League Preview: Sligo Rovers -v- Shamrock Rovers

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SLIGO ROVERS

The Bit O’ Red begin the new season by taking on Shamrock Rovers as the Hoops return to the top flight of the women’s club game – kick off in the Showgrounds is 5pm.

There is a change in format of the league this year with 11 teams taking part and a long break for the women’s world cup (during which there will be the League Cup). It means there is a two round 20 series Women’s Premier Division and so this will be the only league game that Sligo Rovers will host against the Hoops this year.

In thier debut in the WNL last year, Steve Feeney’s side finished eighth and the Bit O’ Red boss has retained most of his squad and added 20-year-old attacker Casey Howe - she scored 32 times across 40 appearances for Linfield and Glentoran and is a full Northern Ireland international.

A lot of Sligo Rovers’ hopes will rest on striker Emma Doherty who scored 11 goals from 25 appearances in 2022 and made the league’s team of the year.

She was a player who Shamrock Rovers Head Coach Collie O’Neill called out when he spoke about Saturday’s opponents ahead of the game.

“They’re a very tough team to break down,” said O’Neill. “One of their main strengths is their counter-attacking ability and one to watch is Emma Doherty, with the number of goals she scored last year. She’s one that we’ll have to keep an eye on come Saturday.”

SHAMROCK ROVERS

Having last competed in the WNL in 2014, Shamrock Rovers return to the top level of women’s club football this season. With the squad the Hoops have assembled there is a lot of expectation on the Tallaght team



“It’s a natural thing at Shamrock Rovers,” said O’Neill about those expectations when speaking to shamrockrovers.ie ahead of the season debut.

“I think as soon as you walk in those doors at Roadstone there’s an expectation that comes on you and that’s not even to do with the external of what other people might think. That expectation is always going to be there but us, ourselves, we’re just going to try and get a settled team together, get good foundations and structures in place and then maybe look to push on for next year.

“We were looking for a good balance of experience and youth. It wasn’t just trying to get some young players in there; it’s about getting the best up and coming young players, the ones that have the potential to hopefully at some stage be a senior international.

"You get that balance and experience from the senior players that pass on their knowledge to these young players and that is going to be vital.”

We heard from Collie O’Neill about how his Rovers side are shaping up for 2023 in our extratime.com League of Ireland women’s season preview podcast:

Referee: Alan Carey

PREDICTION

1-1

Sligo Rovers

Injured: n/a

Suspended: None

Shamrock Rovers

Injured: Savannah McCarthy, Maria Reynolds

Doubtful: Jess Gargan

Suspended: None

Additional reporting Paul Corcoran

About Macdara Ferris

Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl … View Full Profile