Peamount are rebuilding squad ahead of season.
SSE Airtricity League Of Ireland Women’s Premier Division side Peamount United have been busy in the transfer market over the past while with Rebecca Watkins, Carla McManus and Avril Brierley all joining the Newcastle club ahead of the 2023 season reports Daire Walsh.
Having represented Peamount with great distinction in the past, Watkins and McManus have returned to Greenogue via Wexford Youths and DLR Waves respectively. Brierley joins McManus in making a switch from the Belfield-based Waves and Peas boss James O’Callaghan is thrilled to have them on board for the forthcoming campaign.
“Carla is a former Peamount player. She’s an attacking player. She has had a lot of injuries in the last couple of seasons, which has probably prevented her from reaching her potential. We’ll be hoping she hits the ground running and Avril is quite an experienced player,” O’Callaghan explained.
“She’s like a number 10. Technically very gifted. Becky [Watkins], again a former Peamount player as well, has come back from Wexford. She’s a good wide, attacking player and can play up top as well. We’re really delighted to get them in.”
Of course, it has been well-documented that a number of the Peamount squad from this year’s league – which saw them finishing third in the final standings – have left the club in recent weeks. 2023 will see Shamrock Rovers bouncing back to senior women’s soccer after a hiatus of almost nine years and they have signalled their intent with a number of high-profile signings.
In addition to drafting in ex-Lucan United underage star Jessica Hennessy from Athlone Town, they have also persuaded Aine O’Gorman, Stephanie Roche, Alannah McEvoy and Summer Lawless to swap Greenogue for Tallaght. While he is disappointed to be losing players of their calibre, O’Callaghan has dealt with significant departures in the past and is remaining focused on establishing a squad that is good enough to challenge for top honours.
“It’s the same every season. We lost some good players last season as well and then we brought in good players. There’s nothing out of the ordinary. Three or four players have moved on. Again, bringing in the replacements is what it’s all about really. We wish them all the best in the teams that they’ve gone to.”
In fact, O’Callaghan is more than happy to see the Hoops joining the league as he sees it as a development that is long overdue. Although it takes away the prestige of hosting Women’s FAI Cup showpieces at the venue to some extent, he is also hopeful that Rovers will get to play all their home games in the Tallaght Stadium.
“It’s great Shamrock Rovers coming into the league. I’d be a big fan of the Shamrock Rovers men’s team myself. I would have thought they would have been in the league years ago,” O’Callaghan added.
“If you are playing in Tallaght Stadium, it takes the gloss off playing in the FAI Cup there, if they’re playing there every week! Listen, it’s a fantastic stadium. Hopefully all their home games are being played there.”