Lifestyle & Sports
20 Jul 25

Women’s League of Ireland: Five Players to Watch

Credit: Alex Kavanagh and Emily Corbet by Sportsfile

Paul O’Mahony highlights five WLOI contenders for inclusion in the Ireland national women’s squad...

While three American imports – Kelly Brady (Athlone), Mackenzie Anthony (Shelbourne), and Isabella Flocchini (Treaty United) – have lit up the Women’s League of Ireland (WLOI) this season with their prodigious strike rates, there’s been no shortage of Irish talent around the pitch who have made a very strong case for inclusion in the Ireland squad.

The hope is that the new national team manager, Carla Ward will be more open to including WLOI talent on a regular basis than her immediate predecessors. Kate Mooney and Aoibheann Clancy (Shelbourne), Emma Doherty (Galway), Katie Lawlee and Madison McGuane (Treaty United), Jess Fitzgerald (Peamount) and Joy Ralph (Shamrock Rovers) have been making their mark so far. But there’s five in particular who are serious contenders.

Ellen Molloy

Ellen Molloy (Wexford FC)
Still only 21, Molloy is a special talent who has scored some eye-catching goals this season, along with a number of quality assists and superb midfield interventions. When her team were four goals down against Shelbourne, Molloy decided she’d had enough and beat four Shels players (one of them, twice!) before cooly slotting the ball past the keeper. A future Ireland number 10 in waiting.

Alex Kavanagh. Photo: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Alex Kavanagh (Shelbourne FC)
A whole new, younger Ireland team could be built around the skills, vision and experience of midfield maestro Kavanagh – some of her defence-splitting assists this season have been sensational. At 25, she is Shelbourne Football Club’s longest serving player (male or female) and a serial medal winner with genuine leadership qualities. She’s also a deft free-kick specialist, who might deliver vital extra goals.

Katie Malone

Katie Malone (Bohemian FC)
A proven goal-scorer at every age at club level, Malone has pace to burn, as evidenced by the way she sprang Shelbourne’s high defensive line recently, leaving the second tightest defence in the league trailing in her wake, before finishing past Amanda McQuillan in the Reds’ goal. An unfortunate fractured fibula has seen her sidelined in recent weeks, but she is due to return in August.

Kate Thompson

Kate Thompson (Galway United)
A tall and mobile number 8, Kate has captained both the Ireland U-15s and U-19s, and can play in multiple positions. But her greatest strength is as an advanced mid-fielder. Thompson is a noted goal-scorer with plenty of pace. At just 19 years of age, she’s been a key young player in Galway United’s recent push for honours, playing a vital part in the club securing two All-Island Cups. Kate is a sports scholar at UL.

Emily Corbet. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Emily Corbet (Shamrock Rovers)
Like Katie Malone, Corbet was a member of Vera Pauw’s Home-Based Ireland Squad, before that initiative was allowed to wane. A WLOI Golden Boot winner in 2022 with Athlone, a seasoon in which she notched up 23 goals in all, Corbet moved to Wexford in 2023. From therem she moved to Shamrock Rovers last season. A real handful for defences, she’s also a willing and mobile high-presser, making her a player for the modern era.