Carlow Kilkenny FC seems to be going from strength to strength.
The club currently has five teams that will be entering competitions next season ranging from u14 up to u19 in both boy and girls categories.
Kilkenny and Carlow as counties have produced many players for both the Women’s National League and Airtricity division. Wexford Youths in particular have benefited from the talent within the two counties with Ellen Molloy, Lolly Condron, Lauren Dwyer, and player of the year Kylie Murphy. Karen Duggan also waves the flag for Kilkenny every season, with being the previous winner of the player of the year award.
A lot of players with previous WNL experience are currently now playing football within the Carlow District League. It was clear to see when watching the Scoreline.ie Shield final between Newpark and Mill Celtic, that the talent within the two counties at senior level is very much still there.
That is why is it encouraging to hear that Carlow Kilkenny FC is, now setting its sights on entering a women’s team in the National League. Speaking with clubman Fran Egan at the weekend he said;
“We strongly plan to get a women’s national league team in line for next season, after this season. If we can get everything in place and everything sorted financially and license wise we would have national league back in Kilkenny and Carlow.”
“It is not going to be easy, we will progress with the u19’s. The girls that are going to be overage, where do they go? You have to have some future for them in the club and keep playing locally.”
Many fans have called for Carlow and Kilkenny FC to possibly fill that slot left empty in the First Division by the merger between Bray and Cabinteely. On the men’s side of things, Carlow and Kilkenny have seen their fair share of players play with teams in different counties. Gavan Holohan, Mikey Drennan, Eric Molloy, Colm Whelan, and Killian Cantwell to name a few past and present. However, it seems like taking things steady is the best course of action according to Fran Egan;
“We do not want to jump ahead, and be a run of the mill, last for a year or two, and be gone again. We want to build a solid base. It is going to take time, it won’t happen overnight. We are conscious of that, we are working on doing things right.”
If you are looking to follow the side’s journey throughout the season, the best way to do so is following along on the clubs social media, facebook or twitter .
