Cork’s Megan Connolly joins WSL side Bristol City

MEGAN Connolly has completed her switch to WSL Bristol City.

The Republic of Ireland international joins the club just after playing her country at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Connolly was most recently with Brighton & Hove Albion and she helped the club reach the semi-finals of the 2022-23 FA Women's Cup.

She moves to a Bristol City team that won the FA Women's Championship last season, and promotion to the highest level of the domestic game in England.

Connolly told the Robin’s media team: “It feels great to be here. I spoke with Lauren [Smith] earlier in the summer so it’s really nice to finally be here and finally get going.

“I’ve heard great things about the team and the culture within the group which was a really big thing for me because it can be quite hard to find such strong togetherness. We’re going to be fighting for every result next season so having that is so important.

“I’m going to try my best to be a leader like I showed at Brighton. 

I always want to be a good team player and an asset to the group to help in whatever way I can and push the others onwards.” 

 The 26-year-old is a trailblazer in Irish women's football, with her career starting out at College Corinthians.

Connolly also lined out for her school, Christ The King, before moving to the Florida State Seminoles in the United States.

She went from there to Brighton, and she spent four years in the south-coach of England.

Connolly is a versatile player who can operate as a midfielder or a defender, and she can take set pieces with inch-perfect accuracy.

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Her best work was done with the Republic of Ireland as she played a key role in the team qualifying for their first-ever Women’s World Cup.

One of Connolly’s biggest contributions was scoring during a 2-1 victory over Finland in Helsinki in October 2021. She followed that up by putting in a free-kick that Lily Agg turned in during the return game in Dublin at Tallaght Stadium.

Connolly played as a defender for the majority of the World Cup qualifying campaign, but she missed the play-off with Scotland at Hampden Park over an injury picked up against Finland.

She is now part of a Bristol City team that is tasked with building on their FA Women’s Championship success by staying in the WSL.

Connolly will be coached by Lauren Smith, who has experience working with Tottenham Hotspur and Wales.

Chloe Mustaki is one familiar face in the dressing room at Ashton Gate, with the Republic of Ireland senior international a member of the Robin’s squad since 2022.