MR Onions striker Eoghan O'Dwyer believes his side will be more than capable of holding their own in the First Division, if they are accepted into the league at a Bermuda Football Association executive meeting tonight.

The former Commercial League club are hoping to be given the chance to move up a division after their league was disbanded in the recent changes to football in Bermuda.

And, after staring for Knights in the Island Soccer League, O'Dwyer is confident that Onions' squad is good enough to finish in the top half of the First Division.

"The standard is going to be better," said O'Dwyer. "Last year we were one of the favourites to win the (Commercial) league, but if we get into the First Division it will be a lot tougher.

"We're going to have to respect teams a bit more, because you're going to have more organised teams with players who are trying harder and more often. But I think we can be relatively confident that we could do quite well.

"I don't think we would win the division, but I think we could be up there in the top four or five."

O'Dwyer has reason to be confident in his side's abilities. Last year they pushed North Village very close in the FA Cup, and they have beaten Premier Division sides on more than one occasion in recent years.

"We were five minutes from beating Village," he said, "and we have beaten Southampton Rangers as well."

However the Onions skipper also knows that should the club be accepted, then certain things, like a sometimes laissez faire attitude to training, will have to change.

"Last year we pretty much stopped training after Christmas. Lads over Christmas go home, eat a bit too much and decide 'I can't be bothered'.

"This year we won't be allowed to let that happen. The standard won't be massively higher, but it'll be a small step up, especially against the better teams because they are going to be looking to push on into the Premier Division."

While Onions will be hoping to get into the First Division they haven't forgotten their roots.

The other former Commercial Teams have formed the new Corona Football League, and Onions will have a presence there as well.

"From day one we were always committed to going into the Corona League as well," said O'Dwyer.

"That's the Commercial League, it's where we've come from, and there was no way we weren't going to support it.

"We have a massive squad at the club and we have enough for three teams."