SSE Airtricity Women's National League
SATURDAY 19 MARCH
Cork City v Sligo Rovers, Turner's Cross, 5pm
Bohemians v Wexford Youths, Dalymount Park, 6pm
Peamount United v Treaty United, Greenogue, 6pm
Galway WFC v DLR Waves, Eamonn Deacy Park, 6pm
Athlone Town v Shelbourne, Athlone Town Stadium, 7pm
Watch all games live on LOITV
Surprisingly, Emma Donohoe has never represented the Republic of Ireland at any age level. But that could change soon.
If she continues to develop into one of the best left-backs in the SSE Airtricity Women's National League then the international spotlight could just swing in her direction.
The 21-year-old excelled for Athlone Town over the last two seasons before turning down the advances of several clubs to sign with Wexford Youths for the 2022 season. She views it as a step up and one that she's ready to embrace.
Donohoe is a straight talker, so she is not afraid to state her ambition of becoming an Ireland international as she understands the steps required to get there...
- Establish herself in the Wexford Youths line-up
- Consistently produce noteworthy performances
- Help her team compete for silverware in the League & Cup
- Earn a call-up to the Ireland WNT Home-Based Training Sessions
The former Aisling Annacotty player isn't just crossing her fingers in the hope that those things will happen for her. She is working as hard as she can in training and in games for Wexford - and then undertaking extra sessions in her own time.
Donohoe has recruited the help of Strength & Conditioning Coach Alan Loftus to help her gain that extra edge in fitness, strength, mobility, recovery and mentality.
"Technically and tactically, I get a lot from the sessions with Wexford Youths and they are enjoyable too. You look forward to going into training. We usually train on Tuesday and Thursday, but I train every day at home in Limerick - sometimes twice a day," admitted Donohoe.
"I've been unlucky not to ever be asked to a trial or to have been involved in an international set-up, but to make it into the Ireland senior squad is all I want I want. I think playing for one of the top clubs in the country can help as more people will be looking at you.
"Everyone is their own worse critic but when someone sees you doing well at one those clubs then it makes you think: 'I am good enough'.
"But I know that I have to work harder to make the left-back spot my own, so that our manager Stephen Quinn feels that I can do the job for the team there. My fitness certainly helps as I can get forward to support Rossi (Ciara Rossiter), go on overlaps and not be worried about tracking back because I can run up and down the wing all day.
"We have some really good players who can fill in at left-back so it's up to me to work hard and make sure that the work that I do off the pitch corresponds with what I do on the pitch. We have a really good team and I want to contribute to that. The team's ambition is to build on last season and go for the League and Cup, I want to be part of that."
But there's no doubt that making into the Ireland Home-Based sessions and then, ultimately, a squad is what is driving me on."
Wexford make the trip to Dalymount Park on Saturday to take on Bohemians in just their second game of the new season, after last week's home fixture against Shelbourne was postponed.
Donohoe is not taking anything for granted but feels that Wexford have the right blend of youth and experience to help them fulfil their ambitions of clinching a domestic double.
Currently studying Technology Management in the University of Limerick, Donohoe is taking things one assignment at a time with a clash against Bohemians next on the to-do list.
Elsewhere in tomorrow's round of fixtures, reigning champions Shelbourne are in the midlands to face Athlone Town.
Peamount United, rampant in their opening two games, host Treaty United.
Sligo Rovers have endured a difficult start to life in the Women's National League with successive losses to the Pea's and DLR Waves. They head for Turner's Cross tomorrow to meet Cork City.
Galway WFC, meanwhile, will aim to bounce back from their chastening loss to Peamount last weekend as they take on DLR Waves in Eamonn Deacy Park.
