Consistency is the key as Athlone hunt silverware
Laurie Ryan’s side is getting all the early season buzz
LAURIE RYAN laughs as she tells the story of seeing her face on billboard on the outskirts of Athlone last year. The following day, a couple of her students came in to class at TUS Athlone and said they saw it. By the end of the season, they were regular visitors to Athlone Town stadium.
‘So, visibility is the main thing for the league,’ the Athlone captain points out. ‘The more that people can see the branding and promotion, the more they become aware of, when the matches are on, the more they will be inclined to go. I remember those students telling me they saw me on the billboard and they ended up coming to our games. And one of those students is now doing placement at our club. So, it is just about increasing awareness.’
Ryan ended last season by lifting the Women’s FAI Cup after a dramatic final against Shelbourne that was decided by penalties. It felt like a fitting conclusion to the year for Athlone, as since Ciarán Kilduff took over from Tommy Hewitt, they were the most improved side in the country.
And as the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division, as the League of Ireland have kindly reminded everyone to call it, kicks off this afternoon, Athlone are the side all the others are watching. They had won 11 of their final 13 games of last season, as Kilduff seemed to find a formula that worked and picked up where they left off last weekend when they swept defending champions Peamount aside to claim the President’s Cup. Dana Scheriff was a regular source of goals last season, ending up as the league’s top goalscorer, but the New Jersey native has left for FC Aarau in Switzerland, so the midlanders will hope that the arrival of Northern Ireland international Casey Howe can fill those rather big shoes. But they still have the energy and link play of Madison Gibson and the playmaking of Chloe Singleton while Ryan adds solidity in midfield. And in Katie Keane, they have a young goalkeeper who is developing a reputation as one of the best shot-stoppers in the league. They will certainly be in the mix, even if Ryan is keen to play down her side’s title-winning credentials. ‘I suppose people thought the same of us last year and we really fell off in the first half of the season, so we are taking nothing for granted. The top four from last season are all really strong and they have all strengthened in the close-season, so our goal is just to make sure we are more consistent.’
Athlone’s first game is at home to Galway United this season. The westerners will be another interesting side this season, as manager Phil Trill looks to build on an excellent season where they finished fourth and claimed the All-Island Sports Cup, their first piece of silverware.
Their squad looks stronger than last season with the addition of two Americans, Emily Kavanaugh and goalkeeper Kaylee Hammer while the expebringing rience of former Ireland star Julie-Ann Russell may be key over the next few months as Galway look to build on pretty solid foundations from last term. Causing an upset in Athlone tonight would certainly set down a marker.
Motivated by everyone writing them off, Peamount stormed to an unexpected title win last year and while they are determined to keep their grip on their trophy, the 3-0 defeat to Athlone last weekend was chastening. Tara O’Hanlon’s departure to Manchester City also robs them of a rare talent, although they still have some gifted young players in Erin McLaughlin, Ellen Dolan and Freya Healy while they have strengthened by in Erica Burke and Ciara Maher from Bohemians.
But as their captain Karen Duggan (below left) pointed out on Off the Ball’s COYGIG podcast this week, the Peas probably punched above their weight this season and with the added distraction of Champions League football, it might be asking a bit much to repeat the success, although they should get their title defence off to a winning start in Turner’s Cross this evening.
If everyone is taking notice of Athlone, the same will be true of Shamrock Rovers, who get their second season underway against DLR Waves in Belfield this afternoon with Collie O’Neill working with a more settled side this year. The two northside clubs, Shelbourne and Bohemians, both have new managers in Eoin Wearen and Ken Kiernans and will hope to attract new fans to Tolka Park and Dalymount on Saturday afternoons with a number of initiatives, including tie-ins with local primary schools while Wexford will be looking for some improvement under new boss Hugh Strong after a disappointing season, where they finished in the bottom half of the table.
One club to certainly look out for is Treaty United, taken over by a North American investment group last year and who have installed former Ireland international Ciara McCormack as the league’s first female chief executive.
It’s just one of the fascinating sub-plots and storylines that should make this the most visible season yet for the Women’s Premier Division.
And as Laurie Ryan says, it is all about visibility. Shelbourne v Sligo Rovers, Tolka Park, 2pm; DLR Waves v Shamrock Rovers, UCD Bowl, 3pm; Cork City v Peamount United, Turners Cross, 5pm; Wexford FC v Bohemians, Ferrycarrig, 6pm; Athlone Town v Galway United, Athlone Town Stadium, 7.30pm.
“The top four from last year are all strong”