THE new soccer season kicks off on Saturday with Ballynahinch Olympic leading the local charge for honours.
Manager Liam Sloan led his side to a Border Cup final spot last season and fourth place in the Amateur League’s Premier Section at the first attempt and will now be looking for his charges to kick on.
Olympic have retained all of last year’s squad and have added the highly-rated Peter Kearney from Drumaness Mills and Daniel Rice, formerly of Killyleagh YC and Ballynahinch United, to a talented panel.
The icing on the cake for Sloan is that ace striker Niall Murray, who broke his leg towards the end of the season, is expected back in action this side of Christmas and what a fillip that would be.
Olympic open their league campaign on Saturday with a home game against Larne Tech before travelling to Immaculata three days later.
They then play Killyleagh YC at The Showgrounds on Saturday, August 10, before entertaining Ards Rangers in another league game the following Thursday night.
To finish off a hectic four-week period they play Bangor FC at home in the first round of the Irish Cup on August 17,
Olympic are away to Saintfield United in the Steel & Sons Cup on the 24th and then travel to Holywood FC in the Border Cup on August 31.
Killyleagh YC return to the Amateur League’s top flight after a four-year break.
Manager Paul Sharvin, who led them to promotion in only his second season in charge, is determined to ensure The Showgrounds’ side avoid an early return to Division 1A.
His most significant close season achievement has been keeping his promotion winning squad intact, warding off the interest of a number of Irish League clubs for some of his most prized players, including Amateur League representative strikers Adam Neale and Jack Sharvin.
Sharvin has also strengthened his squad, signing Thomas Healy, (Dundela) and former Downpatrick FC players Christian Holland, and Aaron McGarry.
Sharvin’s assistant for a third season will be former YC player Nicky Hagan, with another former YC star, Barry Kelly, appointed as head coach.
They have faced some stern pre-season tests, including friendlies with Bangor, Portadown, Carrick Rangers, Dromara Village and Woodvale.
Killyleagh open the new season with a visit to Crumlin United and follow it with an early season derby against Drumaness Mills next Tuesday night.
It’s then Ballynahinch Olympic in the league on August 10 before travelling to Derriaghy on the Tuesday night for another league game.
Rosario provide the opposition in the first round of the Irish Cup on August 17 before a home game to Iveagh United in the Steel and Sons Cup the following weekend. Sharvin’s men then travel to face Grove United in the first round of the Border Cup on Saturday, August 31.
Also in the Premier Section, Drumaness Mills, who just avoided relegation last season, have former club captain Owen Wright in as manager where he will be joined by club stalwart Packie McCartan.
It has not been a good close season at Meadowvale as quite a lot of last year’s squad have moved on, although Wright has picked up David Stevenson, Dean McLaughlin and Michael McGarrity.
Alas, the Mills were dealt a bad blow when James McGivern, who had returned to the fold after a season at Kilmore Rec, picked up a bad ankle injury in a pre-season friendly against Downpatrick and seems set for a long spell on the sidelines.
The Mills open with a home game on Saturday against Ards Rangers before taking on Killyleagh next Tuesday night.
League games follow on the 10th and 13th against Rathfriland and Shankill before they travel to face Newtowne in the first round of the Irish Cup on Saturday, August 17. Sirocco provide the opposition in the first round of the Steel and Sons Cup on the 24th and they finish the month off with a home game against Greenisland in the Border cup.
Five local teams will be battling for promotion from Division 1A into the top flight with Downpatrick FC, newly-promoted Dromara Village, Comber Rec, Kilmore Rec and Newcastle all hoping to reach the promised land.
Phil McDonagh remains in charge at Comber Rec and he has assembled what appears to be the strongest panel in the division with a number of new arrivals at the club.
Comber start with a game against Rosario at Park Way on August 3 before travelling to Abbey Villa next Tuesday night. A tough trip to Sirocco awaits on the 10th before taking on Kilmore Rec on Saturday the 13th at Robert Adams Park.
Downpatrick, under Mark Holland and Cahal Hynds, will again be sticking with the young players that featured in the Premier Section for the club last season.
The fledgling squad will be a year wiser and stronger after last year’s baptism of fire — they will need to be as 1A is extremely hard to get out off.
Holland is keeping his cards close to his chest at the minute and I believe that he has his eyes on a few players that might be added to the squad for the season opener.
Downpatrick open their account earlier than the rest when they travel to Orangefield tomorrow night. They follow that up with a trip to Rosario on Tuesday night and a visit to Albert Foundry on Saturday. They finally get a home game on Saturday, August 13, when they entertain Abbey Villa.
Ciaran Brannigan has been a busy manager at Bells Bridge. He has signed all of last year’s squad and added Downpatrick’s Damian Turley and Eoin Boyle, his younger brother Peter, who was at Rathfriland, and former players Marcus Murphy and Shaun O’Hare to a talented bunch.
Dromara open with a league game against Newcastle on Tuesday, August 6, before entertaining Kilmore Rec on the 10th.
They then face Lisburn Rangers away in the league on the 13th before facing Coagh United at home in the Irish Cup on the 17th and Wellington Rec away the following Saturday in the first round of the Steel & Sons Cup.
John Young will have his Kilmore Rec side primed to build on last year’s improvements and he definitely has the players to make a showing.
He has only lost James McGivern to Drumaness Mills, but has added the exciting Declan Looney, who was at Killough, and Paddy Grant to his squad.
Kilmore’s big problems will come at the start of the season when quite a few of their players will still have GAA commitments, but Young believes that he has enough strength in depth to overcome this hurdle.
Kilmore open their campaign next Tuesday night with a home game against Lisburn Rangers before travelling to Dromara Village next Saturday. They then entertain Comber Rec on the 13th before travelling to take on Crumlin Star on the 17th in the Irish Cup.
Another tough task awaits them on the 24th when they play Ballymacash Rangers at home in the Steel & Sons Cup before playing Portaferry at home in the first round of the Border Cup at the end of the month.
Ruairi Doran has returned after a spell away to take up the reins at Newcastle with Eoghan Simmons and Wayne Lennon.
The trio have a big squad to select from and Doran will certainly not be afraid to give the numerous young players at the club a chance to shine with the first team.
Newcastle start with a home game against Malachians on Saturday before travelling to Dromara next Tuesday night.
A trip to Rosario awaits on August 10 before entertaining Orangefield on the 13th and travelling to Grove United in the Irish Cup on the 17th.
Ballynahinch United and Portaferry will again be playing their football in Division 1B.
Glynn Robinson remains in charge at Millbridge and he will be looking for his squad to kick on from last year.
The wily supremo has picked up Sam Carson, Peter Russell and Ryan Blaney from Killyleagh YC and they should blend in nicely with the up and coming young players at the club.
United open with a league game against Portaferry at Millbridge on Saturday before travelling to face Downshire Young Men next Tuesday night.
A tough away trip to Crewe United awaits in the first round of the Steel & Sons Cup on August 10 before a home league game against Aquinas on the 13th.
It’s back on the road again — Strabane this time — on Saturday the 17th for an Irish Cup tie and should they have beaten Crewe United it will be a second round Steel & Sons Cup tie away to East Belfast or Bangor FC on the 24th. United finish the month off with a Border Cup game away to Aquinas on the 31st.
Kieran Mageean and Dee Dee Fitzsimons continue to lead Portaferry, but they will be without star goalkeeper Ryan Miskelly, who has joined Harland & Wolff Welders.
However, Portaferry pride themselves on their ability to unearth new talent and this season should be no different.
The Ports start with a trip to Ballynahinch United on Saturday before entertaining Ballywalter on Tuesday night. Another home league game against Barn United the following Saturday will be followed by a trip to Bangor Amateurs on the 13th. A Steel and Sons Cup clash with Oliver Plunkett takes place on the 24th with a visit to Kilmore Rec in the Border Cup on the 31st.
Adam Kelly enters his fifth term as manager of Saintfield United hoping to improve on last season’s impressive fifth place finish in 1C.
The club has retained all of its players from last season, adding the experienced duo of Gerard McErlean and Ciaran Taylor to the panel. In addition, a number of graduates from last season’s U-17 team are expected to challenge for places in the first team squad.
Paul Cullen has taken over from Lee Young as second team manager, with Lee returning to the youth section to coach the U-17 team. Curtis McClements and Joachim Speier remain in charge of the thirds and will hope to build on an encouraging 2018/19 season.
The Saints don’t start until next Tuesday night when they entertain Bloomfield in the league. They then face Oliver Plunkett at home on the 13th before a mouthwatering Steel & Sons Cup derby tie with Ballynahinch Olympic on the 24th. It’s another cup game the following week when they entertain Bryansburn Rangers in the first round of the Border Cup.
Castlewellan will again be playing their football in Division 2B, despite being relegated at the end of last season, but they don’t start until August 17. Bangor Rangers, who also played in 2B, have withdrawn from the league, meaning a reprieve for the Town.
The club hope to have their full complement of GAA players available from mid-October on and are confident of cementing their place in this division.