Boxing champion Taylor reveals Peamount playing dream

The Bus Éireann Women’s National League kicks off this weekend, with six teams competing to be crowned inaugural winners of the competition.  This season’s participants are Shamrock Rovers, Wexford Youths Women AFC, Raheny United, Cork Women’s FC, Castlebar Celtic and Peamount United.

Peamount United, famed for their qualification to the Champions League, launched their season on Saturday with the help of former player, World & European Lightweight Boxing Champion and Olympic hopeful Katie Taylor.

Taylor took time out of her busy schedule to act as the club’s Ambassador at their Greenogue facility last Saturday and accompanied her former teammates for a promotional photoshoot.

“I’m absolutely delighted, it’s a great step for women’s football and it’s the right step. We want to progress to European and International level and I think Peamount have shown this over the last year that they can compete at this level.”

Despite being heavily focussed on next year's Olympic Games in London, Taylor  revealed that “ Peamount is my club and always will be, and hopefully I’ll be able to play a couple of games for them after the Olympics in 2012”, which is sure to raise the bar to an even higher level at the already successful club.

“The attention Peamount are getting because of the Champions League is well deserved, being the first Irish club to qualify for the Champions League.  It’s an amazing achievement and I’m proud to be associated with the club.”

The atmosphere among the players and coaching staff was one of confidence and optimism.  Club captain and Ireland International Louise Quinn was “anxious to get started and to kick off the season with a win”.

Fresh from their Champions League exploits, which saw them qualify for the knock-out stages, the players know they can draw on the experience gained in matches against Rayo Vallecano and Paris Saint-Germain and see it as a great “challenge for themselves and for their team”

“Our ambitions are obviously to win the league and return back to the Champions League.  Also, to use the experience we gained there and bring it into the league this year, to hopefully grow as a team and to represent our club and our country on the International stage.”

Peamount kick off their Women’s National League campaign away to Cork Women’s FC this Sunday at 2pm.  Their first home game of the season takes place the following week against Wexford Youth Women's FC.