Raheny ladies ready for challenge

WOMEN’S
soccer on the Northside has received a major boost with news that Raheny United
have been invited to join the inaugural Women’s FAI National League, which will
commence in November.

Playing
at Morton Stadium, Santry, this will be a fantastic opportunity for the
players, club, community, supporters and sponsors of the only Northside
representatives in the league.

Raheny
United was formed in 1994 when both Dunseedy Utd and Raheny Boys amalgamated.

The
club now have over 300 playing members with 19 schoolboy teams, five adult
men’s teams, both senior and junior ladies’ teams and the Schoolboy/Girls’
Academy.

Fourteen
of the current squad have either senior or underage international experience
including Niamh Reid Burke, Lynn Dowling, Megan Campbell, Shauna Cooke and
Siobhan Killeen, who was part of the under 17 squad that reached the quarter
finals of the World Cup this year.

Former
players include Olivia O’Toole, scorer of over 50 international goals, and
Sharon Boyle who has also represented Ireland at international level.

The
Raheny United Women’s teams have won numerous league titles including the
Dublin Women’s Soccer League (DWSL) Premier League, the Major Division, three
times Dublin Cup winners (they have reached the final again this year) and were
runners-up in the 2007 Women’s FAI Senior Cup.

Raheny
United also run a very successful underage academy for both boys and girls
starting as early as four-years-of-age and have had All-Ireland winning girls’
teams at under 14, 16 and 18 levels.

The
current management team of Derek Cooke, Neil O’Donnell, Gerry McDermott and
Gerry Killeen have vast experience in coaching, team management and bringing
underage players successfully through to play with the senior team and in many
cases through to international level.

Raheny
United works very closely with the local community and schools with its
excellent clubhouse being a huge focal point.

The
club also has a very strong committee under the chairmanship of Peter McGonigle
and along with the sterling work put in by PRO Donal Dwyer, is in a very
healthy position to take on the enormous challenge that will be the National
League.

Paddy
Moore, from Raheny United, said:

“This National League will be a truly gigantic
step for women’s football in Ireland and the FAI should be warmly congratulated
on their initiative.

“The
league is comprised of seven of the best women’s senior teams in the country
and is being officially launched in October at the Aviva stadium.

“As
Raheny United are the only club representing the Northside of Dublin we are
hoping that local businesses and the community will help the girls triumph
through sponsorship or in any other way possible.

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If
you are interested, please contact Donal Dwyer on 086-7996352 or Sarah Carroll
during office hours on Tuesday or Thursday on 8510077 and get involved in what
promises to be a tremendous step for women’s football in Ireland.