'To see how far it's come now is brilliant' - Rachel Graham on women's LOI growth and the road ahead

"They're the moments that you nearly pinch yourself...as a young girl growing up or early on in the league, I would never have imagined this was possible."

Shelbourne captain Pearl Slattery is not easily fazed but as she relayed at last month's launch of the new League of Ireland season, it's hard not to step back and take in the growth of the SSE Airtricity Women's Premier Division over the last 10-15 years.

The new campaign kicks off on Saturday with a new club, Waterford FC, taking the division up to 12 teams and huge anticipation about another competitive season after Athlone Town won their maiden title by pipping a chasing pack led by powerhouses Shelbourne in 2024.

Rachel Graham was part of the Shels team that laid down a marker by thrashing Athlone in last November's FAI Cup final and then edged to a 2-1 win in last Saturday's curtain-raising President's Cup decider.

Like her long-time team-mate Slattery, who is also 35, the former Republic of Ireland international has had a front row seat as the women's domestic game has blossomed and is keen to enjoy that burgeoning growth for as long as possible.

"We've obviously played - and Méabh would have as well - in the very first League of Ireland," Graham said as the midfielder and her former international colleague Méabh De Búrca joined this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast to preview the new season in depth and also pick through the pieces of Ireland's 4-0 Nations League loss to Slovenia.

Listen to the RTÉ Soccer podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

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