Cheers, beers and Spanish tears at Belfast gathering for Euro final: ‘Hopefully this encourages more women'

Belfast Telegraph

7 hours ago

For three hours this afternoon, The American Bar in Belfast's Sailortown could have been renamed The Spaniard, such was the support for the World Cup holders from the players at Belfast Ravens as they took on England in the Women's Euro Final at a watch-a-long party.
The majority at the gathering — which started in the neighbouring Seatons as Kerry hadn't quite wrapped up their All-Ireland win as the Euro football final kicked off — were leaning in the Spanish direction.
But it wasn't through a fervent anti-English sentiment. Belfast Ravens has a strong Spanish influence running through its ranks.
Perhaps the largest women's football club in Ireland, the Ravens have three teams playing across the NIWFA divisions. The manager of their second team is Clara Alvarez. That her little boy Charlie has turned out in his Real Oviedo shirt gives the game away — she's from the Spanish city.
Clara had just led her Ravens to a 3-0 away win at First Bangor Women earlier in the day. She turned up hoping for a double celebration — but in the end of a dramatic final in Basel it was the words of her teammate Megan Ferguson that proved prophetic.
As Spain took a first-half lead, England-supporting Megan said: 'I'm not worried yet. We always go behind. We have Chloe Kelly to come on. She'll win it for us.'
Just before 8pm that same Chloe Kelly slammed home the winning penalty in a shootout as England won the Euros again, after their success at Wembley three years ago.
The full 120 minutes failed to separate the two dominant forces in the women's international game after a 1-1 draw.
Clara, along with her partner Marty Cauley, are a driving force behind the Ravens club, set up just eight years ago by David O'Reilly.
'Honestly, I'd never properly kicked a football until eight years ago, but everybody in Spain loves football,' she said.
Having been with Belfast Ravens since the early days, she has seen the number of players consistently rise.
'We're up to 45 regulars and there are more mums who might have other commitments a lot of the time, but overall we're about 60 strong in numbers,' she said.
'We all love it,' she said. 'It's not just the football, it's everything that comes with it, the sport, the friendships we have formed.'
David O'Reilly was the initial driving force behind the club, having encouraged his wife to bring some friends along for a kick-about back in 2017.
'It wasn't much more than that back then,' he said.
'It was just for fun, but it quickly took off and while much of what we do is still informal, we do like the social side, the friendship and the going for a drink after the match, we still have a very competitive edge.
'That we're now in a position to field three teams in the NIWFA leagues shows just how strong the sport is becoming. Even five years ago there was little TV coverage. But it has really taken off.'
Northern Ireland's success in reaching the Euro finals three years ago was a real boost for the sport in the country.
There are now nine divisions, featuring 70 teams, as the strength of women's football grows stronger every year.
'Watching the Euros in 2022 really got me into it,' said Megan Ferguson, proudly wearing her England shirt amongst a majority of Spanish red.
'I did grow up in a family full of Liverpool fans, but it never used to be something girls really played much. It was netball for me for a long time. I'm still a Liverpool fan in the men's game, but it's Arsenal Women for me in the WSL.
'I only joined the Ravens in January, but I've been to an Arsenal Women's match, and was part of the biggest ever WSL crowd.
'My granddad was brought up in England so I've been supporting them.'
For Louise Boyle though, a right winger with the Ravens first team, there was an extra reason to support Spain in the final — her boyfriend Miguel Martin is from Madrid. They both sported Spanish tops for the final.
Louise had the full Euros experience following Northern Ireland in Southampton three years ago when they qualified for the previous tournament.
'It seems to be even bigger this time round,' she said. 'It's wonderful to see the recognition the women's game is now getting.
'It was the last Euros that got me into the sport,' she said. 'I know Northern Ireland weren't there this time round, but with all the games being live on the main television channels, it's been brilliant to watch.'
Several of the Ravens players were actually in Switzerland last week, with Lisa Black and Caiti McCloskey among those who attended all four quarter-finals in a whistle-stop tour of the country.
'The Switzerland against Spain game was a great one to be at, because of the support for the home nation,' said Caiti. 'But the Swedish fans were the best. I think it was the Abba music.
'But it showed us just how big the women's game is. There was free transport to get fans around the country, the crowds were fabulous, the TV coverage was wonderful.
'Hopefully, seeing these matches on television will only encourage more women to get involved.'