Drumahoe ladies to create history tonight

The girls face a very difficult away trip to Ballymena United Ladies who finished a very respectable third last season behind Crusaders Newtownabbey Strikers and Glentoran Belfast United.

Ballymena are a seasoned premier league outfit with bags of experience and are a marked contrast to the very young and relatively inexperienced YM side.

YMCA will be hoping to consolidate their place in the Premier League this season and the step up in class from the Championship is best illustrated by the fact that league winners of the Premier League qualify for the Women’s European Champions League.

Belfast United were the Northern Ireland representatives last season and Strikers will play this season after de-throning long term champions Belfast United last year.

YMCA can boast quality players all over the pitch with Northern Ireland U19 goalkeeper Kirsty Eddis vying with Northern Ireland U17 keeper Alice Harkness for the coveted number one jersey and in defence Chloe Archibald, Laura Nicholas and Tasmin McCarter have all represented Northern Ireland at U17 and 19 this year.

In midfield YM have current Republic of Ireland U19 international Aine McKeever as their play-maker ably assisted by the hard-working Coral Lapsley, Mairead McCann and Sarah Bergin.

Up front YM will be hoping that current Northern Ireland senior squad players Kendra McMullan and Avilla Bergin will get them the goals to make their first season a successful one.

YMCA warmed up for their first foray into the Premier league by winning a cross - border invitation tournament on Easter Monday by beating Sion Swifts (Tyrone), Carndonagh (Inishowen League) and Lagan Harps (Ulster Senior League) in Letterkenny.

Manager Greg McKeever was particularly pleased that throughout the four games YM played in the competition they only conceded one goal whilst scoring five.