Méabh De Búrca: 'Huge' for Athlone Town to end Women's Premier Division traditional top trio's title streak

Athlone Town's title-winning success can be a point of inspiration for neutrals as well as clubs outside of the traditional top three in the SSE Airtricity Women's Premier Division, according to former Republic of Ireland international Méabh De Búrca.

The midlanders sealed their first ever league crown on Saturday night after a 2-0 home win over Bohemians that leaves them three points clear of Shelbourne ahead of this weekend's last round of fixtures but with a superior head-to-head record over the Dublin side.

Athlone and Shels will meet again in less than two weeks in the Women's FAI Cup final which means the prospect of a double also remains on the cards for Ciaran Kilduff's side.

Athlone had been starting to knock on the door over the last couple of years but they have opened it ajar to become the fifth club to win a league long dominated by a small clutch of clubs at the business ends of seasons.

"They've been up there challenging but when it's come down to the wire, it always was the likes of Wexford, Shelbourne and Peamount - Raheny also won the league back in the day before they merged with Shels - so it has been those three teams since the league started in 2011," De Búrca told the RTÉ Soccer Podcast.

"Other teams have been there or thereabouts but not actually getting the job done. In fairness to Athlone, this is their fifth season, so it's as good a five-year plan as you could have really imagined.

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