Bray Wanderers Launch Girls’ Football Pathway

Bray Wanderers are set to launch a pathway for girls’ football by forming a team to enter the Só Hotels Under 17 Women’s National League, with a view to becoming a competitive club at senior level.

The club have applied to the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) to initially enter a team in the Under 17 Women’s National League in 2020, in a bid to create a pathway for girls in the Wicklow and South Dublin areas.

The introduction of a Bray Wanderers girls team will add to the overall structure at the League of Ireland club, with the club fielding academy sides in the men’s SSE Airtricity National Leagues at Under 13, Under 15, Under 17, Under 19 and Senior level.

Speaking about the announcement, Bray Wanderers FC Chairman Niall O’Driscoll said: “The club has already had discussions with its partner clubs and the key local clubs, and intends to develop and compete with the established women’s teams and to become one of the top girls/women’s clubs in the country,”

“Having had two daughters play football when they were younger and them not having had the same opportunities as boys is no longer acceptable in 2020.

“Our long-term plan with our partner clubs is to have a complete pathway for girls from age eight right up to senior level for every girl should they want to play football”

“We have started the ball rolling and the interest is fantastic with work already started to identify the players that will form the Under 17 side.

“Scouting will cover all eligible players and the club intends to build a team that will compete at the highest level against the top teams in the Só Hotels Women’s Under 17 National League.”

Full details will be announced over the coming weeks.