Bangor Ladies, the official ladies section of high flying Bangor Football Club, will get the 2007 Northern Ireland Womens’ Football Association’s 2007 underway when they kick off their Intermediate B campaign at Clandeboye Park, with a game against PSNI on Tuesday evening.
With the Bangor mens side just needing a point against Croagh United in their final 1st Division league game of the season on Saturday to secure a play off berth in the play offs, the ladies section will be hoping to add to that success and get off to a winning start in what promises to be a long and tough season of summer football.
With the Intermediate B Division inexplicably featuring an unprecedented ten teams, incidently every other division features the regulated 8 team format, while one features just only 6! The ladies however, often marvel at the logic of the ruling NIWFA league council, but seemingly fail to grasp the yearly reshuffle of teams.
But all said and done Bangor Ladies kick off their 007 campaign two weeks ahead of very other division in the NIWFA and along with their divisional starters, will play more scheduled fixtures than any of the other teams in Northern Ireland - in a season which will last until September.
Wellington Ladies face the Seasiders in May
Along with last season contenders, PSNI, Wellington Rec., Knockbreda, Ards Raiders, the Seasiders have unknown packages, Newtownabbey Ladies, Saint Matthews, Strikers II, Crumlin and Dungoyne ladies.
Although with both Larne and Carrick Rangers being removed from their division, Bangor will be hoping to improve on a top four finish last season, their first ever year of competitive football in the NIWFA.
After Tuesday nights league opener at Clandeboye Park, against PSNI, the club travel to Armagh to take on Intermediate A side Armagh Ladies, in the first cup competition of the year - this game scheduled for next Wednesday evening (25th). Then its back to Bangor where the Seasiders will take on Wellington Ladies from Larne.
So, it promises to be tough start, with the opener having a bit of an edge on it, with PSNI being responsible for the North Down side conceding a 3 points last season, when they refused to reschedule a league game to accommodate the Bangor side, instead, on the advice of a council official, claimed the three points, and forced the club to absorb an unreasonable £25 fine - so their certainly is a bit of a score to settle, against the visitors in this one.
Armagh Ladies it would be fair to say, will start the cup game as favourites the following Wednesday, and although Bangor will look to give a good account of themselves, this competition has no real importance with the Seasiders - with the league campaign taking clear preference.
The game against Wellington Ladies will be an interesting one, as of the two encounters so far - the spoils have been shared - with one win each, the Seasiders being beaten at home last May 3-0 before going to Larne to record a solid 4-2 win, part of an impressive 3 month unbeaten spell towards the middle of last season.
England welcome Northern Ireland next month
Training for Senior continues tonight (Thursday) at the Valentines, meet 6.30 p.m. Club registration fees will be collect this month and all members are asked to contact Cathy Duncan for details.
EURO QUALIFIER - NORTHERN IRELAND FACE THE ENGLISH
Finally the club would like to send their good wishes to all the teams in the NIWFA and hope that it will be a great year for ladies football in Northern Ireland -with the seniors involved in a massive Euro Qualifier game against World Cup contenders England in May (13th), to be staged at Gillingham Football Club, Kent, 1 p.m. kick-off.
Bangor Ladies face PSNI on Tuesday
Last Edited on 13-Apr-2007 3:04 PM
