Treble winners Glentoran Women begin the 2024 season this Sunday (24th March) with a home tie with Athlone Town in the first game in this season’s All Island Cup.
The close season has been a busy one for many of our players at international level in the various Northern Ireland age groups but the coaching team have also been busy on the recruitment front.
In have come left back Sofie Keenan from Linfield, midfielder Aimee Kerr from Ballyclare Comrades and centre back Aimee Neale from Sion Swifts. All three girls are considered very exciting prospects and are all regulars in the Northern Ireland Under 19 squad.
Leaving the club have been our international midfielder Samantha Kelly who has taken a break from football due to her career outside the game., and squad members Maeve McConaghy who has joined Linfield Ladies and Rebecca Magee who has joined Lisburn Ladies.
Joining the coaching team is our new Goalkeeper Coach Darren Fox, who previously worked with the senior men’s team at Ballymena United.
Head Coach Kim Turner said of the season opener this week: “We are still really early into our pre-season so we are very much looking forward to getting minutes in the tank in the All Island Cup. The competitiveness of these games in pre-season will add a new dimension to our preparation for the season as not only are we playing great opposition but having a competition in preseason will get us into a good mindset.
The game v Athlone on Sunday will be a good test for us to put our principles into practice and we are looking forward to playing our first game at our new home - the Blanchflower Stadium here in East Belfast. We hope the much better facilities at this venue will bring a bigger support this year and we look forward to seeing how much we can grow our support throughout the season.”
Sunday’s game at the Blanchflower kicks off at 4.30pm. Prices are Adults: £6 and Kids: £2. Academy players will be admitted free in Glentoran colours.
Other teams in our All-Island Cup group are holders Galway United and Sligo Rovers.
This squad is an absolute credit to Glentoran. Get along this Sunday to give them a big boost to start the 2024 season.
Photographs by JOHNNY CALDWELL