This week Stephanie and Breifne are joined by Shelbourne midfielder Rebecca Creagh and attacking prospect Kayla Brady of Athlone Town ahead of the start of the 2021 season.
Rebecca, a Shels stalwart, has rejoined the club this season after being away in Australia, dealing with a period of injury struggles and a re-introduction to the league with Bohemians last season.
She’s delighted to “get the band back together” having played with a core of that team including Rachel Graham, Pearl Slattery and Noelle Murray since their teenage years.
She discusses the appointment of Noel King to the managerial position and the recruitment of Saoirse Noonan, Amanda Budden and Rachel Baynes amongst others to the playing squad has really given the squad a lift ahead of the new season where they hope to move one step higher and reclaim the league title from cross city rivals Peamount United.
We’re also joined by Irish underage international Kayla Brady, who along with her older sister Leah, was an integral part of Athlone’s debut season in the League and is raring to go ahead of the 2021 season.
She talks about the geographical spread of players coming from all over the centre and north west of the country who have been gathered by Tommy Hewitt for the season ahead with international quality in the shape of Northern Ireland senior international defender Catherine Hyndman & Muireann Devaney who’s represented Ireland at underage level.
Across the show Kayla, Rebecca and Steph discuss the impact of having the support of the men’s national league sides in terms of expertise, facilities, profile and resources to really push on the standards of the women’s game.
Stephanie also tells us about Peamount’s own weather nightmares against Athlone in a game on Friday evening, where even the match officials were praying for an early final whistle due to the atrocious conditions that marred a number of games in the last week.