Womens National League - Leinster Region

[olegunnar]

I am undertaking to run a forum, aimed at looking into WNL. I am inviting replies to discuss a Leinster section. Clubs, venues they'd play at, and their underage structure are the 3 factors that should be discussed.

So, if you want to have your say on this topic, please do...

I will forward details to FAI to set ball in motion (hopefully)

[olegunnar]

Very little data on Dub clubs and greater leinster area, prob looking at Raheny, UCD, Drogs, Monaghan, Dundalk FC or City, St Pats, Peamount??

Any leinster based player/manager able to give better indicator??

[Wexford Rules]

Wexford will be definitely interested when Naltional League starts, we have been working towards that aim for the past eighteen months

[olegunnar]

HI Wexford, is that a wexford youths fc team u refer to?? I'm not so sure that a league representative side, within a league, would be what theyre after.

but itd be good that whole country is covered,and if WYFC were keen,they have great facilities!!

[Wexford Rules]

WYFC have been very receptive to the womens game in Wexford and we would be quite confident that they will have the desire to become involved when the time is right.

My understanding of this whole thing is that it will become a part of the Uefa Licencing agreement that Eircom League teams are seen to develop the womens game within their area

I think the womens game within the country is growing rapidly and public awareness was never so high and I really think that the time is growing close that a National League is crucial rather than a luxury

[olegunnar]

true,wexford rules, i believe that the club licensing issue will be the backbone of the WNL development, but we do need to be proactive and not wait/rely on licensing.

also,the likes of salthill, lakewood,raheny are not eircom clubs, so licensing won't help them,therefore the support is needed.

Like ive suggested all along, a blueprint on what is required to enter WNL needs to be published by wfai,and a timeframe on when these things should be in place, give all a chance to get their house in order!!

[Shankly]

Ole, what kind of criteria do you think this blueprint for inclusion in the WNL would/should contain? As you've said venues and underage set ups would have to be considered but what else? When you say venues do you think they'll be looking for clubs to have some sort of seated stadium to play in? If so that rules out 95% of teams already. Surely the funding behind the team would have to be looked at too. It mightn't prove too cheap to have a team in a national league. Whose job would it be to produce such a blueprint?

With regards to the Leinster secion -
Raheny - definitely. Excellent team and good underage structure
UCD - strong team, good facilities but no underage structure whatsoever
Drogheda - good facilities (don't currently use United Park but have a nice set up in Dunleer just outside Drogheda) and good underage set up but their senior team wouldn't be strong enough at the moment to survive in a top division
Monaghan - very similar to Drogheda. Play in Kingspan Park and have a good underage structure so no problems there. Walked away with their league this year but it was a weak enough league. Wouldn't be strong enough at the moment to survive in top division
Dundalk FC - good team/facilities and underage section. No problems there
Dundalk City - good team but facilities and underage set up not great. Would probably need to sort out their differences with Dundalk FC and join up again under the banner of Dundalk FC to have a chance of inclusion. They won the FAI cup final a few seasons back as a combined team. Split up afterwards and both have only had moderate success since
St Pats - no current ladies senior team and not too sure if there's a girls underage section either
Peamount - good team. Good facilities and a very good underage set up.

[olegunnar]

Thanks Shankly, nice input!!

Regarding venue criteria, I'm sure that having a changing facility with showers & toilets would be more likely to be required than having seats. these could be a bonus feature, which obviously a toilet shouldn't be!!!

If the league was regionalised, I'm not convinced that travel would be such an issue. Am I wrong in thinking Dundalk are in same league as Benfica?? This trip has existed already, so a tightened up regionalised league shouldnt pose too many problems. However, I accept that travel costs will be the biggest issue for many clubs!

Maybe this could be linked to the Club running a emerging talent centre, or winter training prohgramme, where they could receive a grant towards travel?? Regionalise first few rounds of senior cup, cut costs there??

Also, Underage structure is of viytal importance. No point having a senior team that folds due to no players coming through. Each team in a proposed WNL should be the end point of a conveyor belt where a girl can start as U8/U10 and develop all the way up, and be exposed to Gaynor Cup, National underage cups, U15/17/19 Trials etc. Maybe a national league selection for each region as a senior trial???

So much potential!!!!!

[Dodge]

St Pats - no current ladies senior team and not too sure if there's a girls underage section either

There are several girls teams within the St Pats underage structure. In the past we had a senior ladies side but folded about 1999-2000. I'd like to think we'd get involved in any national league.

[olegunnar]

hey dodge, can i ask would st. pats be a north or south dub club?? I know its inchicore, but my geography not the best!! is there not a senior team representing st pats in dwsl???

[Dodge]

We're south Dublin. The previous St Pats ladies team folded, and played out of ST Anne's Park in Raheny in North Dublin

[Number9]

In all the postings in this thread there is no mention of Stella Maris!

[Shankly]

Sorry Number9 completely forgot about them. No offence intended.

Good team but they seem to be struggling a bit in Premier this year. They have a good underage set up too but the last time I was over there the facilities weren't the best. Far from the worst but still needed improvement.

Another team who should be mentioned are Templeogue. Good facilites and underage structure and they'll be playing in Premier next year. They struggled a bit however when they were in Premier last.

The other team that got promoted to Premier this year was Eureka Kells but I can't see them being involved in a WNL. One reason is their facilities. The pitch they play on is basically a field and they have no changing facilities whatsoever. You have to get changed at the side of the pitch/field. Not really ideal at any level. Another reason is that despite winning Premier A (and losing only one game on the way) thay have already informed the DWSL that they do not want to play in Premier next year!! Apparently the management are afraid they won't be able to compete! Seems to me like a complete lack of respect/gratitude for what the girls have achieved. Surely they deserve chance to play at the top level? Anyway that's a topic for disussion on another day.