PEARL SLATTERY SMILES as The 42 double-checks her FAI Cup final appearance record.
“Number 10, yeah. It means I’m around a while!”
Double digits at Tallaght Stadium this afternoon for the legendary Shelbourne captain.
That familiar process of leading her side out against rivals Athlone Town will arrive shortly before 3.30pm, the RTÉ cameras focused on Dublin 24.
Fire in her belly, steel in her eyes. That will only sharpen with Athlone confirmed as historic three in a row league champions on Saturday night, and 90-plus minutes away from a potential double-double.
Slattery and Shels will be hell-bent on spoiling the party as they return to the biggest day in the domestic calendar.
“I’ve obviously had some great cup finals,” the 37-year-old reflects.
“Some you look back and you remember forever, and then you obviously have some where you’re picking yourself up off the floor. Tough defeats, but that’s football. You wouldn’t change it.”
At the other end of the scale is her 21-year-old centre-back partner Nia Hannon.
Hannon is set to play in her first FAI Cup final, having been an unused substitute the last time these sides met in 2024.
Interestingly, her mother, Cora, played for Shelbourne back in the day.
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“I think she played in a cup final against Shamrock Rovers, but they lost,” Hannon tells The 42.
1999, it seems. A 2-0 defeat at the AUL Complex. With archive coverage extremely sparse, Hannon has relied on stories from her family about her mother’s Shels career.
“When I was first told, I was like, ‘What?’” she laughs.
“Not that it means more, but obviously she probably is just as invested as I am. It’s nice.
“We got to play in a charity match for Shelbourne and Killester a few years ago. It was weird like, me and my Mam both in Shelbourne jerseys beside each other at the back! It was just a weird one, but not many people get to say they can do that, so it’s cool.”
Slattery embraces Hannon (right) after winning the All-Island Cup. Tom Maher / INPHO
Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
Following that centre-half tradition, she is now learning from one of the very best.
“A baby at the time.” That’s how Slattery remembers Hannon first coming into the Shelbourne senior squad a few years back. The Dubliner found opportunities hard to come by early doors, but eventually seized her moment.
“She has been very patient. I always say that to young players: everybody’s path is different. Some young players come in straight away, some don’t, and I think Nia’s been a real example of that; that you have to wait your time sometimes, but it’s worth it when you do get it.
“She’s been exceptional this year. She’s a brilliant person off the pitch. She’s a lovely, soft personality, but a real brave competitive player on the pitch. We obviously play in the same position, so I train a lot with her. You’re doing your best to bring them along with you, but also, her fearlessness, the way she just goes out and enjoys the game, brings us along. She’s a technically gifted centre-back, good tackler, bringing aggression into her game now. It’s been a joy to see her come through.”
And what about the family connection?
“It’s mad! She’s leading in the in their footsteps of her ma, which is brilliant,” says Slattery.
“What a moment that’s going to be for the family. They’re lovely people. You can see why Nia’s such a good human as well. She’s a role model to every academy player to keep going. It’s been brilliant to see her growth.”
Slattery celebrates winning the FAI Cup in 2024. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Hannon is also a talented Gaelic footballer. She starred for the Dublin minor team, racking up scores as a free-taking forward, and was called up to the senior panel in 2024.
A first Shelbourne senior contract was in the offing at the same time, so she found herself at a significant sporting crossroads.
“I think I was only with Dublin like a month, and I had to tell Mick Bohan that I was leaving. I’d say I was the first person to ever in history tell him within a month that I wasn’t staying! Obviously he was delighted for me. It was a hard decision to make.”
She still keeps a close eye, with several of her friends involved with the serial All-Ireland winners. “I mean, the odd time you get FOMO when you’re watching them, but you can’t really get FOMO when you’re in this set-up as well.”
Hannon “won’t shut down” her GAA ties, throwing her hand at college football recently, but Shelbourne takes precedence. Red in her blood.
“I’ve been with Shels since underage. The club means so much to me as well. Not only just playing for them, the actual club. It probably does have a part to play, you feel more passionate. I love Shels.
“Pearl and everyone help majorly when I’m quite young coming into the team, but I’ve waited so long to get in here and be playing. My time at Shels, I’ve loved it so much. I couldn’t be more grateful for where I am and that I’m playing this role.”
That love and passion for Shelbourne that Slattery shares has been well documented through the years.
It was only accentuated recently, when a late celebration against Bohemians at Dalymount Park and back-and-forth with fans garnered significant attention.
Incredible drama 🤯
Pearl Slattery wins it at the death in Dalymount and keeps Shels' title hopes alive! pic.twitter.com/w5b8B8tvn5
“As a player, I wear my heart on my sleeve. When I’m disappointed on the pitch, you see it. When I’m happy, when I’m elated, you see it.
“The Bohs one, you don’t plan that. You score a last minute winner, the fans have been giving you a little bit of stick and it’s like, ‘Right, give it back.’ I don’t think you see that a lot in the league. I think you’re seeing it more now, which is great. Why shouldn’t we, as female players, be able to show our passion, be able to show the love for the club when you’ve scored a last minute winner?”
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“I think the biggest thing for me with Shels is how you’re made feel as a female footballer,” Slattery, whose day job is FAI women and girls’ football lead, adds.
“You feel like you’re just a football player at the club. That you’re not just a female, and that the fans and the club really admire and look up to you. We try to give that back with proud performances and show a bit of passion for the club.
“A lot of fans have said to me, ‘You play like you are a fan. You’re one of us in the jersey.’ That obviously means a lot to me. It’s something that’s probably grown over the years that I probably never seen coming, but it’s just grown authentically and probably why I want to continue playing because I love it so much.”
37, not out. Synonymous with Shels for eternity. It feels like she could go on forever.
“Ah, I don’t know about that, but I still feel good. People will tell you to play as long as you can. There’ll be a long time sitting in the crowd going, ‘I wish I was still playing.’
“Look, nobody will need to tell me when to call it a day. I’ll know myself if I’m not competing. I always feel like if I’m competing with our girls in pre-season, I’ll be all right.
“I still love it as if it’s my first season. I don’t know many seasons I’ve been there now, but I love it. I’m buzzing for this cup final as if it’s my first.”
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Family connection, passion and love for the badge: Shelbourne's centre-back stars
PEARL SLATTERY SMILES as The 42 double-checks her FAI Cup final appearance record.
“Number 10, yeah. It means I’m around a while!”
Double digits at Tallaght Stadium this afternoon for the legendary Shelbourne captain.
That familiar process of leading her side out against rivals Athlone Town will arrive shortly before 3.30pm, the RTÉ cameras focused on Dublin 24.
Fire in her belly, steel in her eyes. That will only sharpen with Athlone confirmed as historic three in a row league champions on Saturday night, and 90-plus minutes away from a potential double-double.
Slattery and Shels will be hell-bent on spoiling the party as they return to the biggest day in the domestic calendar.
“I’ve obviously had some great cup finals,” the 37-year-old reflects.
“Some you look back and you remember forever, and then you obviously have some where you’re picking yourself up off the floor. Tough defeats, but that’s football. You wouldn’t change it.”
At the other end of the scale is her 21-year-old centre-back partner Nia Hannon.
Hannon is set to play in her first FAI Cup final, having been an unused substitute the last time these sides met in 2024.
Interestingly, her mother, Cora, played for Shelbourne back in the day.
“I think she played in a cup final against Shamrock Rovers, but they lost,” Hannon tells The 42.
1999, it seems. A 2-0 defeat at the AUL Complex. With archive coverage extremely sparse, Hannon has relied on stories from her family about her mother’s Shels career.
“When I was first told, I was like, ‘What?’” she laughs.
“Not that it means more, but obviously she probably is just as invested as I am. It’s nice.
“We got to play in a charity match for Shelbourne and Killester a few years ago. It was weird like, me and my Mam both in Shelbourne jerseys beside each other at the back! It was just a weird one, but not many people get to say they can do that, so it’s cool.”
Following that centre-half tradition, she is now learning from one of the very best.
“A baby at the time.” That’s how Slattery remembers Hannon first coming into the Shelbourne senior squad a few years back. The Dubliner found opportunities hard to come by early doors, but eventually seized her moment.
“She has been very patient. I always say that to young players: everybody’s path is different. Some young players come in straight away, some don’t, and I think Nia’s been a real example of that; that you have to wait your time sometimes, but it’s worth it when you do get it.
“She’s been exceptional this year. She’s a brilliant person off the pitch. She’s a lovely, soft personality, but a real brave competitive player on the pitch. We obviously play in the same position, so I train a lot with her. You’re doing your best to bring them along with you, but also, her fearlessness, the way she just goes out and enjoys the game, brings us along. She’s a technically gifted centre-back, good tackler, bringing aggression into her game now. It’s been a joy to see her come through.”
And what about the family connection?
“It’s mad! She’s leading in the in their footsteps of her ma, which is brilliant,” says Slattery.
“What a moment that’s going to be for the family. They’re lovely people. You can see why Nia’s such a good human as well. She’s a role model to every academy player to keep going. It’s been brilliant to see her growth.”
Hannon is also a talented Gaelic footballer. She starred for the Dublin minor team, racking up scores as a free-taking forward, and was called up to the senior panel in 2024.
A first Shelbourne senior contract was in the offing at the same time, so she found herself at a significant sporting crossroads.
“I think I was only with Dublin like a month, and I had to tell Mick Bohan that I was leaving. I’d say I was the first person to ever in history tell him within a month that I wasn’t staying! Obviously he was delighted for me. It was a hard decision to make.”
She still keeps a close eye, with several of her friends involved with the serial All-Ireland winners. “I mean, the odd time you get FOMO when you’re watching them, but you can’t really get FOMO when you’re in this set-up as well.”
Hannon “won’t shut down” her GAA ties, throwing her hand at college football recently, but Shelbourne takes precedence. Red in her blood.
“I’ve been with Shels since underage. The club means so much to me as well. Not only just playing for them, the actual club. It probably does have a part to play, you feel more passionate. I love Shels.
“Pearl and everyone help majorly when I’m quite young coming into the team, but I’ve waited so long to get in here and be playing. My time at Shels, I’ve loved it so much. I couldn’t be more grateful for where I am and that I’m playing this role.”
That love and passion for Shelbourne that Slattery shares has been well documented through the years.
It was only accentuated recently, when a late celebration against Bohemians at Dalymount Park and back-and-forth with fans garnered significant attention.
“As a player, I wear my heart on my sleeve. When I’m disappointed on the pitch, you see it. When I’m happy, when I’m elated, you see it.
“The Bohs one, you don’t plan that. You score a last minute winner, the fans have been giving you a little bit of stick and it’s like, ‘Right, give it back.’ I don’t think you see that a lot in the league. I think you’re seeing it more now, which is great. Why shouldn’t we, as female players, be able to show our passion, be able to show the love for the club when you’ve scored a last minute winner?”
“I think the biggest thing for me with Shels is how you’re made feel as a female footballer,” Slattery, whose day job is FAI women and girls’ football lead, adds.
“You feel like you’re just a football player at the club. That you’re not just a female, and that the fans and the club really admire and look up to you. We try to give that back with proud performances and show a bit of passion for the club.
“A lot of fans have said to me, ‘You play like you are a fan. You’re one of us in the jersey.’ That obviously means a lot to me. It’s something that’s probably grown over the years that I probably never seen coming, but it’s just grown authentically and probably why I want to continue playing because I love it so much.”
37, not out. Synonymous with Shels for eternity. It feels like she could go on forever.
“Ah, I don’t know about that, but I still feel good. People will tell you to play as long as you can. There’ll be a long time sitting in the crowd going, ‘I wish I was still playing.’
“Look, nobody will need to tell me when to call it a day. I’ll know myself if I’m not competing. I always feel like if I’m competing with our girls in pre-season, I’ll be all right.
“I still love it as if it’s my first season. I don’t know many seasons I’ve been there now, but I love it. I’m buzzing for this cup final as if it’s my first.”
*****
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