YOU’LL NEVER WALK ATHLONE

Midlanders on the verge of a historic breakthrough in Champions League

- BY GARRY DOYLE

After a decent career in collegiate soccer in the States, Waesch tried her luck, writing to a number of European clubs in search of a trial.

Athlone were the only ones to answer. ‘And for that I am eternally grateful” she reveals.

Gratitude is a two-way street, though, Athlone needing Waesch as badly as she needs them.

The midfielder is not a traditional six, her mobility allowing her to masquerade as a box-to-box operator if required.

Plus she can deliver goals, scoring against Cardiff City, and Croatian side Agram, in the previous rounds of this year’s Champions League.

Yet the details of scorelines, 4-0 and then 3-0 wins, tell only part of this Athlone story.

Four years ago, they were struggling. Then the club board put a focus on developing the women's section of the club. They recruited an excellent manager, Ciaran Kilduff, who applied some structures.

A league and a cup followed and when Kilduff exited for Dundalk’s men’s team, his replacement, Colin Fortune, proved to be as good.