As Treaty United look ahead to the 2026 women’s season, new manager Laurie Ryan is beginning the transition into her role, combining early squad planning with life as a first-time mother following her appointment last October.
Ryan earned her coaching badges at Technological University of the Shannon while coaching their women’s soccer team. Speaking about her first experiences with coaching, she said, “you get an itch for it, and you really enjoy it.”
“There’s lots in it; the organisation and problem solving is challenging, but it was something I could do last year when I was pregnant and couldn’t play. It gave me that release and I was grateful to have that opportunity.”
Laurie spoke about balancing her new role and motherhood. “At the moment, I’m on maternity leave, and that’s going to last a bit longer. It should allow me to get my feet under myself in Treaty. I’m based in Clare, so it means that my family are all around me, and everyone is dying to get hold of my baby. I have a great support system.”
“We’re just lucky to have all those people around looking to help in any way they can. I’ve good friends as well, who texted me straight away and said, ‘we’ll help you as much as we can to make sure that you can do this.’”
It was a big choice for her to make.
“I had to consider everything when I was making this decision, because obviously, you want to spend your time at home with the baby. I’m ambitious, and I want to do well. Am I going to be able to give it the time? I think for others to see that as well, it’s great.
“When I was announced as Treaty Manager, the amount of people that texted me and congratulated me. I’m a new mom, and to see a mom in a role like that, they said was huge for them. I suppose that’s not something that I take lightly either.
“I’ve seen amazing women after having a baby like Eimear Considine and Julianne Russell, who go back to sport, to be involved and get to that high level. They’ve inspired me. I think people need that kind of inspiration as well and sometimes it’s just nice to see it.”
Speaking about her ambitions for the season ahead, she says; “we’re privileged in that we’ve a lot of quality local girls in Treaty. I think the youth from the academy are pushing the club onwards.
“Making the semi-final last season was a huge step forward, and it’s something we’re hoping to build on next year. That’s the kind of ambition that the club wants, to be competing at the top end.
“My main hope is to make sure that we keep all the local girls playing with Treaty, and our ambition is to break into the top half of the table. They have every possibility of doing it. I just want to be as competitive as possible in every game and to put them in a better position than where they are this year.”
Treaty United finished in eighth place in last season’s League of Ireland Women’s Premier Division.
“They did lots of good work over the last few years, and I want to build on that and get the community behind them. To get people out supporting the girls and giving them the backing they deserve. We just want to push on now and take another step up the table.”
Treaty United’s first game of the 2026 SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division is away to Shelbourne FC on March 14.