Aine O'Gorman: 'I think it's going to be our toughest season to date to try and win the title'

Peamount United captain Aine O’Gorman has had enough of Zoom for the moment and cannot wait for the new Women’s National League season to get started this weekend.

As part of this week’s Aviva Soccer Sisters Virtual Hub launch over Easter the Ireland centurion and WNL star sat down with Extratime to chat about the benefits to kids that the Soccer Sisters programme provides as well as a look ahead to the new WNL season which kicks off this weekend and what Peamount can expect as reigning champions.

“It's zoom overload - I'm zoomed out at the moment! said O’Gorman.

“The brighter weather is coming in at the moment and it's good to get outside and get active, for your mental and physical health. January was the toughest month for me. There was no football.

“It was dark and dreary as well and we didn't know where it was going. Hopefully there's light at the end of the tunnel. Everyone just keep active, keep going, get out for your walks, runs, cycles - whatever makes you feel good. You'll never regret it. You're one workout away from a good mood, that's what I always say!”

The Aviva Soccer Sisters has gone online again this April and is specially designed to get girls involved in soccer and to practise their skills while having fun. The virtual skills hub will run during the Easter holidays from Monday March 29^th to Friday April 2^nd. It will offer a range of in-depth videos and walkthroughs of key soccer skills and drills for girls to practice.

“It’s more important than ever really. It will give young girls great access to keep up with their skills and continue to get that practice in a safe environment. It’s really tough at the moment for kids and they are all missing their friends and that social interaction but it will be worth it in the end.

“Hopefully young kids being back to school now are getting some interaction but they will still be missing their football. This is a great way to keep up the skills and continue to focus on their football with a bit of fun too.

“For the first time ever Football For All have come on board and there will be skills included for kids with additional needs as well. That’s a huge positive. It’s a fantastic programme, it’s great fun for kids and I’m really looking forward to it over the Easter Holidays.”

The new Women’s National League season gets underway this weekend and with pre season done and dusted O’Gorman can’t wait to get going again. First up is a tricky visit to Wexford Youths on Saturday evening, a game that she expects will be the first test of many for the reigning league champions.

Peamount couldn’t have asked for a better 2020 securing a league and cup double as well as representing the league proudly on the European stage against Glasgow City.

“Look, it's a tough game obviously to start off. Away to Wexford is never an easy game. We're under no illusions this year that it's going to be any way easier.

“I think it's going to be our toughest season to date to try and win the title three times in-a-row. We just have to be on our game and I think it could be one of the most competitive seasons yet to date.

“I think even the teams that finished towards the bottom last year will really be competitive and chomping at the bit too. I think teams becoming cleverer in the way they set up against the opposition and we expect that it’s going to be a lot tougher to break them down this season.

“I think the excellent structures that clubs have at underage is really starting to come to fruition in recent years and we will continue to see that again this season with even more improvements up and down the country.”

Peamount finished five points clear of close rivals Shelbourne last season but with the impressive off season recruitment Shelbourne have done combined with the experienced Noel King coming on board as manager many are expecting an even tighter title race in the coming months with a few going as far as predicting Shelbourne to be top of the pile come November.

“Yeah, I think Shelbourne have obviously strengthened their squad quite a bit. They have got a new manager in of huge calibre in Noel King – which is great for the league. It’s another big positive, I suppose, for the league to have someone of that calibre back in coaching and managing. Shelbourne will be tough opponents this season.

“Wexford are always tough to play against and tough opponents. They’ve  got really good young players coming through – Ellen Molloy, Aoibheann Clancy and we have to make sure we are up for it from the word go on Saturday.

“Obviously DLR – a few of our players have gone over to them and they are going to  have strength in depth and they are going to be a really tough team to beat. They have good coaches over there, so they’ll be tactically well set up as well.

“Being the champions brings its own challenges as every team always raises their game when we play them and they are always extremely motivated to beat us. It’s up to us to rise to that challenge and keep our standards really high and just focus on our own performance each week.”

Year on year the Women’s National League has been growing steadily in times in terms of quality, standards, exposure, media coverage and the profile continues to rise.

The league received arguably it’s biggest boost yet in January when it was announced that SSE Airtricity, the men’s domestic league sponsors would be linking up for the new season with the WNL under one overall sponsorship.

A major milestone for women’s football in this country and no less than it deserves. It will be the first year in history that both the men’s and women’s top flight divisions will share a sponsor.

O’Gorman feels the new deal combined with the new streaming service and a continued push from all involved can only benefit the league as a whole but says there is still plenty of work to do in terms of taking the game to the next level again and that a lot of that responsibility lies with the players.

“This year is probably a landmark year, obviously with the sponsorship coming on board and I think the streaming is going to be great for the exposure of the game and hopefully will create a really good interest around the game.

“Hopefully when crowds can finally get into the games, there'll be more fans at the games. Growing interest that way, I think, is really important. Obviously it's good to have the U17s and U19s leagues as well and hopefully the league in a few years will benefit from them players coming through, and it can go from strength to strength

“The promotion of the league and everything around the league has a much better feeling this year. It has to come back to us as players though, that we maintain a professional attitude and elite mindset, that we always want to get better and improve our standards at the club, and that we continually push each other to improve.

“For me, it comes back on the player, that we make sure we're preparing the way we can and constantly improving because the result of that will be that our games are more competitive and more attractive to watch as well. Hopefully with that then the setups and the clubs will become more professional, and then we can start looking at maybe players turning professional and becoming full-time.

“That would be the ultimate goal for me, that eventually we can get to a stage where that environment can be provided in Ireland on a consistent basis.”