Galway WFC manager Billy Clery is adamant a revealing WNL encounter against a highly regarded DLR Waves is imminent at the UCD Bowl on Saturday evening, kick off 6pm.
Clery’s charges have collected four points from their opening two fixtures, scoring six goals in the process, but DLR Waves remain an ambitious outfit.
With title favourites Peamount United and Shelbourne also clashing in the capital, Galway and DLR Waves are both eager to make an impact according to Clery.
“It is a massive game for us, especially with the other fixtures that are going on at the weekend,” Clery says. “If we got a good result, a win, it would leave us right up at the top of the table.
“We are coming into a run of games now against DLR, Treaty, Wexford, and Peamount so it is so important to build confidence up. It is about getting momentum, trying to get a positive result.
“I think obviously we have had a solid start to the season, but there is an awful lot more in us. We are really looking forward to the weekend.
“It is a big challenge away, DLR have recruited well, they have a lot of good players, but in saying that so have we and we really want to make a statement early in the season that we can mix it with the big teams.”
Clery is adamant that the standard of the WNL continues to rise with several clubs, including DLR and Galway, believing that they can compete with challengers Peamount, Shelbourne, and Wexford Youths.
“There is no doubt about it, things have come on leaps and bounds in the last four or five years since I have been involved,” Clery states.
“Definitely I think the standard, the quality of players, the league has improved. You have younger players coming into the league who are at a good standard, that is all coming through from the underage system, this will be the third or fourth year of the U17 league.
“You are seeing the rewards of that league with the players coming through. I have no doubt with the U19 league starting this year, even with our own club you have a lot of really good players at 17 or 18 years of age.
“They are getting another year of development, another year to get fitter and stronger. You will also find out the players with the attitude to do it, those who really want to do it by putting in the time and commitment which is a big part of it.”
Former Galway United star Clery is delighted that emerging talent in the west can deliver on the national stage.
“The sacrifices players make to play at this level are huge,” Clery adds. “The girls are training three or four times a week and they are doing their own individual work outside of that.
“If you want to play at the highest level there is a huge commitment level, it is just not for some people. We are lucky enough in the west of Ireland we seem to have a great crop of young players as our current senior squad.”
