Direct favour initially ignored (5)
I believe the answer is:
refer
'direct' is the definition.
(referring is a kind of directing)
'favour initially ignored' is the wordplay.
'favour' becomes 'prefer ' (synonyms).
'initially ignored' means to remove the first letter.
'prefer' with its initial letter taken off is 'REFER'.
(Other definitions for refer that I've seen before include "If special treatment needed, GP might do this" , "Send a patient to a specialist" , "Direct elsewhere" , "Relate" , "Freer (anag.)" .)