Women’s soccer on the rise as three new teams join Mayo leagues

There’s no doubt about it: Mayo women’s soccer is on the up.

This season, the Mayo women’s soccer leagues will have three sides playing their maiden season in 2025. For the first time ever, Fahy Rovers, Glenhest Rovers, and Achill Rovers will play a senior women’s game.

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The inclusion of these sides brings the total number of adult teams across the county to a record 14, a far cry from the early days when only five sides togged out.

One of those sides comes from far west in the form of Achill Rovers. Lorraine McHugh is someone who has paved the way for this new venture in her underage involvement within the club.

“Over the last few years, I’ve been involved with the younger teams,” she stated. “Some of the older girls came to me last year and wondered if there’d be a possibility of starting a senior ladies’ team.”

The next step was to bring it to the committee within the club, who shared the enthusiasm of the new players.

Now, with plans finalised and the islanders standing on the precipice of a new frontier, there is no shortage of excitement as they look to venture into unchartered ground.

There may be a shortage of experience in the team, but there is no lack of desire in youth, according to McHugh.

“All we would have is some girls who are 20, 21 that would have played, but were under 12, under 13 when they played last.

“Really, they’re all new. There’s a bunch of girls who missed out with Covid who never got to do soccer training. They’re the 16, 17-year-olds who never played before and are really enthusiastic.”

Those youngsters could definitely do worse than having Marie Gallagher to lean on for invaluable words of advice. Gallagher has no lack of experience, having been capped 20 times by the Ireland national team and scoring six goals for the side.

Now, taking up the mantle of coaching the Achill ladies, it’s a matter of giving back to the place that raised her in her mind.

“I used to play soccer and football with the lad’s teams,” Gallagher said. “There was no team in Achill when I started.

“It’s nice to give it back into the game as well. It’s where I started, in Achill.”

“It’s great to see them doing it from the ground up. There’s so many underage teams with the girls as well as the lads. They’re wanting to play, and numbers have been great in training.”

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While the enthusiasm has been welcome, Gallagher is well aware of the quandaries that may present themselves for the side from Father O’Brien Park.

“It’s going to be tough at the beginning. Some of them haven’t even played soccer before. It’ll be trying to gel them all together and get them to know the game. Where to stand, what to do.

“It’ll take a bit of time, but we’ll be hopeful that we’ll do okay.”