Women’s Premiership: The big questions ahead of the new season

After five long months, the Women’s Premiership finally returns on Wednesday and it couldn’t come at a better time for the sport in Northern Ireland.

However, they will have seven other teams hot on their heels, and with the added intrigue of Euro 2022, this is shaping up to be a season to remember.

Mid Ulster and Lisburn Ladies are new to the extended top flight this year, and with no relegation ahead of a professional move in 2023, the pressure is off and the underdogs will be hoping to spring a surprise.

Let’s take a look at the five big questions ahead of the 2022 season.

How will Euro 2022 impact the league?

It says a lot about the Women’s Premiership that so many of the Northern Ireland squad that are set to be Euro 2022 bound this summer are based in the domestic league.

Of course, there are 22 domestic players currently in full-time training ahead of the tournament in England, which is set to have a knock-on effect on the league – with a mid-season break set to take place from 1 June to 1 August.

In the build-up for the Euros they will train with Northern Ireland and will be able to play in the midweek matches for the clubs, but haven’t taken part in pre-season and Julie Nelson believes a return to club action “will be a nice change for players”.

“It will be nice to get something to focus on, to play for our clubs and to get that competitive match experience, because we haven’t that as a squad,” said Nelson, the most-capped woman in Northern Ireland’s history.

“It will be a positive experience to play for our clubs and there will be a bit of banter between the girls depending on the results from the night before.”

Glentoran captain Jess Foy says having six international players at the club is a “fantastic achievement” but their absence from training until the the Euros provides an additional challenge.

“We have gelled over the past number of seasons and they are quality players so it won’t be difficult from the team next week,” said Foy of the lack of international players from pre-season.

“The challenge will be once they go to the Euros, can we build that momentum for the remaining rounds of fixtures?

“We are incredibly proud of the girls in the international team and it is something we will keep supporting them with.”

Will Glentoran dominate again?

Glentoran claimed the treble last time out and Foy added that “pressure is a privilege”.

“We put ourselves in this position by being so successful over the past two years. We have worked hard to get there and it is something we want to maintain at our club.

“It’s not something we want to achieve one season then not be able to replicate it. We want to win as many trophies as possible.”

Glentoran lost star striker Kerry Beattie to Glasgow City in January and Annie Timoney, Jackie Burns and Danielle Maxwell have also departed. Michelle McDaid has joined from Sion Swifts, Sarah Tweedie from Linfield along with Kirsty Cameron and Sasha Clare, who are based at Colleges in the USA.

Despite winning everything on offer Foy believes the squad won’t struggle for motivation in the 17-match season, with 14 fixtures before three final split matches for the bottom four and top four sides.

“The drive comes from within the players. We know it is a massive ask to try and retain all four trophies,” she said.

“For us, you have to look at the league title first of all and after that and keep momentum going for cup games.

“We are a big club and we know what is expected of us and the challenges that lie ahead. It’s something we are looking forward to and relishing.”

How will Cliftonville and Crusaders respond?

Despite Glentoran’s trophy-laden season, north Belfast duo Cliftonville and Crusaders pushed the east Belfast side on all fronts and will be aiming to go one better in the new campaign.

Cliftonville fell just short in the league and will be looking to continue their progression after jumping from mid-table to title challengers in 2021.

“Last season ended disappointingly but we have regrouped and we will take each game as it comes,” said midfielder Louise McDaniel, one of seven NI internationals in the Reds’ squad.

“That disappointment stays within you and you still feel it, but it is a new season and we will look at what went wrong and what went right. Hopefully that will help us coming into this season.”

They have recruited well ahead of the new campaign, with Northern Ireland duo Abbie Magee and former Glens winger Maxwell – the latter moving from the Glens – joining for the new campaign.

Crusaders maintained their position as best of the rest in the league behind the leading duo, but really pushed on in the cup competitions and lost out to the Glens in the County Antrim and Irish Cup finals.

“We finished third in the league and made it to two cup finals as well, so it was a big improvement from the previous year,” added Nelson.

“Glentoran and Cliftonville were the top two teams, so we need to work at closing that gap and work our way up the league table. If we can win one of the cups as well then our target has to be silverware.”

Can Linfield and Sion Swifts bounce back?

After years of success, Linfield had a turbulent 2021 season which saw them drop from title contenders to outsiders and their season included two 9-0 defeats by rivals Glentoran.

However, with seven new recruits – including former NI midfielder Clare Timoney and Cliftonville duo Megan Weatherall and Rachel McConnell – it will be a refreshed Blues side who will look to regain confidence from a bruising campaign last time out.

“This year is a fresh start and ultimately we want to be back up at the top of the table challenging again,” said defender Louise McFrederick.

“We’ve recruited well and I feel we’re going in very well prepared. I’ve no doubt we’ve the talent and work rate in this squad to be successful.

“It’s just about taking one game at a time, three points at a time and I’m confident that if we do that, we’ll be right up there at the end.”

Sion Swifts are another side who slipped away from the leaders last season but defender Naomi Donnan says the Strabane side, whose sole NI representation is highly-rated youngster Cora Chambers, are itching to get going after a “long off season”.

“We are raring to go and see if the hard work pays off for us,” she said.

“Everyone this year is going to be looking at the top, but we are going to look at being competitive and given them a run for their money.”

After finishing bottom last year, Derry City have made several signings in the window but manager Kevin McLaughlin has departed the club on the eve of the season, which adds question marks around the Candystripes’ campaign.

How will the promoted teams get on?

New for 2022, Lisburn Ladies and Mid Ulster are promoted to the top flight. With plans in place for professionalism from next season, NIFL has decided not to relegate any teams this year to allow for stability.

Lisburn are promoted to the Women’s Premiership as Championship winners and captain Christine Clews, who has been at the club for 10 years, said “there is no better way to test yourself” than with an opening-day fixture with Glentoran.

“Obviously a few of them play at international level and we were here watching them at Windsor Park thinking to ourselves it will be one week before we are going out and playing them on the field.

“Last year we did really well and were actually unbeaten. I don’t think you will ever be ready but you need to get up there and test yourself.

“There’s no relegation which is great. It does take a bit of the pressure off but we won’t be complacent, we will fight in every match.

“We have put extra work into it because we know there is a gap from the Championship to the Premiership so we will try to hold ourselves when we get up there.”

Mid Ulster were also promoted to the top flight and Rachael Rodgers says the Cookstown-based team, who have previously unearthed talents such as Northern Ireland duo Simone Magill and Jackie Burns, are “excited to get going”.

“We know the task ahead. It’s about keeping together as a group and seeing where it can take us,” she said.

“No relegation takes away some of the pressure, lets us see what we are working with and how we can build.

“It’s a big club, like a family, and everyone works in the same direction. We’re underdogs going into the league so there is no pressure on us and it will be good for our players to challenge ourselves against the best in the country.

“If we perform well that is a good start and if we get results then happy days. We are going to go out to every game to do our best, we aren’t going to lie down.”