Last match of the season The 1XI round off the 25/26 match action with a road trip to the north coast on Saturday when they meet Limavady in the final match of the Senior 2 programme. Pass back at Rugby Avenue, Coleraine is at 1pm.
There are also a number of exciting dates in the calendar and the club cordially invites members and non-members to both:
Walking Hockey – Tuesday 14th April Whether you’re a former player looking to get back on the pitch, recovering from an injury or a complete beginner looking for a new social activity, this one is for you. It’s the same great game at a much gentler pace!
Our 4-week Walking Hockey block is the perfect low-impact activity for all ages and abilities:
✅ No experience necessary ✅ Equipment provided ✅ Great for fitness and socializing
Starts on Tuesday 14th April, 7-8pm at Bangor Grammar and we’d love to see you there! For more info email dlhc@hotmail.co.uk or send a message on Facebook or Instagram.
Stick It To Cancer Sixes – 31st May 2026 We’re delighted to announce that our Sixes Tournament is confirmed for Sunday 31st May 2026 and registration is now open!
Join us for an unforgettable day of fast-paced hockey, great community spirit and fundraising for local cancer charities.
✅ Format: 6-a-side, female, 15+ ✅ Date & Time: Sunday 31st May, 1-5pm ✅ Location: Bangor Grammar School ✅ Extras: BBQ, Music, Tuck Shop
Entry is £60 per team, with all proceedsgoing to charity. Drop the club an email at dlhc@hotmail.co.uk for a registration form for your team.
New Club Coach Position Open We are seeking a new Club Head Coach for the 26/27 season to support the development of our club and help guide both our 1XI and 2XI teams, with our 1XI promoted to Senior 2 last year and our 2s playing in Junior 10.
We are a welcoming and community focused club with a strong group of committed players and we are looking for someone who is passionate about hockey and keen to help players develop as we look to grow and improve on and off the pitch.
This will be a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys grassroots sport and would like to play a key role in developing DLHC, a friendly yet ambitious local club.
For more information or to express interest, please contact us on dlhc@hotmail.co.uk
Players from both the 1s and 2s after Willie’s last home matches
Senior 2: DLHC 1XI 2-1 NICS Donaghadee Ladies 1XI went into their penultimate clash of the season against Civil Service at home on Saturday knowing exactly what was on the line: a victory would guarantee their spot in Senior 2 for next year.
Rising to the occasion, the team delivered a composed performance to secure the win and give departing coach Willie McAdam a perfect send-off for the last home game of the season.
From the first whistle, Donaghadee took control of the game, applying relentless pressure and dictating the pace. Their dominance in the attacking quarter soon paid off during a well-worked penalty corner. A deflected shot was heading for the back of the net before it was illegally stopped on the line by a Civil Service defender.
The umpire had no hesitation in pointing to the spot to award a penalty stroke. Up stepped newbie Rachelle Pearson, who showed no nerves to calmly convert, marking her very first goal for the club and giving Donaghadee a well-deserved lead.
To their credit, Civil Service fought their way back into the match and managed to find an equaliser against the run of play, threatening to spoil the party.
However, Donaghadee heads didn’t drop. They continued to press for the winner, and their determination was rewarded with a moment of individual skill. Kerry found herself in space and unleashed a fierce reverse stick shot. The visiting goalkeeper managed to get a stick to it, but the power of the strike was simply too much, parrying the ball up and into the top corner of the net to restore Donaghadee’s lead.
The squad held their nerve for the remainder of the game, putting in a gritty and unified shift to see out the victory. The final whistle brought relief, with the team securing their hard-fought Senior 2 status with one game remaining – no mean feat given the run of injuries and unavailability of numerous players since Christmas.
Thanks to the two Ulster Hockey umpires and to NI Building Surveys for sponsoring the match ball.
The team has one more league match to go, with a trip to Limavady scheduled for Saturday 11th April.
Junior 10: DLHC 2XI 1-1 Limavady On Saturday, Donaghadee 2s played their final game of the season at home to league winners Limavady.
The girls were determined to finish the season on a good note to say a final goodbye to Coach Willie McAdam.
Limavady were quick off the mark and set the early pace for the game, but great work by the Dee defence of Floss Patton, Lisa Higgins, Angela Parker and Lauren Niblock kept them away from Faith McMillen’s goal.
As Donaghadee started to get a bit of a foothold in the game, Caroline Davison and Joey Patton were winning balls in the midfield and they created some beautiful attacking play of their own, sending Erin Hamilton off on plenty of runs up the right wing. Emily Morris was working hard on the opposite wing, winding her way through the defenders to get the ball forward for Kerrie Turtle and Vicky O’Neill.
The second quarter was end to end and with both sides breaking quickly there were lots of counter-attacking opportunities at both ends, but between good defensive work and a couple of saves from the goalkeepers, the match remained scoreless at halftime.
The third quarter saw a number of Limavady penalty corners but the Dee were holding their own and a few goal line saves were pulled off to keep them out. Unfortunately, one of the PCs was eventually converted and the scoreline was 1-0 to the away team.
However, Donaghadee were growing in confidence as they began to create more chances with Joey, Erin and Row Moore making strong runs to find Emily and Kerrie who were unlucky not to find the back of the net.
Into the last quarter and Kerrie came close again with her shot only being saved narrowly by the Limavady keeper.
At the other end, Megan Inglis was dominating in the defence, cutting out any chances that were racing her way and Faith was on hand to clear away any balls that were sneaking goalward.
In the final minutes of the game, Donaghadee were awarded a penalty corner which was injected by Emily to an awaiting Megan at the top of the circle. Megan’s shot was saved but it was cleared out to the left of the circle where Vicky was waiting, and much to the delight of her teammates and support on the sidelines, she fired home to bring the scoreline to 1-1.
The match ended a well deserved draw. It was a star performance from the whole team and thanks goes to Mike Smyth for umpiring, and to Elevate Storage Solutions for sponsoring the match ball.
And finally, a massive thank you to Willie from the whole team for his side-line presence one last time, with the 2XI have now completed their league games for the season.
Sponsor Shoutouts We are delighted that the following players from Saturday’s matches are being individually sponsored. If you would like to sponsor your favourite player, please speak to them directly or email us at dlhc@hotmail.co.uk. View all sponsored players here
Dates for the Diary Wednesday 8th April – training match against Ulster O45s as the Ulster team continues their preparation for the Interpros tournament at the end of April
Wednesday 14th April – return of Walking Hockey. Check out the club’s socials for further info
Saturday 16th May – End of Season Do for all club members
Sunday 31st May – return of the annual Stick It To Cancer Sixes tournament. Places limited so contact the club to reserve your team’s spot ASAP
Player of the Match performance from Faith against KV. Photo credit: Co Down Spectator
Senior 2: Club KV 2-2 DLHC 1XI Donaghadee Ladies 1XI travelled to face fellow promotees Club KV under the Friday night lights at the Dub last weekend, looking to secure vital points to further cement their standing in Senior League 2. In a match of two distinct halves – or rather, three-quarters to one-quarter – the visitors showcased their grit and determination before weathering a late storm to come away with a hard-fought draw.
From the opening whistle, Donaghadee looked the sharper of the two sides. Intent on stamping their authority on the game, the visitors were consistently first to the tackle and dictated the tempo for the first three-quarters of the match, with Donaghadee’s central defensive pairing of Megan Inglis and Natalie Jamieson picking off the attacks and the midfield trio of Shell Pearson, Helen Herron and Jess Moore snapping into 50-50s and coming away with the ball to give Donaghadee the platform required to put the home side under pressure.
This relentless work rate pinned Club KV back, subjecting the home team to sustained periods of defence. The breakthrough eventually came courtesy of Jordan McWilliams, who showcased excellent striker’s instincts. After an initial shot was parried by the KV keeper, Jordan was the first to react, pouncing on the loose ball to fire Donaghadee into a deserved 1-0 lead.
With momentum firmly on their side, Donaghadee continued to press and soon found their second through a sweeping team move that started wide on the right thanks to a strong clearance from Kathy Sinnamon picking out Carolyn Scott with a ball down the line towards the halfway line.
The forward executed a superb, pinpoint cross-field pass that completely opened up the KV defence to find Katie McHenry in acres of space on the left. Showing great control and a very calm head, Katie collected the pass without breaking stride, drove into the attacking circle, and coolly rounded the KV keeper before slotting home to double the Dee’s advantage.
At 2-0 up, Donaghadee looked comfortable, but the unpredictable nature of the Dee’s season reared its head. With Jess off injured, Donaghadee required a shuffle of personnel and as they tried to regroup, Club KV hit their purple patch.
The home side shifted gears, forcing Donaghadee onto the back foot and winning a succession of penalty corners that heaped immense pressure on the Dee defence. Donaghadee goalkeeper Faith McMillen was called into action repeatedly, producing several crucial, acrobatic saves to keep KV at bay and maintain the two-goal cushion. Kathy turned a straight strike round the post to safety and Row Moore was also on hand to deflect wide.
However, the sheer volume of the relentless KV pressure eventually took its toll. In a frantic closing period, the home side managed to breach the Donaghadee defence, scoring two goals in quick succession to erase the deficit and level the tie.
While Donaghadee might feel a twinge of disappointment at letting a two-goal lead slip late in the game, the squad can take massive positives from their commanding performance for the first 50 minutes. Taking a point on the road against a fellow promoted side remains a solid outcome as Donaghadee continue to gather points towards safety in Senior League 2, with just 3 games remaining.
With thanks to Vicky O’Neill and Floss Patton who travelled with the squad as injury cover, a shout out to Faith for her Player of the Match performance, and thanks to the two Ulster Hockey umpires.
The 1XI are back in action this Friday night against Bangor at BGS with a pass back of 8pm.
Emily was voted Player of the Match against Bangor on Saturday
Junior League 10: Bangor 1-1 DLHC 2XI The first quarter was very end to end with both teams on the attack and in search of the first goal. The Dee back line of Floss Patton, Lisa Higgins, Angela Parker and Lauren Niblock were showing their strength and skill by cutting out any Bangor attacks and firing balls into the midfield for Jan Burgess to distribute wide to the wings.
Joey Patton was working hard in the centre in front of Jan to get the balls through to waiting forwards, Katie Mckee and Vicky O’Neill, and it was somewhat against the run of play that shortly before the end of quarter one, Bangor slotted home to go in to the first break 1-0 to the good.
The second quarter was much the same with strong attack and defence from both teams. Donaghadee’s keeper Janice McVeigh was on form, keeping the Bangor forwards out of her goal thanks to some vital saves. Just in front of Janice, Megan Inglis was firing balls from the back up towards Erin Hamilton, Caroline Davison and Emily Morris who were using their pace to run through the space with the ball.
In the middle of sustained Donaghadee attacking, a smashing shot from Jan rattled the backboard to equalise for Donaghadee and bring the scoreline back level at 1-1. The Dee continued to press with a couple of good chances thanks to some skilful runs from Ellen Campbell driving into the circle decent home defence meant Donaghadee weren’t able to capitalise.
Despite both sides carving out good opportunities, the two defences were also both on form and the game ended with no further goals. Final score 1-1.
Emily Morris was voted Player of the Match for her non stop performance of continuous running in both attack and defence, and she thanked Row Moore for umpiring.
The 2XI have a week off before their final game of the season, at home to Limavady on 28th March, pass back at BGS is at 2.30pm.
The 2XI squad that faced Larne in the semi-final of the Junior Plate, 7th March 2026
Junior Plate Semi Final: Larne 1-0 DLHC 2XI It was a classic cup tie narrative when Donaghadee Ladies’ 2XI travelled to face Larne in the highly anticipated Junior Plate semi-final last Saturday. Despite coming up against a home side that competes in the league above, the visitors refused to be intimidated.
Right from the opening whistle, it was evident that Donaghadee were paying no attention to the league gap, with every single Donaghadee player stepping up to delivering a huge performance characterised by a relentless work rate, tight marking and confident distribution. They matched their higher-tier opponents stride for stride, turning the match into a well-contested, exciting and very even battle.
For the vast majority of the game, the two sides were inseparable in an end-to-end encounter where neither team was willing to give an inch. Ultimately, the heartbreak for Donaghadee came down to a single, clinical moment of quality: a remarkably smart strike from a Larne forward that proved to be the sole difference on the day.
While the narrow defeat meant the end of the 2XI’s cup run, the Donaghadee squad were able to walk off the pitch with their heads held high. To play so well and push a team from the league above to such a close final score was testament to all of Donaghadee’s players on the day.
Well done to Lauren for her Player of the Match performance in defence, and thanks to Row Moore for umpiring. Good luck to Larne in the final in April.
Both Dee teams are back in action this weekend, with the 1XI heading to Queen’s to play Club KV on Friday night, pass back 7.30pm, while the 2XI are back at BGS to take on Bangor on Saturday, pass back there 12.30pm.
2XI Sponsor Shoutouts We are delighted that the following players from Saturday’s match are being individually sponsored. If you would like to sponsor your favourite player, please speak to them directly or email us at dlhc@hotmail.co.uk. View all sponsored players here
Natalie was brilliant in defence on Saturday – deserved Star Player!
Junior 10: Enniskillen 2-0 DLHC 2XI Donaghadee 2s made the journey to Fivemiletown on Saturday, to take on Enniskillen, knowing that with only 11 players and some illness within the squad it was going to be a tough trip.
Enniskillen won the toss and elected to take pass back and they went straight on the attack to pressure Donaghadee’s defensive unit of Floss Patton, Natalie Jamieson, Caroline Davison and Row Moore.
When the home side did manage to sneak through, Dee keeper Faith McMillen continued her good form, making several great clearances. At the other end, Katie McKee and Kerrie Turtle up front were picking up balls from Ellen Campbell who was making some super runs in midfield to break up play in the middle of the pitch, as Donaghadee looked to give themselves the advantage.
Out wide, Erin Hamilton and Emily Morris did exceptionally well to keep up their pace for the duration of the game, not only attacking from the wings but also working back to help cover in defence, while Vicky O’Neill was covering a lot of ground in the defensive midfield role, sweeping from side to side to break down any attacks and fire the ball forward.
Enniskillen sealed the game with two goals in the third quarter but Donaghadee were unlucky not to score through Kerrie and Katie in the last quarter, with the Enniskillen keeper making some terrific saves to keep Donaghadee out.
Despite the scoreline the game was actually pretty even and it was a great performance from the Donaghadee girls who kept up the momentum and work rate for the whole match despite the lack of subs.
A massive thank you to all of the girls who travelled to play despite low numbers, to coach Willie McAdam for umpiring and Enniskillen for the refreshments after the game, with Natalie Jamieson awarded Player of the Match for her impressive defensive performance all afternoon.
The 1XI had no match and both teams are back in action this weekend: the Firsts are at home to Ballyclare with pass back 1pm at Bangor Grammar, while the 2XI are off on their travels again, this time to Ballymena with a pass back time of 2.30pm at Ballymena Academy.
2XI Sponsor Shoutouts We are delighted that the following players from Saturday’s match are being individually sponsored. If you would like to sponsor your favourite player, please speak to them directly or email us at dlhc@hotmail.co.uk. View all sponsored players here
Senior 2: DLHC 1XI 0-7 Rainey It was a challenging afternoon at home for Donaghadee Ladies’ 1XI last Saturday as they welcomed a strong Rainey side to BGS. The home squad faced significant selection difficulties prior to pass-back, with a large number of regular 1XI players unavailable. However, in true DLHC spirit, six players from the 2XI stepped up to ensure a full team took to the pitch.
The disruption to the squad was evident in the opening stages. Rainey capitalised on the unsettled home side, starting with high intensity and ruthless finishing. Donaghadee found themselves on the back foot immediately, and despite their best efforts, were trailing by several goals by the end of a difficult first quarter.
However, the team showed immense character and heads did not drop; as the game progressed, the unfamiliar Donaghadee line-up began to gel. While the majority of the match was spent defending against waves of Rainey pressure, the home defence tightened up significantly after the first break, and the whole team dug deep to stem the flow of goals, showing much better structure and resilience in the subsequent three quarters.
The standout performance of the day went to Lisa Higgins, who stepped up to show plenty of grit and determination. In a match where the defence was under constant siege, her work rate was phenomenal, putting in a shift of tireless tackling, breaking down play repeatedly and setting a tenacious example for the rest of the squad.
A massive thank you goes to the six 2XI players who stepped up to play against at a much higher-level than their usual Junior 10 opposition. While the 7-0 scoreline was tough to take, the fighting spirit shown by everyone in Saturday’s team was a huge credit to the club.
Thanks to Willie McAdam for umpiring and to NI Building Surveys for sponsoring the match ball. The 1XI are next in action tomorrow night (Friday 13th) away to CI while the 2XI are also on their travels, away to Ballymena on Saturday.
Sponsor Shoutouts We are delighted that the following players from Saturday’s match are being individually sponsored. If you would like to sponsor your favourite player, please speak to them directly or email us at dlhc@hotmail.co.uk. View all sponsored players here
Carolyn thanks Kerry for one of two assists on Saturday. Photo: Front Row Union
Senior 2: Owls 1-3 DLHC 1XI It was a tale of two halves on Saturday for DLHC’s 1XI when they took on Owls at Roughfort when a first half hat-trick put Donaghadee in the driving seat but a spirited second half from Owls made for an action-packed afternoon in dreich conditions.
In a game characterised by clinical attacking in the first half and a super goalkeeping performance in the second, Donaghadee showed plenty of heart and resilience as they secured another valuable 3 points.
From the opening whistle, Donaghadee signalled their intent with a high-pressing game that gave the Owls’ backline little time to breathe. The midfield unit of Helen Herron, Ellen Campbell and Vicky O’Neill led by example with sharp distribution and tireless running in the central channels, consistently feeding wide players Jess Moore and Jordan McWilliams. This positive attacking play ensured there was little time for the Owls defence to rest.
With Owls pushing up to try and squeeze the midfield area, one Donaghadee through ball was partly intercepted by the Owls right back but deflected up and over to an unmarked Carolyn Scott. Picking the ball out of the air, the forward turned and bore down on the Owls keeper, coolly slotting the shot low to the keeper’s right to give Donaghadee the opening goal.
With Donaghadee building their way in to the game, some clever give-and-go passing created more sustained pressure which provided the perfect platform for the forward line to exploit gaps in the circle; Kathy Sinnamon, pushing up from her right defensive position, linked neatly with Kerry Kennedy who burst into the Owls circle, looking to get a shot away. With the ball running slightly beyond Kerry’s reach, Carolyn was on hand to swivel and fire off an unstoppable shot that flew across the keeper and pinged in off the far post: 2-0 to the Dee.
The same two players combined again for Donaghadee’s third: an absolute rocket of a cross from Kerry was instinctively turned goalward by Carolyn. Whether self preservation or pinpoint deflection there was no mistaking the outcome as the ball ricocheted into the back of the net; 3-0 to the Dee and a seemingly comfortable cushion as half-time beckoned.
However, the second half told a different story. The Owls team emerged from the break with a point to prove, throwing numbers forward and forcing Donaghadee into a more defensive shape.
With Rachelle Pearson marshalling the troops from her berth in the centre of defence, both Megan Inglis and Natalie Jamieson were called on to make timely blocks as Donaghadee scrambled to clear. Row Moore too was called on to make a neat interception just as an Owls forward was about to shoot. With the momentum shifting dramatically in favour of the home side, Donaghadee keeper Faith McMillen produced a string of high-quality saves to keep the hosts at bay.
Whether it was diving to redirect goal-bound shots or toe-poking the ball away at full stretch, her composure under fire was the backbone of Donaghadee’s second-half defence, earning her a well-deserved Player of the Match award from her team-mates.
With the Owls pressure finally producing a goal late in the day, it was all hands to the pump for Donaghadee but despite Owls’ late surge, the visitors held firm to see out the win. It was definitely a performance of two halves with Donaghadee thankful for their first half goals, and thwarting a lively Owls side in the second half which, on another day, could easily have scored more.
Thanks to Ulster Hockey for providing the umpires. The 1XI are back at home this Saturday coming, with Rainey the visitors to BGS for the 1pm pass back.
Sponsor Shoutouts We are delighted that the following players from Saturday’s match are being individually sponsored. If you would like to sponsor your favourite player, please speak to them directly or email us at dlhc@hotmail.co.uk. View all sponsored players here
The 2XI are through to the Junior Plate semi final thanks to a 2-0 win over Bangor
Junior Plate QF: DLHC 2XI 2-0 Bangor 5XI Donaghadee Ladies 2s were at home to Bangor Ladies 5s in the Junior League Plate last Saturday. With progression to the semi-final awaiting the winners of this match, Dee Seconds were keen to show their intent right from the first whistle.
The first quarter was very fast paced with both teams making multiple circle entries, as each looked for the first goal. Donaghadee’s back line of Floss Patton, Megan Inglis, Natalie Jamieson and Angela Parker were showing their strength and pace by thwarting the Bangor attack and firing dangerous balls forward for Emily Morris and Ellen Campbell to pick up on the wings.
The second quarter was much the same with strong attack and defence from both teams ensuring that whoever scored the first goal was going to need to provide a moment of magic.
Bangor tried their level best but they found Dee keeper Janice McVeigh in brilliant form, despite being under the weather. She single-handedly thwarted the Bangor forwards on several occasions to keep the ball out of her goal.
Erin Hamilton and Lauren Niblock were introduced to Donaghadee’s set up to add pace into the attack and this switch up paid dividends almost immediately. It was Kerrie Turtle who broke the deadlock when she picked up the ball and calmly on her reverse slipped it past the goal keeper to make it advantage Donaghadee.
Into the second half and the pressure on Bangor’s defence continued with Donaghadee refusing to let up. Caroline Davison pushed up from her usual defensive midfield berth to provide extra forward impetus alongside Vicky O’Neill, where they both worked tirelessly to run midfield to feed through the ball for the forwards.
Into the final quarter and after one last team talk from coach Willie McAdam, Katie McKee was quick off the mark, using her pace to her advantage to weave through the sea of Bangor shirts as she threatened to create another breakthrough.
Emily Morris and Ellen Campbell were constantly pressuring Bangor’s keeper, who was forced in to a number of good saves but with 5 minutes left on the clock, Ellen was able to fire home for Donaghadee to double the advantage and make good the outcome of the game: 2-0 to the Dee and a semi-final spot secured at the start of March.
Ellen was voted Star Player by her team mates for her tireless running topped off with a goal to top off a brilliant day! Thanks to Row Moore for umpiring, to Elevate Storage Solutions for sponsoring the match ball, and to Player Sponsors of Vicky O’Neill (Donaghadee Dairies) and Caroline Davison (Elevate Storage Solutions)
No match for the 2s next week but the 1XI are on their travels with a trip to Roughfort to play Owls, pass back there, 1pm on Saturday.
2XI Sponsor Shoutouts We are delighted that the following players from Saturday’s match are being individually sponsored. If you would like to sponsor your favourite player, please speak to them directly or email us at dlhc@hotmail.co.uk. View all sponsored players here
The 1XI played out a dramatic 3-3 draw with Saintfield last Saturday
Senior 2: DLHC 1XI 3-3 Saintfield Finally, finally a hard-fought, well-earned and richly deserved point on the board for the 1XI of Donaghadee LHC’s 1XI in no less than a 6-goal thriller against Saintfield on Saturday.
With the early January cold snap having put paid to any hockey the previous weekend, last Saturday was the first match back after the Christmas break for both sides, with Saintfield flying high in second position in the Senior 2 league table, and Donaghadee have amassed enough points at the halfway stage to be sitting reasonably comfortably in 8th.
The Dee girls have been agonisingly close to valuable points on a number of occasions this year, with no better example than at the start of the season when these two sides met and only a single goal to Saintfield was the difference.
With only 12 players available it was a fairly straightforward selection for coach Willie McAdam this week, and it was Donaghadee who looked the more lively of the two sides in the opening quarter. It was great to see Helen Herron back in midfield and she settled quickly into a rhythm of breaking up play and driving forward in the middle of the pitch as Donaghadee looked to gain early ground.
Indeed it was the home side who threatened first; a Donaghadee penalty corner strike whistled past the left upright and Row Moore – playing further forward on the left of midfield – also got a shot away as Saintfield scrambled to clear the danger presented by Dee.
As Donaghadee looked to exert more pressure, Rachelle Pearson and Jan Morrow both pushed up on the right to cut out danger and feed an ever-dangerous Jess Moore on the wing, with Donaghadee creating the better of the chances in the opening exchanges.
Saintfield aren’t up there in the table without good reason however and they turned the game on its head in the second quarter with two clinical penalty corner routines. The first strike left Dee keeper Faith McMillen no chance and the second – which Kathy Sinnamon did well to get a stick to – also ended up in the back of Donaghadee’s goal to give the visitors a seemingly comfortable lead going in to the half time break.
If quarter two was all about the Saintfield goals, quarter three was all Donaghadee’s. Hitting back quickly after the restart, Dee were working the ball well through midfield with Kerry Kennedy creating a lot of space to ping the ball about as Donaghadee looked to regain some ground. A super through ball from Kerry found Carolyn Scott at the edge of the circle and the latter’s clean strike gave the Saintfield keeper no chance.
Within minutes Donaghadee were back on level terms: Jordan McWilliams’ initial shot looked to be going slightly wide but Carolyn was on hand to bunt in at the back post to bring the Dee back level. 2-2 going in to the final quarter.
With Donaghadee pushing forward in search of their third, a quick break from Saintfield looked to create space for their dangerous centre forward but Paige Reilly and Megan Inglis combined well with good communication and neat defence to ensure that attack was snuffed out. The visitors did however get their third thanks to, once again, another clinical penalty corner. 3-2 and down to the last 5 minutes.
With time ticking firmly on and looking to be in Saintfield’s favour, Donaghadee won a penalty corner of their own. Jess Moore got the deflection and with the ball looping up and over the keeper, time seemed to stand still as the defence of one team and the attack of the other all stood agog as the ball took an age to come down to clink against the underside of the right angle of the far post and the crossbar to drop just over the goal line, in what turned out to be almost the final play of the game, and much to Donaghadee’s absolute jubilation.
A belter of a match in which both sides played some lovely free-flowing attacking hockey, in what Donaghadee hopes will be the start of a decent run of results. Jordan McWilliams was voted Player of the Match and she thanked both the Ulster Hockey umpires for their officiating and Northern Ireland Building Surveys for the match ball sponsorship.
The 1XI have a week off before their next match against Owls away on 31st January but there is match action this weekend at BGS for the 2XI against Bangor in the Junior Plate, pass back there at 2.30pm.
1XI Sponsor Shoutout We are delighted that a number of DLHC players are being individually sponsored for the 2025/26 season. If you would like to sponsor your favourite player, please speak to them directly or email us at dlhc@hotmail.co.uk. View all sponsored players here
Even Santa’s red and green 😉 Happy Christmas to all our supporters!
Intermediate Cup Quarter Final: Bangor 5-1 DLHC 1XI Having met last month in the league, it was the turn of the Intermediate Cup to throw neighbours Donaghadee and Bangor together again and the large number of spectators were not disappointed in what turned out to be not only an exciting match but a Christmas goal bonanza for Bangor. While the final score ended 5-1 to the team in yellow and blue, Donaghadee were in it for large spells and it was a lot closer than the final score would suggest.
With Donaghadee shorn of no fewer than 6 first team regulars, it was a strong showing from those who stepped up from the 2XI – thankfully the 2s with no match this weekend – but it was a tall order to compete against a Bangor side topping Senior 2 at the halfway point of the season.
In fact it was Donaghadee who opened the scoring thanks to a neat reverse-stick finish from Carolyn Scott early in the second quarter but Bangor responded immediately to level the score before nabbing another before half time to go in to the break 2-1 to the good.
Bangor then went 3-1 up thanks to a well taken reverse shot from the top of the circle and despite the Dee creating a couple of good chances in the final quarter, it was Bangor who capitalised on their attacks, scoring one on the break followed by a period of concerted pressure and a number of penalty corners, the last of which was slotted home to make it 5-1 and a solid victory that takes them to the semi final.
Thanks to Mike Smyth for umpiring, and best wishes to Bangor for the next round. There is now a break in action but a festive friendly is pencilled in against Ards on 3rd January before both teams resume league action the following weekend; the 2XI are away to Ballymena on Friday 9th January before the Firsts head to Limavady on Saturday 10th January.
Wishing all our friends and supporters a very Happy Christmas and we look forward to going again in the new year!
Donaghadee LHC 