Green light for Sion Ladies

WHILE the Northern Ireland Football League has given the green light for the 2020 Women’s Premiership to be played later in the year, Sion Swifts Ladies manager Tony McGinley insists there is a lot of work to be done before a ball is kicked in anger.

NIFL confirmed in a statement released on Tuesday morning that while the men’s season has been ended with immediate effect they have plans for a shortened women’s season, probably kicking off at the tail-end of the summer.

The statement read, “The 2020 NIFL Women’s Premiership and Women’s Academy League seasons will be played later this year in a reduced format.”

That confirmation was greeted with tremendous excitement by everyone involved with Sion Swifts Ladies and it made for a great news week for the club as a whole following the announcement that they are also set for return to their ‘home’ at the Brae Field.

The Chronicle understands that the Women’s Premiership will be reduced from 20 games to 10 with all clubs playing each other home and away.

Plans are also in place to play the Irish Cup which Swifts won back in 2017.

McGinley confirmed he attended a meeting of clubs last week and said their was real desire to have a season.

“It was a positive meeting. The season can’t be what it was meant to be but dates have been put in place for a 10-game league,” he said.

“The desire is there to make it happen but we haven’t gone into any great detail what is required or what the protocols will be. ”

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