Emma Hansberry

Emma Hansberry (born 26 May 1994) is an Irish footballer and coach who plays for Women's National League (WNL) club Sligo Rovers. She previously represented Castlebar Celtic and Wexford Youths. An attacking midfielder,[2] she has also represented the Republic of Ireland women's national team. In Gaelic football Hansberry played for the St Mary's club[3] and her county, Sligo GAA.[4]

Emma Hansberry
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-05-26) 26 May 1994
Place of birth Sligo, Ireland
Height 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Sligo Rovers
Number 4
Youth career
Merville
Strand Celtic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2015 Castlebar Celtic
2015–2018 Wexford Youths
2018–2021 Northumbria University
2022– Sligo Rovers
International career‡
2016 Republic of Ireland 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:46, 23 January 2022 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:17, 1 November 2020 (UTC)

Club career

Hansberry is from Strandhill in County Sligo. At youth level she played soccer for Merville and Strandhill Celtic, as well as Gaelic football for Sligo GAA's youth teams and her school Ursuline College Sligo.[5][6]

For the inaugural 2011–12 season of the Women's National League (WNL), Hansberry joined County Mayo club Castlebar Celtic. She scored seven goals and made "a string of highly impressive performances" to be named in the WNL Team of the Season and awarded the Young Player of the Year.[7] In the 2013 FAI Women's Cup Final at the Aviva Stadium, Hansberry played well for the underdogs Castlebar Celtic, but they eventually lost 3–2 to Raheny United after extra time.[8]

She moved to reigning WNL champions Wexford Youths during the 2015 close-season, and participated in her new club's subsequent 2015–16 UEFA Women's Champions League campaign in August 2015.[9] In November 2015 Hansberry helped Wexford Youths win the FAI Women's Cup for the first time. In the final at the Aviva Stadium Ciara Rossiter's injury time equaliser helped them prevail over Shelbourne, 4–2 on penalties after a 2–2 draw.[10]

Drained by travelling from Sligo to Wexford, Hansberry paused her soccer career in 2018 to attend university in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.[11] On 11 January 2022 Hansberry became the first player to sign for Sligo Rovers' new Women's National League team.[12] She was appointed club captain but a hamstring injury curtailed her early season appearances for the new club.[11]

International career

Youth

In 2010, Hansberry was included in the Republic of Ireland U17 squad who were quarter-finalists in the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.[13][14] She made her competitive debut in the 3–0 group stage win over Ghana, as a substitute for Aileen Gilroy. Hansberry had previously appeared in a single friendly against Northern Ireland at under-16 level.[15]

In the absence of injured regular skipper Denise O'Sullivan, Hansberry captained the Republic of Ireland women's national under-19 football team at the 2013 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship first qualifying round. At the FAI International Football Awards she was named 2012 Under-19 Women's International Player of the Year.[16]

While enrolled at Institute of Technology, Sligo, Hansberry represented Ireland at the 2013 and 2015 Summer Universiades.[1][17]

Senior

Hansberry was included in the senior Republic of Ireland women's national football team squad for the first time at the 2014 Cyprus Cup, but did not see any playing time during the tournament.[18] On 5 May 2014, Ireland manager Susan Ronan named Hansberry in an experimental squad for a friendly against the Basque Country.[19] She started Ireland's 2–0 defeat in Azpeitia, which was not classified as a full international fixture.[20]

In May 2015, Hansberry was one of five uncapped players called-up to the national team for a friendly match in the United States. After the match had been arranged, it was discovered to be outside FIFA's designated dates for international matches, so several of Ireland's first-choice players were not released by their professional clubs.[21]

Hansberry was recalled to the national team for the 2016 Cyprus Cup,[22] where she won her first senior cap in a 1–0 defeat by Hungary,[23][24] and appeared as an 72nd-minute substitute in a 2–0 win over Finland.[25]

Coaching career

In June 2021 Hansberry was added to the coaching staff at Sligo Rovers' women's and girls' section.[26] In September 2021 she was present as the club announced plans to collaborate with Institute of Technology, Sligo, in fielding a senior women's team in the Women's National League from 2022.[27]

Personal life

Hansberry's aunt Bernie is married to Sligo Rovers Hall of Fame member Chris Rutherford.[3] Between 2018 and 2021 she studied physiotherapy at Northumbria University[28] and also appeared for the college soccer team.[29]

Honours

Player

Wexford Youths

Individual

  • FAI Women's National League Young Player of the Year: 2011–12
  • FAI Women's Under-19 International Player of the Year: 2012

References
  1. "Ireland Athlete List". 2013 Summer Universiade. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  2. "Player Profile: Emma Hansberry of Castlebar Celtic". Her.ie. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  3. "Student Represents Ireland in European Qualifiers in Serbia". Institute of Technology, Sligo. 17 October 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  4. "Heart-ache for Ladies as controversy rages". Leitrim Observer. 27 June 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  5. "On the Ball". The Sligo Champion. 16 April 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  6. "Emma Hansberry". Connacht Ladies Gaelic Football Association. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  7. "Emma scoops Player of the Year". The Sligo Champion. 14 May 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  8. Carey, Daniel (5 November 2013). "Castlebar Celtic women left heartbroken". The Mayo News. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  9. Maher, Gareth (10 August 2015). "Wexford Youths relish European bow". UEFA. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  10. "Wexford win first ever FAI Women's Cup final on penalties". The Irish Times. 8 November 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  11. Hannigan, Mary (3 March 2022). "'Sligo Rovers is very special to me, it's my home club'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  12. "Twice-capped Ireland international Emma Hansberry becomes Sligo Rovers' first signing". The42.ie. TheJournal.ie. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  13. "King announces 21 player squad for FIFA U17 World Cup". Football Association of Ireland. 24 August 2010. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  14. "Republic of Ireland – Squad List". FIFA. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  15. "Emma Hansberry - A debut to remember!". Football Association of Ireland. 15 September 2010. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  16. "Sports Scholar Is FAI 'International Player of the Year'". Institute of Technology, Sligo. 5 February 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  17. "Match Report - Irl - Cze 1:5" (PDF). 2015 Summer Universiade. 4 July 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  18. "Hansberry heads to Cyprus looking for first cap". Football Association of Ireland. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  19. "Ronan names squad for Basque friendly". Extratime.ie. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  20. "Ireland lXI [sic] beaten by experienced Basque side". Football Association of Ireland. 10 May 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  21. "WNT Squad named for USA and Haiti games". Football Association of Ireland. 2 May 2015. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  22. "Ronan names 22 players for Cyprus Cup". Football Association of Ireland. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  23. "Ireland lose out to Hungary in Cyprus Cup". RTÉ Sport. 7 March 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  24. "First caps are special for Hansberry & O'Riordan". Football Association of Ireland. 8 March 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  25. "Ireland finish Cyprus Cup with win over Finland". Football Association of Ireland. 9 March 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  26. "Overstock become Ladies Under 19 Main Sponsor". Sligo Rovers F.C. 6 June 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  27. Cunnane, Alanna (8 September 2021). "Sligo Rovers Collaborate With Local IT In A Bid To Establish A Senior WNL Outfit By Next Season". Her Sport. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  28. "'Excited' Emma Hansberry up for the fight as Sligo join Women's National League". Evoke.ie. 5 March 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  29. "Undefeated Northumbria strike again". Northumbria University. 1 November 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
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