Having transferred from Hollyhill to Cork City last summer, Ciara McNamara has wasted little time in establishing herself in the FAI Continental Tyres National League.
The eighteen year old from Whitechurch has proved to be a shrewd acquisition to Cork City Women and has put in a number of accomplished performances at the heart of the teams defence and McNamara is delighted to be playing for the club and manager Charlie Lynch.
“I find playing and training with Cork City to be really good, its professional, there is great training facilities available to us in Bishopstown and C.I.T, all our gear and stuff like that is given to us, it’s great.
“I knew our manager Charlie for a good while, he first coached me on a training camp when I was about 12 or 13 years old and I came up against Charlie in the local leagues as well.
“I know him very well, he’s a very good coach, he has a great knowledge of the game and he’s really approachable as well. If you have a question or you say you’re not sure what to do, he has no problem with you going over and asking him and he gives you a clear answer.
“Charlie was the manager of the Cork U16 Gaynor Cup squad, which I was lucky enough to be captain of and we eventually turned out to be the winners that year,” said the former under age international.
McNamara has been one Cork City Women’s most consistent performers so far this season, however, despite settling into the Women’s National League quickly she admits she has had to up her game.
“Play is that bit quicker in the National League, people are stronger and fitter and it’s a faster pace, it’s a really good opportunity for me to play against the best players in Ireland and to keep improving my game and helping me as a player.
“I also find it a much bigger commitment, we train three times a week and have a match week in week out so it’s a really big commitment,” added the Whitechurch native.
Having represented Ireland at under age level, McNamara is now hoping that her form with Cork City will help catch the eye of senior international manager Sue Ronan.
“Personally I just want to get fitter and keep improving my game and to develop as a player and hopefully get spotted for a senior tournament. With Cork City I think if we keep improving we will hopefully get valuable points and maybe even a couple of wins. I think we are knocking on the door and we are gelling as a team every week. Training is getting better, everyone’s getting fitter, and we are getting so much better. We have a break for Christmas now but hopefully in the first few games in the New Year we can get another positive result.
The leaving cert student at Coláiste An Chroí Naofa feels that Cork City Women’s FC coming under the umbrella of FORAS has been a huge positive, not just for her team in the Women’s National League but for the women’s game in general on Leeside.
“I was delighted when I heard we would be part of Cork City FC, I think it shows how important the National League is. Cork has such a big local league with a lot of talented players. The CWSSL has been great for me and helps all the girls in it to develop as a players but I think it’s important that there is something for those girls who aspire to play at a higher level to progress to.
“That’s why it’s vital Cork is represented at National league level it allows these girls to stay in Cork if they choose to and play for Cork City Women’s,” she concluded.
Words & pics Jason O’Brien
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