2023 LOIW Season Preview: DLR Waves

Eve Badana of DLR Waves

Eve Badana of DLR Waves Credit: Peter Fitzpatrick (ETPhotos)

Manager: Graham Kelly

Stadium: UCD Bowl

Players In: Oleta Griffin (Bohemians), Isobel Finnegan (Bohemians), Rebecca McMahon (Peamount United), Chelsey Spain (St Patrick’s CY), Freya Roche (Bohemians), Cliodhna Donnelly (Wexford Youths), Michelle Doonan (Peamount United), Vanessa Ogbonna, Bronagh Kane (Bohemians), Hannah Tobin-Jones (Bohemians).

Players Out:  Louise Corrigan (Wexford Youths), Chloe McCarthy (Shamrock Rovers), Lynn Craven (Bohemians), Avril Brierly (Peamount United), Sophie Watters (Shelbourne), Nadine Clare (Shelbourne), Shauna Carroll (Wexford Youths), Fiona Donnelly (Bohemians), Mia Dodd (Bohemians), Kate Mooney (Peamount United), Carla McManus (Bohemians), Kerri Letmon (Shelbourne),

Extratime.com Key Player: Eve Badana

There have been huge changes at DLR Waves during the past winter but one of the consistencies this coming season is that they will have Eve Badana between the sticks.

The Republic of Ireland international is consistently one of the top performing goalkeepers in the Women’s Premier Division and her performances have caught the eye of Ireland Women’s manager Vera Pauw with the goalkeeper regularly named to international squads.

She made 26 appearances across all competitions last season and will still be an integral part of Graham Kelly’s squad in 2023.

Extratime.com One to Watch: Vanessa Ogbonna

Vanessa Ogbonna returning to play in the Women’s Premier Division is such a huge story for the league.



The striker showed such promise early in her career – but setback after setback has derailed her career more than once.

Having played for Cork City, she moved to the USA to play college soccer in 2014 and suffered an ACL injury.

She returned to Ireland and signed for Wexford Youths in 2019 but found first team football hard to come by at times.

Then last year was written off for the striker due the effects of a serious illness. It will be fascinating to see how Ogbonna fares in the Women’s Premier Division on her return to senior football this season.

What to expect this season:

The addition of Shamrock Rovers has had a severe knock-on effect on DLR Waves coming into the 2023 season. While Rovers didn’t sign many Waves players, their Dublin competitors snapped up quite a few with several signing for Peamount, Shelbourne and Bohemians this past winter.



Graham Kelly has done a great job in developing his squad and leading them to impressive fourth and fifth place finishes in the last two seasons.

This year could be challenging for the south Dublin club, however. Waves have lost a lot of experience and goals to their rival clubs over the past few months and while they’ve added players – many are young and inexperienced.

No doubt the squad Kelly has put together has bags of talent and will improve during the year but it could be tough for the club to reach the heights it had over the past couple of seasons.

First Game:

Peamount United -v- DLR Waves, March 11th, PRL Park (kick-off 5pm)

About Paul Corcoran

Paul Corcoran is an experienced writer and journalist and has contributed to various publications including the Galway United match programme Maroon View. He spends much of his time covering the fortunes of Galway United's teams … View Full Profile