Waterford FC Women set to kick-off new league campaign
SSE Airtricity Women's Premier Division players, back row, from left, Eva Mangan of Cork City, Bohemians goalkeeper Rachael Kelly, Eleanor Ryan-Doyle of Peamount United, Chloe McCarthy of DLR Waves, Katie Lawlee of Treaty United, Emma Hansberry of Sligo Rovers, Ciara Rossiter of Wexford and Waterford goalkeeper Maeve Williams, and front row, from left, Ella Kelly of Shamrock Rovers, Pearl Slattery of Shelbourne, Hannah Waesch of Athlone Town and Aoibheann Costello of Galway United during the SSE Airtricity Women's Premier Division Launch 2026 at Whelan's in Dublin. Photos: Sportsfile/Stephen McCarthy
With the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division campaign about to get underway for 2026, Waterford FC Women embark on their second season in the top flight after an inaugural showing where they held their own amongst the elite in the country.
While results in some of the games were, on paper, poor, the experience gained will be invaluable as the Blues head into the new campaign.
There have been some departures, with the likes of Lauren Walsh heading to Wexford, Orla Hickey returning to camogie, and Sophie Slattery departing for college, but the team has been boosted by the return of some of the players who made such an impact last season.
Dan Burke, Chloe Atkinson and Erin O Brien are all back, while some of the younger players like Izzy Walsh, Mia Lenihan and Olivia Shannon will have benefited from their experience in top-flight football.
Fiana Bradley’s decision to remain with the club for 2026 is also to be welcomed, and her goalscoring prowess will be a huge plus for the team.
The return of Maeve Williams is a huge boost for Gary Hunt and his coaching staff, and her influence in and around the dressing room will be invaluable.
2025 saw the Blues pick up four wins in the league, and while some of the defeats were heavy, there was no shortage of effort and commitment that will pay dividends in this new campaign.
Kicking off the new season at home with a Southeast derby against Wexford will be a stern test for the women, but it is certainly a mouthwatering prospect.
Two battling performances against their near neighbours last season ultimately proved to be fruitless, with the four-time league and cup champions prevailing in both meetings.
Victories against Sligo Rovers, DLR Waves, Cork City and Treaty United ensured that the women did not finish bottom of the heap with their inferior goal difference, ensuring Sligo finished in tenth with DLR Waves six points further ahead, and the target for 2026 must be to consolidate and build upon the experiences of last year.
There is no doubt that the team is capable of a better showing this season, and the preseason campaign, along with the work on the training ground, will be crucial for the young squad.
There will also be an All-Island Cup campaign where the Blues have been drawn with Bohemians, Shelbourne and NIFL Premiership champions Glentoran in Group 4 of the competition and having gone into their final game of the group stages last season with an outside chance of qualifying, Hunt’s charges will be hoping for a better showing in 2026.
With the women’s team subject to the same transfer window as the men, recruitment for Gary Hunt is over except for free agents and while there are still a few announcements to come this week, including one very experienced overseas player, the Waterford squad is all but complete for the moment.
