Leitrim's Muireann Devaney signs for Sligo Rovers

Leitrim soccer fans will have yet another reason to cheer on Sligo Rovers in 2024 after it was announced that the Bit of Red had signed Manorhamilton's Muireann Devaney.

The former SSE Airtricity Team of the League selection in 2022, Devaney returns to Sligo Rovers having lined out with the club's U17 team before joining Athlone Town where she played for three years, winning the FAI Cup and Presidents Cup with the midlands club last year as she went on to make 74 appearances over the three years.

The move sees Devaney join forces again with former Athlone Town manager Tommy Hewitt who commented on www.sligorovers.com "Getting Muireann back to Sligo, we always had these conversations every season, I encouraged her to have a look at Sligo. Muireann is massive, I think she’s the most under-rated player in the league. I’ve always said that to her. I think by now she should be a senior international and hopefully with her performances now at Sligo that will happen.

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"She brings an awful lot of experience for such a young girl. For me as a manager to sign a player twice, and a player of Muireann’s quality, it’s fantastic. When we signed Kelly (Crompton), I said it was like Christmas morning; this is like everything rolled into one. When Muireann agreed to sign, I was over the moon."

Devaney herself was delighted with the move, particularly as it is so close to home: "I’ve had three great seasons with Athlone, it started off with Tommy as the manager. I really enjoyed it. We won the cup last year. I always wanted to come back to Sligo at some stage, and I felt that this season was the right season to do it. It’s good knowing who is managing and what he brings to it. I think Tommy is going to bring Sligo on leaps and bounds.”

"Travelling for the last number of years was hard, but Sligo is only in the road. It’s going to make it a bit easier for me, having friends and family in the stand when it’s so close. I hope it’s going to be a good year. I went to Athlone with the ambition of winning something and getting my place in a senior team. I’ve had that experience now, and I hope there’s something I can bring to Sligo with that experience."

Equality for women's sport a sticking point for Leitrim's dual sports star Muireann Devaney

A dual sport star, the 20-year-old Devaney returns to Rovers having played for the club’s U17 side in 2019 and 2020. Devaney was named Rovers’ women’s U17 player of the year in 2020.