Glentoran W.F.C.

Glentoran Women is a women's football club from Belfast, Northern Ireland and a subsidiary of Glentoran Football Club.

Glentoran Women
Glentoran Women in 2021
Full nameGlentoran Women Football Club
Founded1987
GroundThe Oval
Capacity6,500
ManagerBilly Clarke
Head CoachRussell Bowers
PhysioEmma Donaghey
Coach Kim Turner
LeagueWomen's Premiership
MediaScott Martin
WebsiteClub website

The team holds the record as the most successful women's team in Northern Ireland, having won the Women's Premiership on nine occasions, most recently in 2021. Having won all four major trophies in the 2020 season[1], the team was victorious again in the 2021 season, retaining the league, Irish Cup, County Antrim Shield and League Cup to become the first team to ever hold all four trophies, and the first team to retain all four.

2022 Season

As the Northern Ireland Women's Premiership season runs from April to October, the 2022 season was disrupted by the Women's International European Championships held in England during the summer[2]. For the first time in their history, Northern Ireland qualified for the tournament, with a squad including four Glentoran players. This resulted in the players being unavailable for club selection from the start of the season until the tournament had ended in July.

Glentoran suffered two major setbacks, losing forwards Caragh Hamilton through injury and Lauren Wade who signed for Reading in the English Women's Superleague following an impressive European Championship[3]. Despite beating Cliftonville in the final game of the league season, Glentoran struggled to regain the fluidity that had brought success in previous seasons, with Cliftonville going on to win the first league title in their history.[4]

Having won the County Antrim Cup against Crusaders at the Danny Blanchflower stadium a few weeks earlier, Glentoran faced Sion Swifts in the Irish Cup Final on 5th November 2023. Glentoran captain Jessica Foy put the East Belfast side ahead with a free kick that dipped over the goalkeepers head, before Joely Andrews was played through to make the final score 2-0 to Glentoran.[5] Speaking after the game, Glentoran forward Kerry Beattie said that 'whilst we're pleased to retain these two trophies, after the success of the last few seasons we end this season disappointed'.

2023 Season

During the off-season the club expanded its support team to include a specialist strength and conditioning coach, nutritionist, head of media and match day coordinator[6]. On the field the club signed Northern Ireland internationals Demi Vance in defence and Emily Wilson in attack[7]. With days to go before the opening league game of the season, the club announced Northern Ireland U19 international goalkeeper Ellie Scott had also signed for Glentoran.[8]

European record

In UEFA competitions Glentoran went without a win in their first three attempts. In the 2009–10 Champions League qualifying round they won their first game 2–0 against Roma Calfa but failed to qualify from their group.

UEFA Women's Cup:

UEFA Women's Champions League:

Titles
Winners (9): 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2020, 2021
Winners (10): 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022

Current squad

The squad for the 2023 season was announced on the club's website and is below.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Northern Ireland NIR Ashleigh McKinnon
2 MF Northern Ireland NIR Annie Timoney
3 DF Northern Ireland NIR Jessica Foy
4 MF Northern Ireland NIR Emma McMaster
6 MF Northern Ireland NIR Nadene Caldwell
7 MF Northern Ireland NIR Caragh Hamilton
9 FW Northern Ireland NIR Rachel Rogan
10 MF Northern Ireland NIR Ali McMaster
11 DF Northern Ireland NIR Emily Wilson
12 FW Northern Ireland NIR Ellie Scott
14 MF Northern Ireland NIR Rebecca Magee
15 MF Northern Ireland NIR Samantha Kelly
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 MF Northern Ireland NIR Joely Andrews
19 MF Northern Ireland NIR Kerry Beattie
21 MF Northern Ireland NIR Kelly Bailie
22 DF Northern Ireland NIR Rachel McIntyre
23 DF Northern Ireland NIR Sarah Gamble
24 GK Northern Ireland NIR Megan Neill
26 MF Northern Ireland NIR Jenna McKearney
28 MF Northern Ireland NIR Sarah Tweedie
97 MF Northern Ireland NIR Chloe McCarron

References
  1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61127456
  2. https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12274825/northern-ireland-qualify-for-uefa-womens-euro-2022-after-4-1-aggregate-win-over-ukraine
  3. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunday-life/sport/return-to-full-time-football-with-reading-simply-too-good-an-opportunity-to-turn-down-says-northern-ireland-star-lauren-wade/41894969.html
  4. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/irish-league/cliftonville-ladies-seal-their-place-in-history-books-with-first-ever-womens-premiership-title-success/42098147.html
  5. https://www.irishnews.com/sport/footballsoccer/2022/11/06/news/headline-2886450/
  6. https://www.glentoran.com/squad-news
  7. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65226464
  8. https://www.glentoran.com/news/glentoran-women-new-signing-ellie-scott


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