GALWAY WOMEN’S FOOTBALL Club striker Rachel Kearns has landed the first SSE Airtricity Women’s National League [WNL] Player of the Month award.
Mayo star Kearns has enjoyed a stunning return to the top-flight of women’s football on these shores, bagging six goals in four games to distinguish herself as the outstanding candidate for the top gong — and to lead the goalscorer’s chart.
Having starred for the Mayo ladies footballers over the past few seasons, the 23-year-old announced her return to the WNL — she previously played for Castlebar Celtic — with an opening day hat-trick against Cork City.
The Crossmolina native went on to find the back of the net in the games against Bohemians, DLR Waves and Treaty United.
“I’m currently number one in the Golden Boot race but at the start of the year it wasn’t even a goal,” Kearns, who missed the recent Wexford Youths defeat through injury, said.
“I was just going out to see how I got on, I didn’t put any pressure on myself, I just going out to enjoy myself and play. But in the first game I happened to get a hat-trick so that got off to a good start and I was leading from the start. Then I got a goal in every game since I’ve played.
“It’s great to be number one but some of the girls are catching up now, like Ellen Molloy is coming up now in second place. She will put it up to me. Hopefully when I get back (from injury) I’ll try and score a few more goals and see how it goes.”
Molloy, Wexford Youths’ teenage sensation, finished third in the voting process, with Treaty United ace Aoife Horgan in second.
“Congratulations to Rachel on a fantastic start to the season,” Leanne Sheill, SSE Airtricity Marketing Manager, said. “We are delighted to announce Rachel as the winner of the first SSE Airtricity Women’s National League Player of The Month award.
“The commitment and quality shown by all players so far this season is a joy to watch and Rachel has really shown her excellence in front of goal to lead the top goalscorer chart.
“This is our first year as proud sponsor of the SSE Airtricity Women’s National League and we look forward to announcing many more Player of the Month award winners this season.”
“It’s great that SSE Airtricity came onboard this year,” Kearns added. “They were the men’s main sponsor so it was great that they came on with the women’s side of things as well.
“The publicity is great. They are on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, everyone knows what every team is doing with the scores and all of the games ahead, so it’s brilliant that they are onboard and they are doing a really good job.”
Congratulations to @Raachkearns
— GalwayWFC (@GalwayWFC) May 11, 2021
The @sseairtricity WNL Player of the Month for April.#WNL | #POTM pic.twitter.com/j4CWVgkN78
Can’t help but wonder what if Ferris was still playing that would be a frightening back row.
True. Ferris would be an upgrade on Stander
Two bulldozers! Only one more sleep lads
Can’t wait to see them 3 get stuck in and cause complete mayhem
CJ and SOB are gona tear the frogs a new arsehole
When u think o mahony and Henderson has to come back into this squad,and Wat they both bring to De table,and with the quality ireland have right across all back positions now,and De quality coming through,irish rugby is definitely, at international level,in a great place..
Shame that knob jockey pape won’t be playing. We won’t get to see Seanie give him a cuddle!
Thought ruddock was on bench not TOD?
There was some confusion yesterday but it is the TOD.
It shows the quality we have in the back row when Ruddock can’t get in the 23.
Or when POM isn’t missed. (Tactically, personally we still miss him)
Disagree with that, I am biased against Munster and despite that I think he is arguably Ireland’s best forward – he is always immense when he plays for Ireland – I don’t think Stander, Henry or O’Donnell can match him
I’m a huge POM fan and really think he adds something extra. But if we lose we won’t be saying “of only Peter had been playing”. His replacement doesn’t fall THAT far short.
Just consider for a moment Henderson playing at 6 along with Stander at 8 and O’Brien at 7.
That would be the dream combination
Just need to find pace on the Inge and power in the second row and then we have a team to be feared
I’d have Henderson at second row. Completely fills the position but the advantage of another back row in the loose.
You’d sort of be missing Heaslip at 8 there, lad
Can’t wait for an ireland win..