The 2021 Women's National League, known as the SSE Airtricity WNL for sponsorship reasons, is the 11th season of the Women's National League, the highest women's association football league in the Republic of Ireland since its establishment in 2011. Peamount United were the defending champions, having won their third league title the previous season.
In January 2021 the League attracted a new title sponsor, as SSE Airtricity agreed a two-year renewal of their existing deal with the (men's) League of Ireland and extended it to also cover the WNL. The Bank of Ireland also signed a three-year deal as an associate sponsor of the League of Ireland and WNL. This followed a season without a WNL sponsorship deal in 2020.
The 1,007 spectators at Cork City's 3–1 win over Treaty United on 6 November 2021 at Turners Cross set a new WNL record for the highest attendance.
A dramatic conclusion to the season saw defending champions Peamount United unexpectedly squander a two-goal lead to lose 5–2 at home to Galway on the final match day, allowing Shelbourne to claim the title with their 3–2 win over Wexford Youths. Both matches were subject to live television coverage, following the WNL's agreement of a broadcast arrangement with TG4 in September 2021.
During the season a number of players transferred to professional clubs in England and Scotland. Peamount manager James O'Callaghan called for the formation of a task force, to examine the possibility of making the WNL semi-professional in future: "It's great for those players that they are getting to play professionally, but it's not great for the league to be losing them."
Teams The same nine teams who had contested the abridged 2020 season returned for 2021.
Team Home town/suburb Stadium 2020 finish Athlone Town Athlone Athlone Town Stadium 7th Bohemians Dublin Oscar Traynor Centre 9th Cork City Cork Turners Cross 4th Galway Galway Eamonn Deacy Park 5th Treaty United Limerick Markets Field 8th Peamount United Newcastle, County Dublin Greenogue 1st Shelbourne Dublin Tolka Park 2nd DLR Waves Dublin UCD Bowl 6th Wexford Youths Crossabeg Ferrycarrig Park 3rd
Personnel and kits
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Athlone Town Tommy Hewitt Kayla Brady NikeStodge FaceBohemians Sean Byrne Sophie WattersO'NeillsICHH - Inner City Helping HomelessCork City Rónán Collins Becky CassinAdidasJackie Lennox Chip ShopDLR Waves Graham Kelly Catherine CroninJakoCDS - Clare Distribution ServicesGalway Billy Clery Shauna FoxAcerbisThe Plaza GroupPeamount United James O'Callaghan Áine O'GormanUhlsportSPAR Kelly's NewcastleShelbourne Noel King Pearl SlatteryUmbroHamptons HomesTreaty United Niall Connolly Esra Kangal UmbroEi ElectronicsWexford Youths Tom Elmes Kylie MurphyJakoEnergia
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner ofdepartureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate ofappointment Shelbourne Dave Bell Resignation 16 December 2020 Pre-season Noel King 31 December 2020 Treaty United Dave Rooney Resignation 1 January 2021 Pre-season Niall Connolly 17 January 2021 Galway Billy Clery Resignation 19 May 2021 5th Stephen Lally 22 May 2021 Cork City Rónán Collins Resignation 28 May 2021 9th Paul Farrell 16 June 2021 Wexford Youths Tom Elmes Resignation 9 June 2021 3rd Stephen Quinn 9 June 2021 Treaty United Niall Connolly Mutual consent 12 October 2021 9th
Format The nine teams play each other three times, with a mid-season break from 7 June to 25 June 2021.
League table Standings
Positions by round
The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included to the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards.
Results
Matches 1–24 Teams play each other three times, with one team idle on every round of fixtures.
Statistics Top scorers
Last updated after fixtures on 13 November 2021. RankPlayerClubGoals1 Áine O'GormanPeamount United162 Kylie MurphyWexford Youths153 Eleanor Ryan DoylePeamount United14 Ellen MolloyWexford Youths145 Saoirse NoonanShelbourne126 Jenna SlatteryTreaty United10
Source: Extratime.com
Awards Monthly awards MonthPlayer of the MonthReferencesPlayerClubAprilRachel KearnsGalwayMayEleanor Ryan-DoylePeamountJune/JulyKylie MurphyWexfordAugustSavannah McCarthyGalwaySeptemberKaren DugganPeamountOctoberJessie StapletonShelbourneNovemberEllen MolloyWexford Youths
Annual awards
Award Winner Club WNL Player of the Year Kylie Murphy Wexford Youths Young Player of the Year Aoibheann Clancy Wexford Youths Manager of the Year Noel King Shelbourne
WNL Team of the Year Goalkeeper Eve Badana (DLR Waves) Defenders Jessie Stapleton (Shelbourne) Lauren Dwyer (Wexford Youths) Savannah McCarthy (Galway) Midfielders Áine O'Gorman (Peamount United) Ciara Grant (Shelbourne) Karen Duggan (Peamount United) Aoibheann Clancy (Wexford Youths) Ciara Rossiter (Wexford Youths) Forwards Kylie Murphy (Wexford Youths) Ellen Molloy (Wexford Youths)
Broadcasting In February 2021 the Football Association of Ireland announced that all WNL matches would be streamed worldwide, free of charge on the new LOITV platform. In September 2021 the TG4 Irish language television network agreed a deal to broadcast four matches. Alex Kavanagh scored the first televised goal, in Shelbourne's 1–0 win over DLR Waves at Tolka Park. The 309,000 viewing figures exceeded expectations, and TG4 extended the arrangement into the following season.
See also 2021 FAI Women's Cup
References
External links