New Barclays NIWFA Championship season off to a flying start | OneFootball

Greenisland under pressure at Bangor. (Photo: Ephy McConnell)

The Barclays NIWFA Championship 2025 season got off to a flier this week with no less than twenty-seven goals across the five fixtures played.

Newly promoted sides Ballymoney United and Greenisland had mixed fortunes on their respective debuts in the division, with the latter winning 4-3 at Bangor and the former losing 3-1 to Ballymena United.

Ballymena United v Ballymoney Ladies. (Bob Hall Sports Photography)

Ballymoney’s Cleo-Neece Taggart had cancelled out a Claire Shaw opener, only for Megan Henry to strike twice in the last 15 minutes or so.

Greenisland had been 4-1 up with goals from Rachel Patterson, Rachel Kinner, Emma Brown and Beth Hunter but Bangor’s Amber Dempster scored her second of the game on 90 minutes and Emi Wynne reduced the arrears to one in added time. It then took a super stop by visiting keeper Laura Newman deep into injury time to prevent the spoils being shared.

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Skipper Sara-Lou McLaughlin gave Belfast Celtic a fourth-minute lead at St.Oliver Plunkett, after which Ally Cahill then produced a superb individual performance scoring no less than five goals as the Celts routed their local rivals 7-1. Bronagh Rooney also got her name on the score sheet for Celtic, with SOP’s skipper Niamh McGonigle scoring their goal on the night.

Ballyclare Comrades beat Camlough Rovers 5-1 at Dixon Park on Friday night. The Comrades moved quickly into a 3-0 lead within the first fifteen minutes, thanks to goals from Nina Morrison, Kirsty Quail and Mollie Weir. Morrison then added a second at the start of the second half and although Camlough did respond thanks to a fine free kick from Katie Brophy, Comrades’ substitute Rebeccca Cousins added a fifth on 88 minutes.

Mid-Ulster laid down a serious marker to the rest of the division, as they defeated reigning champions Sion Swifts 2-0 at the Brandywell Stadium. After a goalless first-half, strikes from Katie-Rose McNally and Jess Magee ensured the recently relegated Premiership side went home with smiles on their faces.

Round up by Colin Hopkins

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