On the eve of a new WNL campaign Galway WFC are ready, willing, and able to make an impact.
Alan Murphy’s interesting appointment as manager means Galway WFC remain eager to build on the solid foundation established by Billy Clery and Stephen Lally.
“There is definitely a platform and a vision going forward for improvement”, Murphy says ahead of Saturday’s opener against Cork City at Turners Cross.
“That is why it was really attractive to me, I see the women's game has exploded in terms of its exposure and quality - the overall package. It is a no brainer for me to try to come in with this group, to try to push them forward.”
Ballinrobe native Murphy, Galway United’s record league goalscorer, is adamant about the talent that exists in the west of Ireland. “The quality is there,” Murphy adds.
“We have a lot of young players that we are dealing with and developing at a really fast pace. It is to try to manage that well, creating that culture is huge, creating a culture that the standards are really high and nobody is really comfortable in terms of their performance and position within the team. That is the ingredient for winning teams.”
With an exciting crop of emerging footballers and several excellent established players in the squad, Murphy believes that Galway WFC can prosper. “There is a nice blend, it is in threes if you want to look at it that way,” he replies. “We have our really, really experienced players that are key to the team. Then you have a rich crop of underage players that you see were away last week with the [Republic of Ireland] U19s including Jenna Slattery, who has come into the club.
“So you have that third, who are really important to us. Then you have a third the new players coming into the club, they are trying to push us on that little bit further, the Abbiegayle Roynanes and a few players from outside of Ireland that we have done a little bit of recruitment on. Hopefully they will work out and make us stronger.”
On the opening weekend of the 2021 WNL Galway WFC drew a goal laden affair with Cork City at Eamonn Deacy Park. “Analysing the game last year it was a slip up point straightaway for the team,” Murphy says.
“We would be hoping that we can have a better performance first of all and hopefully the result looks after itself. It is not an easy place to go and the first game of the season always throws up funny results and funny performances in every code, in every aspect. We will be much prepared for it, we will try to bring our own game to it, to impose ourselves.
“After a long pre-season of preparation and obviously a new venture for myself coming into the women's game, it has gone well, we are really looking forward to Saturday evening, to starting the league off hopefully with a positive performance and a positive result. It is early days yet, we are still gelling as a team and we are introducing new players.”
Ultimately Galway WFC’s matches are a hidden gem in sport. The craft on show and a real willingness to be inventive is why Murphy hopes more people can connect with the club as spectators and followers in the coming weeks.
“We are hoping at Galway WFC that we are going to build, that we are going to create entertainment and a place for people to go on a Saturday evening, to start to re-live their lives, to enjoy sport, and to enjoy the company they can mingle with and bring to games,” Murphy says.
“That is what it is all about. Within the team we are trying to create that we have a high standard, that we are performing well and winning games. Also for the bigger picture of community to create an appetite for people to really have a look at the talent that we have, the work we are doing and the ambition that we have.”
The 2022 adventure launches by the Lee on Saturday.
**Listen to the full interview with Galway WFC manager Alan Murphy on this week’s ‘Cian on Sport’ podcast available on Soundcloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
