Women's association football in the Republic of Ireland | |
---|---|
Country | Republic of Ireland |
Governing body | Women's Football Association of Ireland |
National team(s) | Republic of Ireland |
National competitions | |
Women's association football in the Republic of Ireland is governed by the Women's Football Association of Ireland. The WFAI organizes and manages the Republic of Ireland women's national football team, the FAI Women's Cup and the Women's National League as well as various county and regional leagues and junior cup competitions. The most notable county league is the Dublin Women's Soccer League. Organised women's association football has been played in the Republic of Ireland since at least the late 1960s and the national team has been active since 1973. Notable Republic of Ireland women's association footballers include Katie Taylor, Stephanie Roche and Emma Byrne. In addition to representing the Republic of Ireland at full international level, Taylor is also an Irish, European, World and Olympic boxing champion. In 2014 Roche was a FIFA Puskás Award nominee. Byrne is a prominent member of the Arsenal Ladies team.
Year/Season | Key events |
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1965 | Benfica, one of the oldest women's association football clubs in the Republic of Ireland is founded in Waterford |
1967 | UCD play Dublin University in an early intervarsity women's game. [1] [2] |
1973 | The Women's Football Association of Ireland is established. [3] On 22 April the Republic of Ireland women's national football team make their debut in a 10–1 defeat against Scotland. |
1982 | The Republic of Ireland make their competitive debut on 19 September in a European Competition for Women's Football qualifier. They lose 3–0 to Scotland. |
1982 | On 2 October the Republic of Ireland win their first competitive game when they defeat Northern Ireland 2–1 in a European Competition for Women's Football qualifier. |
1983 | Thomond College win the inaugural Intervarsity Cup, the women's equivalent of the Collingwood Cup. [4] [5] |
1991 | The WFAI affiliates with the Football Association of Ireland. [6] |
1994 | Elm Rovers become first Dublin Women's Soccer League champions. [7] |
2000 | The Republic of Ireland win the Celt Cup. [8] |
2002–03 | Shamrock Rovers became the first women's team to represent the Republic of Ireland in Europe. |
2005 | The Republic of Ireland win their second level group in their UEFA Women's Euro 2005 qualification campaign. |
2007 | Emma Byrne and Ciara Grant play for Arsenal in the 2007 UEFA Women's Cup Final. They are the first two Republic of Ireland women's players to feature in a major European cup final. Ciara McCormack had been an unused substitute in 2003. |
2010 | The Republic of Ireland U-17s finish as runners-up in the UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship and as quarter-finalists in the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. [9] |
2011–12 | Peamount United become the first Republic of Ireland team, including men's team, to qualify for the knockout stages of a European competition. [10] They also become the inaugural winners of the Women's National League. [11] |
2013 | The Republic of Ireland win their group at the 2013 Cyprus Cup. |
2013 | Stephanie Roche's goal for Peamount United goes viral on YouTube [12] [13] and is nominated for a FIFA Puskás Award. [14] |
2014 | The Republic of Ireland team win their group at the 2014 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship and qualify for the semi-finals. [15] |
2014–15 | Raheny United become first Republic of Ireland club team, including men's teams, to win their group in a European competition. |
Team | Home town/suburb | Stadium | 2021 finish |
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Athlone Town | Athlone | Athlone Town Stadium | 7th |
Bohemians | Dublin (Phibsborough) | Dalymount Park | 6th |
Cork City | Cork | Turners Cross | 8th |
DLR Waves | Dún Laoghaire | UCD Bowl | 4th |
Galway | Galway | Eamonn Deacy Park | 5th |
Peamount United | Newcastle, South Dublin | Greenogue | 2nd |
Shelbourne | Dublin (Drumcondra) | Tolka Park | 1st |
Sligo Rovers | Sligo | The Showgrounds | NA |
Treaty United | Limerick | Markets Field | 9th |
Wexford Youths | Crossabeg | Ferrycarrig Park | 3rd |
League memberFormer memberFuture member
Team | Home town/suburb | Ground |
---|---|---|
Bray Wanderers | Bray | Carlisle Grounds |
Dundalk | Dundalk | Oriel Park |
Sporting Kilmore | Coolock | Oscar Traynor Road |
Monaghan United | Monaghan | Gortakeegan |
Peamount United B | Newcastle, South Dublin | Greenogue |
Raheny United | Raheny | St Anne's Park |
St Francis | Baldonnel, Dublin | John Hyland Park |
St Catherine's | Walkinstown/The Liberties, Dublin | Walkinstown Avenue |
Team | Home town/suburb | Ground |
---|---|---|
Albion Rovers | Monasterboice | Muireachs Park |
Cabinteely | Cabinteely | Kilbogget Park |
Drimnagh Celtic | Drimnagh | |
Eureka Kells | Kells, County Meath | Dublin Road |
Lakelands | Stillorgan | |
Leixlip United | Leixlip | Leixlip Amenities Centre |
Peamount United C | Newcastle, South Dublin | Greenogue |
Templeogue | Templeogue |
Super League
Team | Home town/suburb | Home ground |
---|---|---|
Ballina Town | Ballina, County Mayo | Belleek Park |
Castlebar Town | Castlebar | |
Killala | Killala | |
Kilmore | Erris | |
Manulla | Manulla |
The Football Association of Ireland Women's Cup is the senior cup competition for women's association football in the Republic of Ireland. It is commonly known as the Women's FAI Cup, the WFAI Cup, or prior to 2001, the Ladies FAI Cup or the LFAI Cup. Organised by the Women's Football Association of Ireland, like the Women's National League, the Cup is currently sponsored by EVOKE.ie and is known as the EVOKE.ie FAI Women's Cup. Previous sponsors include Continental Tyres, Umbro and Brother International.
Áine Marie O'Gorman is an Irish professional footballer who plays for Women's National League club Shamrock Rovers. At club level, O'Gorman began her senior career with Stella Maris, played for Peamount United and UCD Waves, and also spent two seasons with the English FA WSL club Doncaster Rovers Belles in 2011 and 2012.
Peamount United Football Club is an Irish association football club based in Newcastle, South Dublin. The club is best known for its senior women's team who in 2011–12 became founder members and inaugural champions of the Women's National League. They have also represented the Republic of Ireland in Europe and in 2011–12 they became the first Republic of Ireland team, including men's teams, to qualify from their group for the knockout stages of a European competition. The club's senior men's team compete in the Leinster Senior League. Peamount United have also fielded teams in the Dublin Women's Soccer League, the Dublin and District Schoolboys League and the Metropolitan Girls League.
Julie-Ann Russell is an Irish footballer who plays for local Women's National League club Galway.
Stephanie Zambra is an Irish footballer who plays as a striker for Shamrock Rovers of Dublin and the Republic of Ireland women's national football team. Her October 2013 goal in the Women's National League (WNL) for Peamount United was the runner-up for the 2014 FIFA Puskás Award for the best goal of the year.
The League of Ireland Women's Premier Division is a professional women's association football league in the Republic of Ireland, organised by the League of Ireland, which began play in the 2023 season. The league consists of eleven teams, eight of which owned by clubs with men's teams in the League of Ireland's Premier Division or First Division. The premiers of the league qualify for the first round of the UEFA Women's Champions League in the following season.
Dora Gorman is an Irish physician and footballer who plays as a midfielder for Peamount United of the Women's National League (WNL). In 2010, she was captain of the Republic of Ireland U-17 squad who were runners-up in the 2010 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship and quarter-finalists in the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. As well as being a medical doctor, Gorman is an all-round sportswoman. She has also represented the Ireland women's national field hockey team at various levels and has played senior inter-county ladies' Gaelic football for the Galway county team.
Shelbourne Football Club is an Irish association football club based in Northside, Dublin. It is the women's section of the League of Ireland club Shelbourne FC. The senior women's team currently plays in the Women's National League. They have also fielded teams in the Dublin Women's Soccer League, the Metropolitan Girls League and the North Dublin Schoolboys/Girls League.
Sylvia Gee is a former Republic of Ireland women's international footballer who has spent the majority of her career playing in various women's association football leagues in the Republic of Ireland and the United States. Between 2003 and 2007, Gee was a prominent member and captain of the successful UCD team which qualified for the UEFA Women's Cup on three successive occasions.
UCD Women's Soccer Club is an Irish association football club based in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown. It is the women's association football team of University College Dublin. Founded in 1966, UCD are one of the oldest women's football clubs in the Republic of Ireland. Like the UCD men's team, the women's football team has competed in national competitions, such as the FAI Women's Cup and the Women's National League, as well as intervarsity competitions. UCD has also represented the Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Women's Cup. Between 2014 and 2018, following a merger, with DLR Waves, the club played in the Women's National League and FAI Women's Cup as UCD Waves. However in 2018 UCD withdrew from the WNL. DLR Waves was subsequently revived as a separate club, taking UCD Waves' place in the WNL.
The Dublin Women's Soccer League was a women's association football league featuring teams from the Republic of Ireland. While the majority of the participating clubs were based in the Greater Dublin Area, the DWSL had regularly included teams from outside this area. Whilst previously the DWSL was one of the largest women's leagues in Ireland it had been overtaken by the Wexford, MGL and Cork Leagues. In late 2019, the FAI following discussions revamped Women's Football in the Greater Dublin area and the Eastern Women's Football League (EWFL) chaired by the MGL's Tony Gains were granted the only license to run women's adult football in the Dublin area. The EWFL is run by committees of the MGL and the former DWSL.
Shamrock Rovers Football Club is an Irish association football club based in Tallaght, South Dublin. It is the women's section of the League of Ireland club Shamrock Rovers FC. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Shamrock Rovers were one of the most successful teams in women's association football in the Republic of Ireland, winning both the Dublin Women's Soccer League and the FAI Women's Cup five times in a row. In 2002–03 Shamrock Rovers became the first women's team to represent the Republic of Ireland in Europe, and in 2011–12 they were founder members of the Women's National League. In November 2022, it was confirmed that Shamrock Rovers would be re-entering the Women's National League for the 2023 season after a nine-year hiatus.
The 2013–14 Women's National League was the third season of the Women's National League. This was the final season the league was sponsored by Bus Éireann. In June 2013 the Football Association of Ireland announced Galway W.F.C. as an expansion team for the upcoming season. Raheny United won their second WNL title and also win the 2013 FAI Women's Cup. Meanwhile, Wexford Youths won their first trophy, the 2014 WNL Cup, with a 3–0 over Castlebar Celtic. Julie-Ann Russell of Peamount United was named 2013–14 Player of the Season.
Karen Duggan is an Irish footballer who plays for Peamount United of the Women's National League (WNL). She has previously played for UCD Waves and the Republic of Ireland women's national football team. Between 2013 and 2016 Duggan was selected for the WNL Team of the Season for four successive seasons. She was the only player selected all four seasons. In 2015–16 she was also WNL Senior Player of the Season. Duggan has also played camogie at club, university and county level.
St Francis Ladies Football Club is an Irish association football club based in Baldonnel, Dublin. It is the women's section of St Francis F.C. They have entered teams in both the FAI Women's Cup and the Dublin Women's Soccer League. They also represented the Republic of Ireland in the 2009–10 and 2010–11 UEFA Women's Champions Leagues.
Siobhán Killeen is a Republic of Ireland women's international footballer. She has also played for UCD, Raheny United and Shelbourne Ladies. In 2010, she was a member of the Republic of Ireland U-17 squad that were runners-up in the 2010 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship and quarter-finalists in the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. Killeen has also played senior ladies' Gaelic football for Dublin.
Dundalk City Ladies Football Club was an Irish association football club based in Dundalk, County Louth. During the early 2000s they were the "sister club" of Dundalk F.C. However, after winning the 2005 FAI Women's Cup and qualifying for the 2006–07 UEFA Women's Cup, the club split into two separate teams. Dundalk City was re-established as an independent club while Dundalk W.F.C. became affiliated to the League of Ireland club and went on to compete in the UEFA Women's Cup.
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Eileen Gleeson is the Head of Women and Girls Football for the Football Association of Ireland. She is responsible for helping to grow participation and retention of women and girls at all levels of the game, while also supporting wider football development strategies, ensuring there is a pathway for every woman and girl in Ireland to achieve their full potential.