WHETHER SHE COLLECTS the FIFA Puskas Award or not on Monday, Stephanie Roche’s popularity could trigger success for the Women’s National League.
By now, half of the country are bound to consider themselves experts on the 25-year-old such has been the hype over her exquisite volley for Peamount United that has made the prestigious FIFA shortlist.
If she beats out Robin van Persie and James Rodriguez to the gong then President Michael D. Higgins may just have to declare a public holiday as excitement continues to bubble with the voting still open on the FIFA website.
Yet, the real winners of this campaign – besides Roche of course, who is set to leave French club ASPTT Albi for another foreign-based side – could be the WNL as the domestic game has never known such publicity.
Certainly Eileen Gleeson, who was manager of Peamount when Roche scored in that 6-1 victory over Wexford Youths and first uploaded the clip to YouTube, thinks that the FAI-run league is due some much-needed exposure.
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“It’s absolutely phenomenal. I knew at the time that it was a special goal, but who could imagine that it would be up against two goals from the World Cup at the FIFA Puskas Award?,” said Gleeson, who is now in charge of UCD Waves.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for Steph and hopefully she goes on to win it. But it would be nice if the attention from it translates into people realizing that women’s football in Ireland is at a good standard.
“The Women’s National League has made huge strides in the last few years and there has been a focus on it due to Steph’s goal and the coverage behind it. Hopefully it will see more people pay attention to the league.”
It’s definitely a boom period for the WNL with 10 of the 21 players selected by Sue Ronan for the Republic of Ireland women’s training camp to La Manga this month plying their trade at home.
New sponsors Continental Tyres have come onboard to add their considerable weight, while RTE have contributed by broadcasting the FAI Women’s Cup Final live from Aviva Stadium for the last two years.
So the added exposure from Roche’s hype train, which is showing no sign of slowing down, is almost like the cherry on top. Well, almost! There is still a lot of work to be done, argues Mary Rose Kelly.
The Wexford Youths goalkeeper, who is the one you see Roche fire past in that clip that has been viewed over 3.5million times on YouTube, reckons we are only seeing the start of what is possible for coverage of the WNL.
“It’s great that she (Roche) is getting recognised for it and hopefully she picks up the award on Monday. It’s great for her, but it also highlights the skill in women’s football and that’s good for the profile of the game,” said Kelly.
“Women’s sport in general is starting to get a bit more recognition. It has been slow to come and you just have to look at the Cork Ladies team who won nine All-Irelands but only got the RTE Team of the Year this year for the first time.
“But the coverage has been improving. If you look at TG4, they covered between 20 and 25 games of Ladies Football last year from all around the country and that is fantastic because it highlights women’s sport. Hopefully the same can happen for our league.”
YOU CAN STILL VOTE FOR STEPHANIE ROCHE TO WIN THE FIFA PUSKAS AWARD BY LOGGING ONTOFIFA.COM/PUSKAS
Roche's wonder-goal could have knock-on effect in raising popularity of Irish women's sport
WHETHER SHE COLLECTS the FIFA Puskas Award or not on Monday, Stephanie Roche’s popularity could trigger success for the Women’s National League.
By now, half of the country are bound to consider themselves experts on the 25-year-old such has been the hype over her exquisite volley for Peamount United that has made the prestigious FIFA shortlist.
If she beats out Robin van Persie and James Rodriguez to the gong then President Michael D. Higgins may just have to declare a public holiday as excitement continues to bubble with the voting still open on the FIFA website.
Yet, the real winners of this campaign – besides Roche of course, who is set to leave French club ASPTT Albi for another foreign-based side – could be the WNL as the domestic game has never known such publicity.
Certainly Eileen Gleeson, who was manager of Peamount when Roche scored in that 6-1 victory over Wexford Youths and first uploaded the clip to YouTube, thinks that the FAI-run league is due some much-needed exposure.
“It’s absolutely phenomenal. I knew at the time that it was a special goal, but who could imagine that it would be up against two goals from the World Cup at the FIFA Puskas Award?,” said Gleeson, who is now in charge of UCD Waves.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for Steph and hopefully she goes on to win it. But it would be nice if the attention from it translates into people realizing that women’s football in Ireland is at a good standard.
“The Women’s National League has made huge strides in the last few years and there has been a focus on it due to Steph’s goal and the coverage behind it. Hopefully it will see more people pay attention to the league.”
It’s definitely a boom period for the WNL with 10 of the 21 players selected by Sue Ronan for the Republic of Ireland women’s training camp to La Manga this month plying their trade at home.
New sponsors Continental Tyres have come onboard to add their considerable weight, while RTE have contributed by broadcasting the FAI Women’s Cup Final live from Aviva Stadium for the last two years.
So the added exposure from Roche’s hype train, which is showing no sign of slowing down, is almost like the cherry on top. Well, almost! There is still a lot of work to be done, argues Mary Rose Kelly.
The Wexford Youths goalkeeper, who is the one you see Roche fire past in that clip that has been viewed over 3.5million times on YouTube, reckons we are only seeing the start of what is possible for coverage of the WNL.
“It’s great that she (Roche) is getting recognised for it and hopefully she picks up the award on Monday. It’s great for her, but it also highlights the skill in women’s football and that’s good for the profile of the game,” said Kelly.
“Women’s sport in general is starting to get a bit more recognition. It has been slow to come and you just have to look at the Cork Ladies team who won nine All-Irelands but only got the RTE Team of the Year this year for the first time.
“But the coverage has been improving. If you look at TG4, they covered between 20 and 25 games of Ladies Football last year from all around the country and that is fantastic because it highlights women’s sport. Hopefully the same can happen for our league.”
YOU CAN STILL VOTE FOR STEPHANIE ROCHE TO WIN THE FIFA PUSKAS AWARD BY LOGGING ONTOFIFA.COM/PUSKAS
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