Galway United's Aoibheann Costello: 'We've had a really good start to the season'

"Playing those Dublin teams - you wouldn't have heard a peep out of me when I first moved up to senior level…and at training I’d have been very timid...but now I’d be the first person to roar if the ball has gone over the line.”

Nineteen-year-old Aoibheann Costello is still nursing the war wounds from Galway United’s closely contested battle against Shamrock Rovers when she answers the call.

“The games are definitely getting more physical,” she reports with a trace of a smile in her voice.

United arrived home from Tallaght via their team bus at 1am on Sunday morning, having dug out a narrow yet crucial win from what was a gruelling contest against a spirited eleven that pushed the Tribeswomen all the way.

It was a result that would reposition United above Shelbourne and reinstate them back into pole position at the top of the Women’s Premier Division.

“They are a very good team,” Costello reflects. “I don't believe that their position in the table represents their ability. I think they deserve a lot more respect than people are giving them.

“I don't know if we performed to the best of our ability either.

“I definitely think our first half wasn't one of our better performances. I feel like we were a bit frantic in the beginning but thankfully Eve Dossen took the chance that was created.

“Sometimes one chance is all it takes.”

Throughout the full 90 minutes, the United No 2 fought hard for possession against Katie O’Reilly on the right lane.

“It was a good battle to be fair,” Costello reveals. “But it was a footballing battle. Like it was exactly what you wanted it to be.

“There was nothing extra, you know and then even up in front of me was Julie-Ann Russell and (Rovers defender) Maria Reynolds.

“In the second half Jaime Thompson came on the right wing. There were even times where Lia O'Leary was over there as well. So there were a few battles.”

While the women in maroon and white secured three points at Tallaght Stadium, Costello did not hold back in her assessment of her first half performance - believing it was somewhat below par.

“My first half probably wasn't one of my better first halves,” she surmises. “But if I feel like I haven't had a good first half, I just control the controllables and put it behind me.”

The round eight league fixture was televised live on TG4 as part of a broadcasting deal in conjunction with the FAI.

But the Milltown native admits the wider reach of the Saturday night fixture did not create any additional nerves for her.

“I don't think it brought extra nerves no,” she revealed. “It creates an occasion. 

"Once we were in the huddle, Jamie Erickson said ‘let’s not play to the occasion let's just play our game’ and I think that's what we have to get better at doing as well - just focusing on our game.

“The coverage is absolutely brilliant. The TG4 games are so good for the exposure of the women's game. It brings so much more awareness.

“It's also huge for young girls now to actually have people to see and have idols. It's so nice to see and it makes you feel good.

“The WSL in England is huge," she adds. Even seeing the Emirates Stadium sold out and things like that is really inspiring.

"But I think we've so much talent here and its sometimes overlooked

“The likes of Katie McCabe and all the players in the Ireland squad is brilliant but we've so much potential talent here that we have to grow and look after…I really hope we get the support thats needed.”

Costello is no stranger to performing in front of the masses, having surgically placed the ball into the bottom right hand corner in front of a record breaking crowd of 2,861 in her side's emphatic 4-0 league win against DLR Waves at Eamonn Deacy Park.

“I saw it going in and I just kind of turned around and all the girls were coming in and I didn't really believe it - like I wouldn't be the biggest goal scorer now,” she qualifies.

“I don't usually hear the crowd - well I hear the crowd, but like usually I wouldn't take too much notice of it, but I actually really heard the roar that time…it was really enjoyable - a special one.”

Speaking of special, it is clear from witnessing the Tribeswomen's performances and their interactions on the pitch that there's something unique about this squad.

Costello agrees.

“I feel like with the mentality of the group, everyone's on the same page. There's a real positivity and there's no bad egg or negativity. And that's one thing Phil kind of instilled, ‘if you're in it, you're in it whether you're playing or not.’”

Phil Trill is a coach who has had an immeasurably positive influence on those who have donned the Galway United crest across all age levels.

Costello lined out for Trill as part of her time with the Under-17 and Under-19s Galway WFC (as it was then known), winning double league and cup titles under the then Youth Development Manager.

“I feel like if I didn't play with Phil at Under 17 or Under 19s level I wouldn't be the player or the person that I am today,” she proclaims.

“That can be seen for a lot of the girls like Therese Kinnevey and even girls in the league like Shauna Brennan (Athlone Town), Kate Slevin (Athlone Town), Hannah Walsh (Cork City) and Annie Gough (Galway United).

“We might not have known it at the time but the way he was coaching us has obviously had a profound effect on us now. The basics of movement…phases of play - it started a pattern.

"I’m very grateful for that and I think a lot of the girls are. To have Phil now as a senior coach is so helpful.”

Development under Trill's tutelage has now come to fruition on the pitch for the Galway native, the roving left back receiving the nod for April Player of the Month honours.

“That award caught me so off guard!” Costello revealed. “I saw the text from Phil and I was shocked to be honest.

“I thought there were other girls that had played so well throughout the month, but I was obviously really happy to have it.

“As a team we've had a really good start to the season…and I think I've come a long way since last season too. 

"On the left hand side you wouldn't have seen me kick the ball with my left foot but now I've the confidence to cross a ball and get higher up the pitch and not be so cautious about getting caught out defending.”

The young full back fell in love with football at Kilshanvey United at ten years of age - a small local outfit that sits less than ten minutes from her family home in the small village of Milltown.

Yet it was at Cregmore Claregalway where the future United whizz would lift her first trophy.

“We won the All Ireland Cup Final at Eamonn Deacy Park,” she recalled. “I scored and that's my first core memory that I have of winning a trophy.

“That was, I suppose, the beginning - I'm still best friends with girls that were on that team…that was the pure foundation of it all really.”

And with Cork City’s Eva Mangan getting called up to the Ireland senior squad for this week’s European qualifiers against Sweden, Costello admits she too has ambitions of forcing her way into Eileen Gleeson’s squad.

“Yeah, of course, I definitely think of it,” she said. “But I think there's so many girls on our team at the minute that have potential.

“You see Eva getting called in, like, she's my age as well, and she's played in the league since she was 16 so it just shows that there is potential for people to get called in.

“But I think it starts first from enjoying your football and not really focusing on the end goal of getting a call-up.”

Despite their strong start, Galway United have not had it all their own way against every opposing side, picking up a point against President's Cup Winners Athlone Town in the All-Island Cup and defending league champions Peamount United in the league.

“Athlone are a very good side to be fair,” Costello opines. “They are quite a physical one. They line out well, they're good at set pieces and they're organised.

“Thankfully we got a draw in the All Island Cup which was enough but we wouldn't be wanting to get a draw again, we would want to be getting the three points.”

There is without doubt a noticeable shift in the level of expectation amongst the Galway United squad.

“It felt like a loss in that Peamount game,” Costello confides. “It was similar to the first half of the Rovers game. We didn't perform and we knew we could have performed better but Peamount had their homework done.

“We didn't take our chances but hopefully when we play them at home we can take the three points.”