Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce that Alice Lillie has re-signed for the 2024 season.

The Ballinafad native came through our academy over the last three seasons and made her Senior debut in 2022. The talented defender arrived at The Showgrounds following spells at local clubs Strand Celtic and Arrow Harps.

Alice’s fine performances have seen her involved with The Republic of Ireland underage squads over the last couple of seasons.

Speaking with Sligorovers.com, Alice said: ‘I am delighted to be re-signing with Sligo Rovers for the 2024 season. I’m really looking forward to working with Tommy and his team. I really enjoyed playing last season, and I learned a lot and developed as a player. Hopefully, we can build on the past two seasons and push on this year and be successful.”

Tommy Hewitt, speaking on Alice signing back, said: “Alice is a very talented and intelligent player. She was one of the young players that really impressed last season and can go on to achieve great things with us over the next few years.”

Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce the signing of Sligo native Yvonne Hedigan for the 2024 League of Ireland Women’s Premier Division campaign.

The experienced defender signs for her home town club after enjoying spells at Bohemians, Galway and Castlebar Celtic. After a difficult two years in which Hedigan has worked her way back from a broken leg, the North Sligo native is ready for a big season in which she announces her return from injury.

Hedigan started her Women’s National League career with Castlebar Celtic, where she played alongside the Bit O’Red’s Emma Hansberry. She played in the 2013 Women’s FAI Cup final, and impressed during her spell with the Mayo side. In 2016, she signed for Galway Women.

In 2021, Hedigan joined Bohemians and was enjoying a great season until she suffered an horrific injury that would see her miss two years. And now having worked her way back from that injury, Hedigan feels it is the right time to sign for Rovers.

She told sligorovers.com: “I’m obviously from Sligo, when Tommy approached me back in November and said that he wanted me to come in with him, we had numerous chats about it, I felt like now is the right time. I’m coming back from an injury that kept me out for two years. When Tommy approached me, he wanted to instil confidence in me and my return to play and come back and represent my home club, I felt that now is the right time to do that. 

“I grew up in Sligo, I used to go to all the home games with my father every weekend. I just felt that now is the right time to go home and put on the Sligo Rovers jersey.

“Now I can always turn around and say I’ve always represented my home town club and that’s something that everybody wants to do. Especially from a young age, now is the right time to go back and represent them.”

Now that she has recovered from the broken leg, Hedigan wants to put it all behind her and make a statement as she returns to league action.”I broke my leg in September 2021. I went through eight or nine months of rehab to find out that I had to get an osteotomy to try and re-break the leg. It had healed wrong initially so I had to go through the rehab process again for another year. It just made me not take anything for granted.

“My passion and drive to get back is massive. It’s been very difficult. I’m delighted to be back in and back training. I had my first session with Sligo Rovers on Saturday. I’m delighted to be back and hope to push on and make a statement for myself, that I’m back.”

Due to that injury, Hedigan has actually not had the opportunity to play against Rovers since they entered the league in 2022. But, she has already played alongside a number of players and is familiar with others.”I would have played with the likes of Emma Hansberry from a young age, when I was in school and obviously at Castlebar Celtic. 

“I grew up playing with Emma Hansberry and Lauren Boles. Those girls are quality players. We knew last year at Bohs coming down playing against Sligo, we always knew how strong Sligo were going forward. I think when Tommy came in he knew what he had to do to try and strengthen the team. 

“He’s brought in some defensive players and I think that’s what Sligo needed to take it up another step. It’s exciting, it’s exciting to see where we’re going to go and bring that standard up to try and compete in the league.”

Hedigan works for Sport Ireland in Dublin and says her employers will generously allow her to work from home, which will make the commute between Sligo and Dublin for training that bit easier. Playin for Rovers means her family will have less travelling to do in order to support her, another reason to sign for the Bit O’Red.

“My family have been right behind me from a very young age since I was 16 playing national league. My father has driven me all around the country and supported me all the time. “Now for him and the likes of my grandfather, to have them in the stands and for them to not have to travel as far will be nice. It will be nice support for me as well.”

And Hedigan believes that Rovers will be a dark horse this year, given the quality of new signings that manager Tommy Hewitt has brought in.”I think we’re going to strive to increase league position this year. I think we can do that. I think the squad we have in there this year is going to really compete in the league. “Sligo Rovers are going to be a dark horse. In the cup, anything can happen. In the cup, it comes down to who wants it more. I think we’re going to push on this year.”

Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce that Amber Hardy has signed for the 2024 season.

After impressive performances with the club’s underage sides Amber was called up to train with the first team. Thanks to her good showings in training, she was given her senior debut away to Shelbourne in October.

On signing for the senior team, Amber said, “I’m delighted to sign with the senior team for the 2024 season. I really enjoyed the end of last season after getting called into training and even making my debut. It’s a big opportunity for me, and I’m excited to get going with the girls and Tommy.”

Tommy Hewitt added, “It’s great that Amber has decided to sign with us this season. She really showed at the end of last season she can perform at senior level. I’m looking forward to seeing her grow this season.”

Sligo Rovers are thrilled to announce the signing of defender Kelsey Munroe for the 2024 League of Ireland Women’s Premier Division campaign.

It’s a Rovers return for the Mayo native who was part of Rovers’ first-ever Women’s Under 17 team in 2018 before joining Galway. She spent two years with Galway before signing for Athlone Town.

In 2022, Munroe missed just three games for Athlone, enjoying a great season as the Midlanders, under Tommy Hewitt, finished as runners-up in both the cup and the league. Now, she reunites with Hewitt at Rovers, where she hopes she can enjoy many more great days, this time in the Bit O’Red jersey.

“I think there’s big things coming for Sligo Rovers. There’s some great new signings coming in, and the girls who have been there the last couple of years, there’s great potential in this time. I think it could be an exciting year.

“I never left on bad terms or anything, I was just exploring my career to see what comes next.  I was in college in Athlone so playing for Athlone worked out for me, always had Sligo in the back of my mind. It’s a great club with great people around. I knew I’d come back here sometime and this is the year.

“Tommy Hewitt added: “Kelsey came into me at Athlone and for two, two and a half seasons she was excellent. She’d be the first to admit that at the start she struggled with injuries but once she got up she played a massive part in the league as we came runners up and got to the cup final. She was a consistent performer and then last year with injuries and other things Kelsey stepped away to get herself right.

“I had always intended to reach out to her but when I did it was almost by accident, and then we got chatting and the Sligo Rovers connection for Kelsey was big. She’s hungry to get back into the game. That’s what I was looking for here, players that are hungry. I know what Kelsey can bring. Kelsey is a confidence player, she’s very good on the pitch. She’s experienced, she can read the game. I’m hoping, as is Kelsey, that she really kicks on this season.”

Sligo Rovers are thrilled to announce the signing of midfielder Muireann Devaney ahead of the 2024 League of Ireland Women’s Premier Division campaign.

Leitrim native Devaney signs for the Bit O’Red, having spent three seasons with Athlone Town. The 20-year-old returns to Rovers having played for the club’s Under 17 side in 2019 and 2020. Devaney was named Rovers’ women’s Under 17 player of the year in 2020.

She departed the Bit O’Red and joined Athlone Town in 2021, where she went on to impress throughout her stay in the Midlands. In 2022, the Manorhamilton native was rewarded for an incredible season by being named in the team of the year for the season.

Devaney said: “I’ve had three great seasons with Athlone, it started off with Tommy as the manager. I really enjoyed it. We won the cup last year. I always wanted to come back to Sligo at some stage, and I felt that this season was the right season to do it.”It’s good knowing who is managing and what he brings to it. I think Tommy is going to bring Sligo on leaps and bounds.”

“Travelling for the last number of years was hard, but Sligo is only in the road. It’s going to make it a bit easier for me, having friends and family in the stand when it’s so close. I hope it’s going to be a good year.”I went to Athlone with the ambition of winning something and getting my place in a senior team. I’ve had that experience now, and I hope there’s something I can bring to Sligo with that experience.”

Manager Tommy Hewitt added: “Getting Muireann back to Sligo, we always had these conversations every season, I encouraged her to have a look at Sligo. Muireann is massive, I think she’s the most under-rated player in the league. I’ve always said that to her. I think by now she should be a senior international and hopefully with her performances now at Sligo that will happen.

“She brings an awful lot of experience for such a young girl. For me as a manager to sign a player twice, and a player of Muireann’s quality, it’s fantastic. When we signed Kelly (Crompton), I said it was like Christmas morning; this is like everything rolled into one. When Muireann agreed to sign, I was over the moon.”

Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce the re-signing of Kerri O’Hara for the 2024 season.

Kerri, or Pixie as she is more commonly known, made her debut for the senior team in 2022, having progressed from the academy.

The 18-year-old Tubbercurry native can play in numerous positions and has previously had several call-ups to The Republic of Ireland Under 19 Women’s squad.

Speaking with Sligorovers.com, Pixie said, “I am delighted to have re-signed for the 2024 season. I’m a bit disappointed with how last season went for me, so I’m looking forward to this season working with Tommy and his team and getting back in with all the girls.”

Tommy Hewitt expressed his delight in having Pixie back for the season. “I’m delighted Pixie has re-signed for the club. Pixie is one of the brightest young talents in our league, and I’m really looking forward to working with her this season.”

Sligo Rovers are thrilled to announce the re-signing of defender Amy Roddy for the 2024 season.

The Ballina native returns for a 3rd season with the Bit O’Red. Over the past two years, she has become a regular in the squad, making 38 appearances.

Speaking with sligorovers.com, Amy said,” I’ve been in two minds about my playing career for the past few weeks. It’s hard to stop when I’ve been playing football for so long. When I got the call from Tommy, I was delighted, and I don’t want to take these opportunities for granted. 

I’ve loved playing with Sligo Rovers over the past two seasons. Steve and his staff created an amazing culture for us to develop in and I’m looking forward to building on it with Tommy. This season will be a big one for us and I can’t wait to get stuck in again.”

Tommy Hewitt said 

“It’s great to have Amy back at Sligo for next season. Amy has been a vital part of Rovers Women over the last two seasons. I’m looking forward to working with Amy for the season ahead.”