UCD Women's Soccer Club is an Irish association football club based in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown. It is the

women's association football Women's association football, more commonly known simply as women's football or women's soccer, is a team sport of association football when played by women only. It is played at the professional level in multiple countries and 176 national t ...

team of

University College Dublin University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 33,284 student ...

. Founded in 1966, UCD are one of the oldest women's football clubs in the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...

. Like the UCD men's team, the women's football team has competed in national competitions, such as the

FAI Women's Cup The Football Association of Ireland Women's Cup is the senior cup competition for women's association football in the Republic of Ireland. It is commonly known as the Women's FAI Cup, the WFAI Cup, or prior to 2001, the Ladies FAI Cup or the LFAI ...

and the Women's National League, as well as intervarsity competitions. UCD has also represented the

in the

UEFA Women's Cup The UEFA Women's Champions League, previously called the UEFA Women's Cup (2001–2009), is a European women's association football competition. It involves the top club teams from countries affiliated with the European governing body UEFA. T ...

. Between 2014 and 2018, following a merger, with

DLR Waves Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown Waves, also referred to as DLR Waves is an Irish association football club based in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown. It was originally founded in 2012. The club enters teams in the FAI Women's Cup and the Women's National L ...

, the club played in the Women's National League and FAI Women's Cup as UCD Waves. However in 2018 UCD withdrew from the WNL. DLR Waves was subsequently revived as a separate club, taking UCD Waves' place in the WNL.

History

Intervarsity level

According to Professor Meenan's ''History of UCD Sport'', the UCD women's association football team was founded in 1966, playing their first games in 1967, including one against

Dublin University The University of Dublin ( ga, Ollscoil Átha Cliath), corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin, is a university located in Dublin, Ireland. It is the degree-awarding body for Trinity College Dubl ...

. However it was not until the early 1980s that the club began to play regularly. In 1983 and 1984 they finished as runners-up in the LSCAI Intervarsity Cup. In 1991 UCD joined the national colleges league, which was organised by the Ladies Soccer Colleges Association of Ireland (LSCAI) and then by the Women's Soccer Colleges Association of Ireland (WSCAI). The club won its first Colleges Premier Division title in 1994–95 with a 100% record and without conceding a goal all season. The club completed an Intervarsity double after also winning the Intervarsity Cup for the first time. A second Intervarsity double was completed in 1996–97.

FAI Women's Cup

UCD entered the

for the first time in 2002 and won it on their first attempt after defeating Shamrock Rovers 2–1 in the final. Goals came from captain Linda Greene and Carmel Kissane. Greene was the leading goal scorer for UCD and the captain during her 2 years playing at the University before transferring back to captain her old club Shamrock Rovers in 2004. With a team that included Sylvia Gee,

Mary Waldron Mary Veronica Waldron (born 5 May 1984) is an Irish association football player and cricketer who has represented both the Republic of Ireland women's national football team and the Ireland women's cricket team. She has also stood as an umpire ...

, Valerie Redmond, Caroline Thorpe and

Nora Stapleton Nora Stapleton is a former Ireland women's rugby union international. Stapleton represented Ireland at the 2010, 2014 and 2017 Women's Rugby World Cups. She was also a member of the Ireland teams that won the 2013 and 2015 Women's Six Nations ...

, UCD retained the cup in 2003 after defeating Lifford Ladies in the final. Carmel Kissane scored both goals in a 2–0 win. Under coach Larry Mahony, UCD completed a three-in-a-row of FAI Women's Cup wins when they defeated Dundalk City 4–1 in the 2004 final. UCD were also finalists in 2006 but they lost 1–0 to the Mayo Ladies League. As UCD Waves, the club were also runners up in 2014 and 2017.

Dublin Women's Soccer League

In 2002 UCD also began entering a team in the

Dublin Women's Soccer League The Dublin Women's Soccer League was a women's association football league featuring teams from the Republic of Ireland. While the majority of the participating clubs were based in the Greater Dublin Area, the DWSL had regularly included teams ...

. After finishing as runners up in their debut season, UCD completed a four-in-a-row of DWSL titles between 2003 and 2006. The also won the DWSL's main league cup competition, the

DWSL Premier Cup The Dublin Women's Soccer League was a women's association football league featuring teams from the Republic of Ireland. While the majority of the participating clubs were based in the Greater Dublin Area, the DWSL had regularly included teams f ...

in 2004, 2005 and 2007.

Women's National League era

Early seasons

The UCD women's team applied to join the Women's National League for the inaugural 2011–12 season. However their application fell through when the university couldn't guarantee them regular access to

UCD Bowl UCD can refer to: Education *University College Dublin, Irish university **University College Dublin A.F.C., the university's association football club **University College Dublin RFC, the university's rugby union club **UCD GAA, the university G ...

. The men's football team and men's rugby union team were given priority access. During the 2011–12,

2012–13 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...

and 2013–14 season the majority of UCD women's team and several alumni played in the WNL for other clubs.

Louise Quinn Louise Quinn (born 17 June 1990) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a centre back for the Women's Championship club Birmingham City and the Ireland national soccer team. At club level Quinn began her senior career with Peamount ...

Dora Gorman Dora Gorman (born 18 February 1993) is an Irish physician and Republic of Ireland women's international footballer who plays as a midfielder for Peamount United of the Women's National League (WNL). In 2010, she was captain of the Republic o ...

Julie-Ann Russell Julie-Ann Russell (born 28 March 1991) is a Republic of Ireland women's international footballer who currently plays for Galway in the Irish Women's National League. In 2014, Russell was voted both FAI Senior Women's International Player of ...

, Caroline Thorpe and

Chloe Mustaki Chloe Naomi Mustaki (born 29 July 1995) is an Irish footballer who plays as a defender or midfielder for Bristol City of the English Women's Championship. Born in the United States, and raised in France and Ireland, she is a member of the Repu ...

all played for

Peamount United Peamount United Football Club () is an Irish association football club based in Newcastle, South Dublin. The club is best known for its senior women's team who in 2011–12 became founder members and inaugural champions of the Women's National ...

while Siobhán Killeen, Ciara Grant and

played for Raheny United. Nicola Sinnott also played for Shamrock Rovers before switching to Wexford Youths. Meanwhile, Dora Gorman, Julie-Ann Russell,

, Siobhán Killeen, Ciara Grant also played for UCD in intervarsity competitions and in 2013–14 they helped UCD win the WSCAI Premier Division and the WSCAI Futsal Cup.

UCD Waves

Before the start of the 2014–15 season it was announced that

and UCD would merge.

Eileen Gleeson Eileen Gleeson is the Head of Women and Girls Football for the Football Association of Ireland. She is responsible for helping to grow participation and retention of women and girls at all levels of the game, while also supporting wider football ...

, formerly of

, was appointed manager of the new team known as UCD Waves. A number of Peamount United players including

Aine O'Gorman Aine may refer to: * Áine, Irish goddess of summer, wealth and sovereignty * Áine (given name), an Irish female given name * Aine, Dahanu Aine is a village in the Palghar district of Maharashtra, India. It is located in the Dahanu taluka. ...

Karen Duggan Karen Duggan (born 29 May 1991) is an Irish footballer who plays for Peamount United of the Women's National League (WNL). She has previously played for UCD Waves and the Republic of Ireland women's national football team. Between 2013 and 20 ...

and Emily Cahill all subsequently followed Gleeson to UCD Waves UCD student Ciara Grant also joined from Raheny United. In 2018 UCD withdrew from the WNL. DLR Waves was subsequently revived as a separate club, taking UCD Waves' place in the WNL.

UCD in Europe

After winning the

, UCD qualified three times to represent the

in the

. After Shamrock Rovers, UCD were the second women's team to represent the Republic of Ireland in Europe. ;

2003–04 UEFA Women's Cup The third UEFA Women's Cup took place during the 2003–04 season. It was convincingly won by reigning champions Umeå IK of Sweden in a two-legged final against 1. FFC Frankfurt of Germany. Both sides were aiming for their second win in the tour ...

– Group 6 ;

2004–05 UEFA Women's Cup The UEFA Women's Cup 2004–05 was the fourth edition of the UEFA Women's Cup football club tournament. It was won by Germany's FFC Turbine Potsdam against Djurgården/Älvsjö of Sweden in the final for their first title in the competition. I ...

– Group 9 ;

2005–06 UEFA Women's Cup The UEFA Women's Cup 2005–06 was the fifth edition of the UEFA Women's Cup football club tournament. It was won by 1. FFC Frankfurt in an all-German final against defending champions FFC Turbine Potsdam for their second title in the competition ...

– Group 2

Notable former players

women's internationals ; Ireland women's field hockey international *

Emily Beatty Emily Beatty (born 18 August 1993) is an Ireland women's field hockey international. She was a member of the Ireland team that played in the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup final. Beatty has also won Irish Senior Cup and Women's Irish Hockey L ...

; Ireland women's rugby union international *

Managers

* Ian Nesbitt 1991-2000 * Linda Greene 2000-2003 player/manager * Jason Carey 2002-2003 * Pat Kavanagh 2003-2005 * Larry Mahony 005-2008 011-2013 *

2014-2017 * Noel Kealy

Honours

;First Team *

**''Winners'': 2002, 2003, 2004 : 3 **''Runners-up'': 2006, 2014, 2017: 3 *

**''Winners'': 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006: 4 **''Runners-up'': 2002: 1 *

**''Winners'': 2004, 2005, 2007 : 3 * Women's National League **''Runners-up'': 2014–15,

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses duri ...

: 2 *

WNL Cup The League of Ireland Women's Premier Division ( ga, Príomhroinn na mBan i Sraith na hÉireann, sponsor name SSE Airtricity League Women's Premier Division) is a professional women's association football league in the Republic of Ireland, org ...

**''Runners-up'':

: 1 ;Intervarsity *LSCAI/WSCAI Premier Division **''Winners'': 1994–95, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2002–03, 2013–14: 5 **''Runners-up'': 2012–13: 1 *LSCAI/WSCAI First Division **''Winners'': 1992–93, 2007–08: 2 *LSCAI/WSCAI Intervarsity Cup **''Winners'': 1994–95, 1996–97: 2 **''Runners-up'': 1983, 1984, 2006–07, 2008–09 : 4 *LSCAI/WSCAI Intervarsity Challenge Cup **''Winners'': 2007–08: 1 *WSCAI Intervarsity Plate **''Winners'': 2001–02, 2002–03: 2 **''Runners-up'': 2007–08, 2011–12 : 2 *UCG Galway Plate **''Winners'': 1996–97, 1995–96, 1994–95, 1993–94: 4 *WSCAI Futsal Cup **''Winners'': 2007–08, 2005–06, 2002–03, 2007–08, 2013–14: 6

References

External links

UCD Women's Soccer Club on Facebook

UCD Women's Soccer Club on Twitter
{{University College Dublin Women's association football clubs in the Republic of Ireland Association football clubs in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown

Waves Waves most often refers to: *Waves, oscillations accompanied by a transfer of energy that travel through space or mass. *Wind waves, surface waves that occur on the free surface of bodies of water. Waves may also refer to: Music *Waves (band) ...

University and college association football clubs in the Republic of Ireland Former Women's National League (Ireland) teams Dublin Women's Soccer League teams Association football clubs established in 1966 1966 establishments in Ireland