The 2022 Women's National League known as the SSE Airtricity WNL for sponsorship reasons, was the 12th season of the Women's National League, the highest women's association football league in the Republic of Ireland since its establishment in 2011. Expansion team Sligo Rovers competed for the first time, bringing the league up to ten clubs. Shelbourne, as defending champions from the previous season, won the 2022 league by defeating Wexford Youths on the final day of the season.
In July 2022 Shelbourne announced the signing of highly-decorated United States international player Heather O'Reilly, who emerged from retirement after two years. The transfer brought substantial publicity and increased the profile of the league.
Teams
Team Home town/suburb Stadium 2021 finish Athlone Town Athlone Athlone Town Stadium 7th Bohemians Dublin Dalymount Park 6th Cork City Cork Turners Cross 8th DLR Waves Dún Laoghaire UCD Bowl 4th Galway Galway Eamonn Deacy Park 5th Peamount United Newcastle, County Dublin Greenogue 2nd Shelbourne Dublin Tolka Park 1st Sligo Rovers Sligo The Showgrounds NA Treaty United Limerick Markets Field 9th 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 Laurie RyanUmbroPalfingerBohemians Sean Byrne Sinéad TaylorO'NeillsPremier Property GroupCork City Paul Farrell Becky CassinAdidasJackie Lennox Chip ShopDLR Waves Graham Kelly Jessica GleesonJakoCDS - Clare Distribution ServicesGalway Alan Murphy Savannah McCarthyAcerbisSó HotelsPeamount United James O'Callaghan Áine O'GormanO'NeillsSPAR Kelly's NewcastleShelbourne Noel King Pearl SlatteryUmbroTechnological University DublinSligo Rovers Steve Feeney Emma HansberryJomaAvant MoneyTreaty United Don O'Riordan Michaela MitchellUmbroNoneWexford Youths Stephen Quinn Kylie MurphyJakoEnergia
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner ofdepartureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate ofappointment Galway Stephen Lally Redeployed 12 December 2021 Pre-season Alan Murphy 12 December 2021 Sligo Rovers Pre-season Steve Feeney 15 December 2021 Treaty United Pre-season Don O'Riordan 29 December 2021 Cork City Paul Farrell Resignation 9 May 2022 9th Jess Lawton (interim) 10 May 2022 Cork City Jess Lawton (interim) End of interim period 31 May 2022 9th Danny Murphy 31 May 2022 Treaty United Don O'Riordan Resignation 7 November 2022 10th
Format The ten teams played each other three times, with a mid-season break from 12 June to 1 July 2022.
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 twice.
Matches 19–27 Teams play each other once.
Statistics Top scorers As of 30 October 2022. RankPlayerClubGoals1 Áine O'GormanPeamount United222 Emily CorbetAthlone Town203 Stephanie RochePeamount United164 Ellen MolloyWexford Youths165 Kylie MurphyWexford Youths15
Source: Women's National League
Awards Monthly awards MonthPlayer of the MonthReferencesPlayerClubMarchStephanie RochePeamount UnitedAprilLaurie RyanAthlone TownMayJessica ZiuShelbourneJune/JulyEmma DohertySligo RoversAugust/SeptemberCiara RossiterWexford YouthsOctoberAlex KavanaghShelbourne
Annual awards
Award Winner Club WNL Player of the Year Emily Corbet Athlone Town Young Player of the Year Jessie Stapleton Shelbourne Manager of the Year Tommy Hewitt Athlone Town Bank of Ireland Golden Gloves Amanda Budden Shelbourne Buy4Pets Online Goal of the Year Aoife Brennan Sligo Rovers Services to the Women's National League Stephen Moran and Mick O'Shea WNL Team of the Year Goalkeeper Rachael Kelly (Bohemians) Defenders Jessica Gargan (Shelbourne) Jessica Hennessy (Athlone Town) Shauna Fox (Shelbourne) Midfielders Áine O'Gorman (Peamount United) Ellen Molloy (Wexford Youths) Muireann Devaney (Athlone Town) Jessie Stapleton (Shelbourne) Ciara Rossiter (Wexford Youths) Forwards Emma Doherty (Sligo Rovers) Emily Corbet (Athlone Town)
Broadcasting In February 2021 the Football Association of Ireland announced that all WNL matches would be streamed free of charge on the new LOITV platform. In February 2022 the TG4 Irish language television network confirmed an intention to broadcast nine WNL matches in 2022. Ultimately 10 games were broadcast live, which attracted over 500,000 viewers.
See also 2022 FAI Women's Cup
Notes
References
External links