'We're just really looking forward to it' - Treaty United manager Laurie Ryan on upcoming Premier Division campaign

THE Treaty United Women's side kick-start their SSE Airtricty League of Ireland Premier Division season away to Shelbourne at Tolka Park on Saturday.

The club will be looking to build on what was a positive 2025 for The Shannonsiders, where Treaty accumulated their highest ever points total as well as reaching the FAI Cup semi-final where they came up short against Bohemians.

Laurie Ryan was appointed as manager of the women's side ahead of 2026.

Ryan, a native of County Clare, began her playing career locally with Lifford Ladies before joining the League of Ireland in 2021. As captain of Athlone Town, she led her side to unprecedented success — lifting the FAI Women’s Cup in 2023 and securing the club’s first-ever league title in 2024.

Alongside her playing achievements, Ryan is a lecturer in the Department of Sport and Health at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS).

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Ryan has also made her mark as a coach, guiding the TUS Women’s Soccer Team to victory in the Intervarsities Shield in 2023 and the Intervarsities Cup in 2024, the first in the university’s history.

The former Athlone Town player recounts how the opportunity of becoming manager came about.

"I had been in contact with the club last season about the potential of coming back playing mid-season so I had been keeping an eye on Treaty and how they were getting on but I had just had a baby so that's what stopped me from going back playing. 

"I ended up going to a couple of their matches and it just kind of came about that Ciara (McCormack) was looking for a manager and she reached out to see was I interested because she had heard that I had moved home and that I had been in and around the club.

"She knew that I had played in the League of Ireland and that I had coaching experience. Off the back of that, we met up and had a discussion and we decided that we'd give it a go," she said.

Although last season was a positive one for the women's side, Ryan thinks the group can go on to achieve more, citing that the current squad is full of quality.

"It's such a quality group of players. There are so many of them who have played underage for Ireland and although I think it was a good season last year, we still finished eight and that's an area where we want to improve.

"I don't think Treaty have ever finished above seventh in the league so it's definitely something we're looking to improve and build on what was done last year.

"We have new girls coming in so hopefully they can add to the squad and add that bit of experience to the group."

The Clare native has a raft of League of Ireland experience, that experience, paired with a fresh voice is something that can be of benefit to the team, according to Ryan.

"Sometimes I think it can be just a case of a fresh voice coming in. I've been around the league and have had quite a successful career in Athlone, bringing that experience into a dressing room is invaluable.

"I know how hard it can be to ty and go from seventh to winning the league because we did it with Athlone so to have that experience and to live through that experience is really important and I think that's something I can bring to the group, even just to remind them that it is possible is important too."

Ryan admits the league has 'gone from strength to strength' but states that the group are 'really excited' to get going. 

"It's really gone from strength to strength from when I was playing until now. I think the quality of the underage coming through is definitely pushing it on as well and I think every team has recruited really well, every team have gotten stronger as a result. 

"It'll be a really, really good league and we're really excited to get going in the league, to test ourselves and push ourselves." 

Treaty face a tough task in their opening league fixture when they travel to the capital to face a Shelbourne side that finished second last season.

"I think for us as a group, we've never beaten Shelbourne. So to go up and try and do that in Tolka Park will be a huge test and the girls have to relish that opportunity that they have. It's a huge opportunity and we will focus on getting our performance right.

"The first day of the league is always a tricky one for every team because no one truly knows where they are at. We're just really looking forward to it and it is something that we have been building towards.

"The atmosphere is really good in the camp at the minute and it's important to keep pushing the standards now and driving on," Ryan concluded.