Eva Mangan has called for the creation of an Ireland Under 23s women’s team ‘if the FAI are serious about the development of women’s football’ in Ireland.
Mangan, speaking exclusively to The Halfway Line is about to embark on her sixth season at Cork City and spoke plainly and eloquently about the gap in the development structure.
The Carrigaline native also told The Halfway Line about how her love of football began, her first international call up and the season ahead for her beloved Cork City.
Gap between Ireland Under 19s and senior team is ‘too big’
Despite the launch of the FAI Strategy for 2026-2029 today, there remains a wide gap in the development pyramid of Irish women’s football. Eva Mangan, now 21, would directly benefit from a under 23s side at national team level, like so many others in her age group. Not only that, but the side would provide an opportunity for Irish coaches too.
Mangan spoke with immense clarity when asked by The Halfway Line about the lack of an Irish women’s side at Under 23s level,
“Obviously, it’s really disappointing that there’s not a 23s,” Mangan said. “It kind of has been in talks for a good while but I don’t think there’s been any developments really on it, but last year, they started a development team to bridge the gap between the nineteens and the senior [teams] because sure, as we all know, it’s too big.
“And I seen something out the other day on how many players have been capped since the World Cup, and it’s very few. And for the players who have been capped, there’s, there’s not much [from the] nineteens, you know, at that level.
“So a lot of people my age, then would drop off, and you wouldn’t really hear of them again. So I think it has to be brought in, if the FAI are serious about really developing women’s football in Ireland and wanting Ireland to be in the front stage at Euros, at World Cups, they have to bring the 23s team in.
“And I don’t really understand or see why it hasn’t been done yet but I suppose I don’t really know who’s in charge of it. There have been talks for a while, and I really thought that it would be done by now, so it’s quite disappointing to be honest.”
Ireland call up ‘one of the best moments of my life’ recalls Mangan
In 2024 Eva Mangan was called up to three national team squads under the then head coach Eileen Gleeson. The Halfway Line asked the Cork City captain, what that moment was like, when she found out about the call up,
“So I got email a few days before, and it said I was on the provisional squad,” Mangan explained. “And I was kind of just like, ah, that email now has probably went to at least 50 or 60 people. I was delighted by it but yeah, I didn’t expect it [the call up] to be honest.
“And then she [Eileen Gleeson] had text me the night before and asking if I could take a phone call before the squad announcement.
“So I still then thought, okay, maybe she’s ringing me just to say, well done on getting on the provisional and keep the head down, and maybe I’d get a call up in a few weeks.
“And when she rang me and told me I was actually, like, speechless, I couldn’t believe it. I ran down the stairs and told my mam and then I rang my dad, and it was a very proud moment, and I was just delighted.
“It was probably one of the best moments of my life, and the experience I got from it was amazing. It makes me more hungry like to get back into it and things like that.”
Mangan spoke about the Irish players that made her feel welcome and helped her settle into the squad after she was called up at only 19 years of age,
“Yeah, they were all really nice,” Mangan said. “But two who kind of stuck out to me were Lily Agg, she was really nice, she took me under her wing, and Grace Moloney, I still keep in contact with her now, she was very good to me when I went in first.
“And then I obviously had like Jessie Stapleton who I’d be really good friends with from underage. So it was nice to have a friendly face in there when I first got in.”
‘I was like, just a little Tomboy when I was younger’ Mangan recalls
Away from the dizzying heights of her call up to the national team, The Halfway Line asked Eva Mangan where it all began and where her love for the sport comes from,
“Yeah, so I kind of come from really sporty family,” Mangan fondly remembered. “So I was just always out in the parks with all the boys. I was like, just a little Tomboy when I was younger, I’d never have a doll in my hand or anything.
“I’d go around in football kits every day, all the Arsenal kits, and just from there, my brother’s only 10 months younger than me, so I’d go down training with him and the lads.
“And then my dad just brought me down to Carrigaline United, where I started playing. I think I was like six or seven and it just went from there then, and I’ve just loved it ever since.”
Mangan recalls being ‘thrown into the deep’ end of senior football
Since those early beginnings Eva Mangan has made over 120 appearances for Cork City. She is currently studying at University College Cork training to become a secondary school teacher, another string to an already accomplished archer’s bow.
Back when she was only 16 years old she loosed her first arrow, making her debut for Cork City, Mangan spoke to that experience,
“I just turned 16 I think at the time,” Mangan recalled. “I was kind of just thrown into deep really, yeah, first game the season, I was just told I was playing. And I think that was probably the best way I could have gotten into senior football really, like, I hadn’t much time to think about it.
“But from then, I think you always hear people saying, like, you’ll gain experience by just playing. And I believe that totally, because that’s how I got where I was really, just you learn on the job.
“It’s been really good, and I’m lucky I was given the opportunity back then at that age to get into the team.”
Only a few years later, Mangan was made captain of her hometown club,
“Yeah, I was quite young, to be fair,” Mangan said. “I was 19, and I suppose it’s a bit daunting being in a dressing room at 19 being captain, when you’ve players who are 27, 28 alongside you.
“It was kind of like I was a bit nearly uncomfortable probably in the first few weeks, but like back then, I was probably more of a quiet player, but I always trained 100%
“I watched what I done off the pitch in terms of doing my extra gym work, my nutrition, all those kind of things. So I still think I’m like that kind of captain, as in, I like to just lead as example and kind of set the bar.
“But I think the last year or two, I’ve gotten very vocal on the pitch and in the dressing room, but I think that takes time as well.
“But when I was first given the captaincy Ciara Mac [Ciara McNamara] she was very good to me in terms of, she gave me advice, and she was always kind of there for me when I needed it. So I think that was kind of a very big help when I was kind of transitioning into the role.”
Barry Ryan ‘cares a lot about the person not just the player’ lauds Eva Mangan
After a turbulent season last term that involved multiple different head coaches, Cork City are hoping for stability under the stewardship of Barry Ryan. Mangan spoke about her experience so far working with Ryan,
“Yeah, I really enjoyed it [working with Barry Ryan] like,” Mangan noted. “I worked with him before it was at Munster 15s, so I was still young, but he still had the same kind of philosophy and stuff back then as he has now.
“It’s been really good, really enjoyable and the way he wants to play, like his style of playing, he just wants to attack, attack, go forward. So I’m excited.
“It’s obviously hard when a new coach comes in and he kind of wants you to play very differently to other coaches, but I think we’re all really excited now to to get going with him.
“His values and his beliefs they align with mine. So it’s very easy to want to work with him and to kind of get everyone else on board, but I think everyone’s on the same page, really.
“He’s a very good coach but he’s very good people’s person as well. So I think that helps very much. Like he cares a lot about the person as well, not just the player. So I think that’s a really good sign as a coach.”
‘Our biggest issue is consistency’ laments Cork City ace
Last season was a difficult one for Cork City, despite having bright moments where the team clicked. Mangan thoughtfully reflected on last term with the Rebel Army,
“I think last season we can see how good we can be at times, but our biggest problem is just consistency,” Mangan lamented. “Like we can show up one week and we’re a 10 out of 10, and then next week will be a two and a half out of 10. Like there’s a big drop off to what we can kind of bring from week one to week two.
“So I think last year we had really good performances. And look, it shows how good we can be, but this year, we just need to start from the get go really and and just build up the table as much as we can.
“I think from previous years we’re probably too focused on, okay, this is where we have to be in the mid season break. We need to be halfway up the table. But this year we’re kind of just going game by game. And I think that’s the way it should be.”
As for her own season, Mangan had the most goal involvements at Cork City last term but has placed her focus in a wise direction this term,
“I’m kind of just like a game by game person really,” Mangan candidly admitted. “But just this year I want to get back to my best. Probably last season I didn’t have the season I kind of wanted there. But this year I just want to get back to my best and enjoy it.
“And when I enjoy my football, that’s when I play at my best. So, yeah, I’m just looking forward to get going really now.”
‘The pressure is on them’ says Eva Mangan ahead of Rovers clash
Cork City start their campaign on Saturday against Shamrock Rovers, whom have stolen much of the off season headlines. Rovers have a new head coach and a new star player, but with the Turner’s Cross crowd behind the Rebel Army, could Mangan’s side pull off an upset?
“Look, I actually said this the other day, that we’re underdogs going in and I think everyone likes to be an underdog really,” Mangan said as a knowing smile found a home in the corner of her mouth. “The pressure is on them to come down to Cork, to show up like but I think people haven’t probably seen us at our best.
“Definitely the last few games that were kind of behind closed doors, we really have probably surprised parents now who’ve been at the games or the opposition.
“I think, look, the pressure’s all on them, really. They have everyone talking about them. They’ve brought in a lot of good players, and don’t get me wrong, they’ll be a very good team this year.
“But I do think that we’ll give it up to them next Saturday, now, and we’re buzzing, and thank God it’s in Cork, hopefully we’ll get a crowd out so.”
‘I love playing for my family’ says Eva Mangan
To conclude the interview The Halfway Line asked Mangan about who her inspiration in football is, Eva Mangan took a moment to contemplate before responding,
“I kind of just love playing for myself, for my family,” Mangan thoughtfully expressed. “I’d say I have a lot of pride for my family, like, the amount of time and work my parents have gave up for me, bringing me to training, bringing me to matches, I can’t imagine doing that when I’m older” Mangan said with a smile thinking of her parents Audrey and Niall.
“Like to know what I think of it that way, the amount of things that they’ve missed out and then for myself, the amount of kind of things that I’ve gave up, to sacrifice, you know, for my dream.
“So I just love playing for my family, and I love making them proud. And when I make them proud, then that makes me happy so.”
Eva Mangan’s Cork City side will kick off their campaign by welcoming Shamrock Rovers on Saturday 14th March 2026, broadcast live on LOITV.
