourth for the day.
Frank Moore Cup winners Bangor YM III entertained Bryansburn Rangers III with local bragging rights at stake. And it was the hosts who emerged victors with a brace from McCord along with one from Kennedy leading Bangor YM to a 3-0 win and a perfect start to the new season.
Having previously been in the Reserve divisions, Groomsport III were embarking on their second season in Division 2 but they failed to get off to a winning start as Bloomfield III ran out 4-2 winners at Valentine Playing Fields.
Elsewhere, Tullycarnet III romped to an emphatic 10-1 win over Bangor Swifts III.
442 TEAMWEAR DAWFL RESERVE DIVISION 1
Newtown Forest II 2-5 Carryduff Colts IV
Vision Athletic II 2-0 North Down II
Newtownards RBL II 0-2 Castle Juniors II
Willowfield Parish 10th OB Athletic 2-0 3rd Bangor II
Agape Swifts 1-3 Comber YM II
442 TEAMWEAR DAWFL RESERVE DIVISION 2
Ards Rangers IV 0-4 Comber Rec IV
Cooke Athletic II 1-6 Lagan Swifts II
Ballygowan II 3-2 Ballynafeigh Breda Star II
Corrymeela II 3-2 Queens Grads IV
Victoria Athletic II3-5 Holywood IV
43rd Dundonald II 6-3 Millisle II
