Karen Duggan


Karen Duggan is a former Republic of Ireland women's international footballer who currently plays for Peamount United. She has previously played for UCD Waves. Between 2013 and 2016 Duggan was selected for the Women's National League Team of the Season for four successive seasons. She was the only player selected all four seasons. In 2015–16 she was also WNL Senior Player of the Season. Duggan has also played
camogie at club, university and county level.

Early years

Duggan was born in Piltown, County Kilkenny. She is the daughter of Pat and Bernie Duggan and has an older brother, John. Between 2005 and 2009 Duggan attended Scoil Mhuire in Carrick-on-Suir where she studied for her Leaving Cert. While there she played various sports including association football, camogie, Gaelic football and basketball. As a schoolgirl she also played association football for Piltown L.F.C. and began playing camogie with Piltown GAA. Duggan also played for Kilkenny GAA in the 2009 All-Ireland Minor Camogie Championship final.

Playing career

University of Limerick

Between 2009 and 2013 Duggan attended the University of Limerick where she gained a 2.1 Honours Science Education Degree. She also qualified to become a science teacher. Together with Julie-Ann Russell, Duggan also played for the UL association football team that won the 2010 WSCAI Intervarsities Cup. They defeated a UCD team that featured Louise Quinn 2–1 in the final at Turners Cross. Duggan and Russell also helped the team win the WSCAI Premier Division in 2010–11. They also played for the UL ladies futsal team that won the 2011 WSCAI National Futsal Intervarsities title.
Duggan also represented UL at camogie, helping them win the 2010 Ashbourne Shield and then finish as runners up in the 2013 Ashbourne Cup. While a student at UL Duggan also played association football for Tramore in the Waterford Ladies League. In September 2010 Duggan also scored twice for Tramore in a 3–0 win over Johnville in the Waterford Ladies Cup final. Tramore also completed a double, having already won the league title.

Peamount United

Duggan, along with fellow UL student Julie-Ann Russell, began playing for Peamount United in 2011 and subsequently played for the club in their 2011–12 UEFA Women's Champions League campaign and during the inaugural 2011–12 Women's National League season. In her first season with the club, Duggan helped Peamount win both the league title and the WNL Cup. Duggan was also selected for the WNL Team of the Season in both 2012–13 and 2013–14. Between 2013 and 2014, while playing with Peamount United, Duggan was also employed as a science teacher at Scoil Chríost Rí in Portlaoise. She also helped coach the schools association football team.

UCD Waves

The 2014–15 Women's National League season saw former Peamount United manager, Eileen Gleeson take charge of UCD Waves. Duggan was one of a number of Peamount United players, including Julie-Ann Russell, Aine O'Gorman, Dora Gorman, Chloe Mustaki and Emily Cahill who all subsequently followed Gleeson to UCD Waves. While playing for UCD Waves, Duggan was also selected for the WNL Team of the Season for a third and fourth time in 2014–15 and 2015–16. In 2015–16 she was also named WNL Senior Player of the Season. In November 2014 Duggan also began working as a business analyst and management consultant for Accenture.

International career

Duggan has represented the Republic of Ireland at under 15, under 17, under 19, university and senior level. In December 2011, together with Julie-Ann Russell, Louise Quinn, Megan Campbell, Grace Murray, Dora Gorman and Ciara Grant, Duggan was included in an FAI scholarship programme for potential senior women's internationals.
Duggan made her senior debut at the 2013 Cyprus Cup, in a 1–0 win over South Africa. She also represented the Republic of Ireland in their 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup and UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying campaigns. Duggan also represented Ireland at the 2013 Summer Universiade.

Honours

Association football

;Individual
;Peamount United
;UCD Waves
;University of Limerick
;Kilkenny GAA
;Piltown GAA
;University of Limerick