How it’s going: Denise O’Sullivan and co have inspired a generation of Cork schoolgirls
Left: Denise O'Sullivan, Wilton United, playing against Carrigaline United at Turners Cross in the U16 Cork Schoolsgirls Cup Final, 17th May 2010. Picture. Jim Coughlan, Evening Echo Right: Denise O'Sullivan of Republic of Ireland during the Pinatar Cup Semi-Final match between Republic of Ireland and Russia at La Manga in Murcia, Spain on 19 February 2022; Photo by Manuel Queimadelos/Sportsfile
Happy International Women’s day 🍀 #BreakTheBias #iwd pic.twitter.com/8E3e7cG4Wo
— Denise O'Sullivan (@OSullivanDenise) March 8, 2022
“Today, thanks to the amazing women who have come before us, who have created so much opportunity for young girls, you are the next generation and I look forward to seeing what you do.”
For International Women’s Day, Republic of Ireland international Denise O’Sullivan posted a TikTok from St. Mary's AFC in Cork, thanking the women who have paved her way and urging today’s girls to dream big and avail of the pathways that are being created and improved.
To give them another nudge, we raided the Examiner and Echo picture files to assess how it started and how it’s going for five current senior Ireland internationals who began their soccer lives with Cork schoolgirl clubs.
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College Corinthians' celebrates her equalising goal against Wilton United during the Ladies Munster senior cup final at Charleville. Eddie O'Hare 20-Jan-2016
Megan Connolly of Republic of Ireland celebrates after scoring her side's eleventh goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 qualifying group A match between Republic of Ireland and Georgia at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin 30 November 2021; Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile
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, Douglas Hall, battles with Mairead Kelly, Lakewood, during the Challenge Cup Final at Turners Cross, 18/09/2012 Picture: Jim Coughlan. Echo Sport
Clare Shine of Republic of Ireland during the UEFA Women's 2021 European Championships Qualifier match against Montenegro at Pod Malim Brdom in Petrovac, Montenegro Wednesday 11th Mar 2020. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
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Lakewood Athletic playing Passage at Rockenham Park in the CWSSL Under 14 Premier League 31/10/2015 Picture: Jim Coughlan, Echo Sport
Eabha O'Mahony during a Republic of Ireland WNT home-based training session at the FAI National Training Centre in Abbotstown, Dublin. 28 April 2021; Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile.
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Douglas Hall is presented with her player of the match award by Tina Murphy, CWSSL after the Cork Womens and Schoolgirls Soccer Leagues U16 Schoolgirls Cup final v Lakewood Athletic 01/05/2014 Pic; Larry Cummins, Evening Echo
Republic of Ireland women’s national team manager Vera Pauw, left, and women’s national team player Saoirse Noonan, at the launch of ‘Sky WNT Fund’ to support Women’s National Team players off the pitch. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile 8/3/22
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O’Sullivan and her generation deserve plenty of credit for inspiring an explosion of interest in football among young girls, says Alison Ryan, chairperson of the Cork Women's & Schoolgirls Soccer League.
“I think it’s wonderful to see those women playing and actually having a career in soccer. And that they came from here.
“The women’s game is huge here now and it’s partly down to the success of the women’s national team and the way these great women are so good with supporters after the games.
"They stay, talk to the girls, spend time.
“And their campaign over conditions with the FAI was a bit of a turning point, when they said we weren’t taking this nonsense any more.
"There has been a huge change and a lot of the young girls know these players now."
Marie O’Leary, vice-chairperson and stalwart of Cork women’s football over many years, remembers well how the young Denise O'Sullivan refused to let any obstacle stand in her way.
“It’s amazing to think that one year she didn’t make the Gaynor Cup team at U15. When people look back now, they must think, how did they miss that.
“But it’s the players who miss out on something, that you see what kind of people they are. There are girls who might just say, that’s it. But they are the ones who will say, I’ll prove them wrong and they come back and make it the next year.
“She’s just the full package, she wanted it she went for it, and nothing was going to stop her.
"Megan Connolly was a bit similar. The personality, the mentality, the drive.
“That group of Denise, then Megan and Clare Shine, have shown the way for so many girls. For the likes of Saoirse Noonan and Eabha O'Mahony. And there are loads now coming through the league into the underage international squads.
"There is a long way still to go to get where we should be with the structures, but also so many advances made."
Outgoing league chairperson Jason Brown cautioned against complacency.
“There has been a huge increase in interest among girls in Cork. There are over 150 teams throughout the county and new clubs ready to join next season.
"It is great to see but we cannot afford to be complacent, there is still a lot more we can do.
“The growth in the sport has not happened by accident. There is a vibrant group of clubs and coaches that have worked closely with the CWSSL to create the best standard of soccer we can at all levels.
"We have more players involved than ever before and at an elite level we have ex-players and coaches involved at International and national league standards.
“Anything less than equality for female sport cannot be accepted. For too long we have been the second class participants in some areas of the game and this needs to change. Still, lack of resources and pitch allocations can be hard work.
“Yes, in many cases the female part of clubs has been late entrants to the party, but we are here now and there's going to be a lot more joining."
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