Sligo Rovers will have to play their first-ever senior women’s national league fixture this Saturday without one of their marquee signings, Emma Hansberry.
The Sligo woman has injured a hamstring and so will be a spectator at this weekend’s season opener against last year’s league runners-up Peamount United in Dublin.
Speaking to the Irish Times, Hansberry said she will be ‘bursting with pride’ when the team take the field on Saturday (Kick-off: 5pm).
“Growing up, going to the Showgrounds, supporting Rovers, it really never entered my head that one day the club would have a senior women’s team. And even as the years rolled by and more League of Ireland clubs were developing their women’s sides, I still didn’t think it would happen in my time.
“Back then, if you were from Sligo, or anywhere in the north-west – Donegal, Mayo, Roscommon, Leitrim – you just accepted that if you wanted to play at a high level, you couldn’t do it in your own county, you had to hit the road. So, I started out with Castlebar Celtic in Mayo, and then on to Wexford. The travelling was draining, but you had to do it, there was no other way.”
Rovers will also be without their talented Buncrana teenager Emma Doherty, who’s also injured.
Another new signing Leah Kelly will miss the game because of a shoulder injury.
Saturday’s game will be Sligo Rovers first ever senior women’s league fixture and it will be broadcast live from Dublin on Ocean FM at 5 o’clock – in association with Bernie’s Beauty Salon, O’Connell Street, Sligo.
Commentary will come from Jessica Farry and Alan Cawley.
Rovers are in a 10-team national league. Shelbourne, managed by former Republic of Ireland men’s U21 boss Noel King, are the defending champions, having won the 2021 title on the final day of last season.
Saturday, March 5th, 2022
SSE Airtricity Women’s National League
Peamount United v Sligo Rovers
Dublin, 5pm
Live on Ocean FM.
Saturday’s other fixtures
Shelbourne v Bohemians
DLR Waves v Treaty United
Cork City v Galway WFC
Athlone Town v Wexford Youths.
