Julie-Ann Russell is looking forward the addition of another ‘derby’ for Galway following the addition of Sligo Rovers as the league’s tenth team.
The Irish international, a former league winner with Peamount United, was absent as Galway lost 3-1 to their nearest geographical rival, Athlone Town, last weekend.
She was ever-present up until then as the Tribeswomen opened the season with a 3-0 away win over Cork City, defeat to Peamount and a home draw with DLR Waves.
Another relatively short 100km trip is on the cards this weekend as Alan Murphy’s side travel to Limerick to face Treaty United.
It’s next month’s meeting with the league’s newest side, at the Showgrounds in Sligo, that really whets the appetite.
And there’s more than just north-west bragging rights at stake - Galway native Julie-Ann’s brother John is assistant manager for the men’s team in Sligo.
And with football in Galway becoming more professional year-on-year - A License coach Murphy has raised the standard at Deacy Park - football in Connacht looks in good shape.
“As a club, we're improving year over year and it's great for the west of Ireland, especially with Sligo coming in with a women's side on board.” Russell tells Dublin Live.
“Our closest rivals would have been Limerick and Athlone, but now that Sligo are in now it's great to have that west of Ireland derby.
“I always had a soft spot for Sligo with John being involved there but, when it comes down to it, I'll still want to beat them.”
Russell’s football has taken her all over the world, with spells in Los Angeles and Doncaster as well as time in Dublin with Peamount and DLR Waves.
Most recently, she spent four years in Australia with Sydney University and West Sydney Wanderers, having made the move south with her job at Microsoft.
Covid, and the distance it placed her from her family, saw her return to Galway last year and sign for her hometown club for the first time.
She made Vera Pauw's Ireland international squad while in Oz, earning her 59th cap in a 1-0 win over Greece in Tallaght in 2020.
Russell has been in home-based training squads since re-signing for Galway and she feels being at home will enhance her chances of adding to her caps.
“I came back for family and Covid accelerated it,” she says.
“Australia is an unbelievable country but the only downfall is it's a million miles away. You can't just jump on a flight and get home in a couple of hours.
“Now I'm back in the country and the management can see me play week in week out, it can afford a better opportunity for me to get back in the squad.”
