Shamrock Rovers have applied to the FAI to have a senior team in the WNL next season.
Collie O'Neill, who was previously manager of the UCD men's side, has been appointed as the Hoops' first team head coach.
The news follows Galway United's announcement this week that the club will be entering a WNL team for the 2023 campaign, following Galway WFC's decision not to apply for the League for next term.
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If both applications are successful it will bring the number of clubs in the WNL to 11.
Rovers believe the appointment of O'Neill, a Pro Licence holder, is a serious statement regarding the progression of girls and women's football at the club.
Aside from his time at UCD, which saw the Students earn promotion to the Premier Division in 2018, he has also coached at Shels, Dundalk and Dublin City.
Rovers currently have two teams in the WNL at U17s and U19s and the club has also just started a new girls development academy.
O'Neill said: “It’s a great privilege to be at the biggest club in Ireland.
"I’m looking forward to the challenge of delivering on the expectation that comes with managing at such a big club.
"It’s an exciting challenge to put a new team together, but it’s made easier by some of the work that has gone into Rovers’ women’s section over the last few years, these players are our future.
"I’ll be looking to bring an attractive style of play along with an intensity to help us dominate games with and without the ball.”
Head of Women’s football at Rovers, Jason Carey, explained the work that will go into putting a squad together for the next WNL campaign.
Carey said: “My job is to put the best structures and people in place so that the Shamrock Rovers Women’s teams can be successful.
"We want to make a big impact on the game in Ireland and having somebody of Collie’s calibre certainly gives us a great chance to do so.
"I would like to thank Academy Director Shane Robinson, U19 Men’s Coach Aidan Price and the Board of SRFC for their support in getting to this point.
“Collie is someone who commands great respect within the game. He has everything we want our first team manager to be.
"He has a fantastic pedigree in terms of winning trophies developing young players and playing a very attractive style of football.
"We feel that this appointment sets out where the club wants to be in relation to the development of the women’s game in Ireland.
“We are very ambitious about what we want to do here.
"The facilities and support structures at the club are amongst the best in the country, we have seen what the club has accomplished on the boys/men’s side, and we want to replicate that success in women’s football."
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