Shamrock Rovers seek to add side to the Women's National League

League of Ireland side Shamrock Rovers are to set make a submission to the FAI to enter a side in the Só Hotels Women’s National League.

The plan for the Hoops is to initially enter a team at the under-17 National League level in 2020 with the aim of moving on to have a Senior Women’s side in later seasons.

The club are partnering with Lucan United to form a squad to enter at the under-17 level next season.

“The introduction of the women’s side will add to the overall football structure at SRFC and is something that the club intends to develop and compete with the established women’s teams and to become amongst the best women’s teams in the country,” said a Rovers club statement on Monday.

The Hoops were a founding member of the Women’s National League back in 2011/12 and were runners up in the WNL cup in the first season losing 1-0 to Peamount United in the final played in Tallaght Stadium.

Their women’s team played three seasons before withdrawing from the league. 

Lucan United currently have girls teams from under-9 to under-17 playing at the highest level in the Metropolitan Girls League and this link up with Rovers will create a player pathway for those Lucan under-16 players to play in the National League at under-17 level in 2020, with the aim to have a senior team in season’s to come.

The Rovers women’s team will play their games between the existing Lucan United and Shamrock Rovers facilities. 

@ShamrockRovers will submit to enter a team in the Só Hotels Women’s Under 17 National League for 2020 https://t.co/WiaNSanqgPpic.twitter.com/jDJg4XTPFA

— Shamrock Rovers FC (@ShamrockRovers) June 24, 2019