Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club kicked off 2008 with a trip to Ballycastle on Saturday to play the team directly below them in the League. Having beaten this team at home a few months ago, the girls travelled to the North coast in the hope of a good game of hockey and more importantly the much needed boost of a win and 3 points in the bag.

With Donagahdee having soaked up a fair bit of Ballycastle pressure in the first half, the teams turned round with the score level at 0-0. The Ballycastle defence were dealing capably with any Donaghadee forays forward, and crucially for them, were able to set up their midfield and forwards with attack after attack. The Dee defence was only able to hold out for so long in the second half before they were hit with several on the trot.

While Ballycastle proved themselves an able team, this was a bitterly disappointing result for Donaghadee, and it is hard to take too many positives from the game. There is no league action now until the final week of January, with a Plate match to be confirmed, so full attendance is expected at training for the next couple of weeks, as last Saturday’s game showed there is plenty of work to be done by everyone in the club.