The Down Area Winter Football League (DAWFL), is an amateur
association football
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
league in
County Down
County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of and has a population of 552,261. It borders County Antrim to the ...
,
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
. The league was formed in August 1974 in
Downpatrick
Downpatrick () is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is on the Lecale peninsula, about south of Belfast. In the Middle Ages, it was the capital of the Dál Fiatach, the main ruling dynasty of Ulaid. Down Cathedral, Its cathedral is sai ...
, and currently has over 50 clubs affiliated with it. The league runs a winter season from September to May. Teams compete in a number of divisions, as well as cup competitions.
A number of players within the league have gone on to play professionally. These include
Northern Ireland internationals, such as
Steven Davis
Steven Davis (born 1 January 1985) is a Northern Irish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He made his full international debut in 2005 and made 140 appearances at senior level, scoring 13 goals, to become the most cappe ...
and
Keith Gillespie
Keith Robert Gillespie ( ; born 18 February 1975) is a Northern Irish former professional footballer who plays as a winger for FC Mindwell in the Mid-Ulster Football League.
He began his career at Manchester United after winning the FA Yo ...
. NIFL teams submit their reserve teams to the league.
League format
The league is divided into divisions, with relegation and promotion. The league structure is as follows:
* Premier Division
* Division 1
* Division 2
* Reserve Division 1
* Reserve Division 2
Cup tournaments
* Billy Allen Memorial Shield
* Dennis Nash Charity Shield
* Sittlington Cup
* Frank Moore Cup
* Mervyn Bassett Cup
* Tommy Murphy Memorial Shield
List of DAWFL teams, and leagues
** Premier Division
*
Ards Rangers III
* Ballygowan FC
* Ballynafeigh Breda Star
* Castle Juniors
* Comber YM
*
Comber Rec III
* Cooke Athletic
* Corrymeela
* Millisle
* Newtownards RBL
* North Down
* Vision Athletic
** Division 2
List of DAWFL teams
As of 2025, teams affiliated with the Down Area Winter Football League include:
* 3rd Bangor OB
* 3rd Bangor OB II
* 43rd Dundonald
* 43rd Dundonald II
*
Abbey Villa III
* Agape Swifts
*
Ards Rangers III
* Ards Rangers IV
* Ballygowan FC
* Ballygowan FC II
* Ballyhalbert United
* Ballynafeigh Breda Star
* Ballynafeigh Breda Star II
*
Bangor Swifts III
* Bangor YM III
* Blackstaff
* Blackstaff FC 2nds
* Bloomfield III
*
Bryansburn Rangers III
* Carryduff Colts III
* Carryduff Colts IV
* Castle Juniors
* Castle Juniors II
* Clarawood
*
Comber Rec III
* Comber Rec IV
* Comber YM
* Comber YM II
* Cooke Athletic
* Cooke Athletic II
* Corrymeela
* Corrymeela II
*
Groomsport III
*
Holywood III
* Holywood IV
* Lagan Swifts
* Lagan Swifts II
* Millisle
* Millisle II
* Newtown Forest
* Newtown Forest II
* Newtownards RBL
* Newtownards RBL II
* North Down
* North Down II
*
Queens Grads III
* Queens Grads IV
*
Tullycarnet III
* Victoria Athletic
* Victoria Athletic II
* Vision Athletic
* Vision Athletic II
References
{{Football in Northern Ireland
1974 establishments in Northern Ireland
Sports leagues established in 1974
4
Amateur sport in the United Kingdom
Amateur association football competitions