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Sarah Rowe
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Sarah Linda Rowe (born 25 July 1995) is a triple code sportswoman. She currently plays association football for Central Coast Mariners and Australian rules football for Collingwood in the AFLW.
Key Information
She is a former Republic of Ireland women's association football international. In addition to association football, Rowe has also played two other football codes at a senior level. She has played ladies' Gaelic football for Mayo and Australian rules football for Collingwood in the AFLW. At club level, Rowe has played association football for Castlebar Celtic, Raheny United, Shelbourne, Bohemians in the Women's National League and for Melbourne Victory in the A-League Women. Rowe was a member of the Republic of Ireland U19 team that won their group at the 2014 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship and qualified for the semi-finals. In 2016, she was also a member of the Shelbourne Ladies team that won a Women's National League/FAI Women's Cup double. In 2023, she returned to association football playing for Melbourne Victory and then for Bohemians.[5] She signed for Central Coast Mariners in 2024.
Early years, family and education
[edit]Rowe is from Ballina, County Mayo. She is the daughter of Alan and Grainne Rowe. She has two older sisters, Lorna and Fiona. Her grandfather, Paddy Jordan, was a member of the Mayo squad that won the 1951 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final. Her father is involved with Ballina R.F.C., serving as club chairman and club president. He also works for the family business, Rowear, a clothing company specialising in pyjamas.[4][6][7][8][9] Rowe was educated at The Quay National School[10] and St. Mary's Secondary School.[11][12] She began playing association football aged seven and Gaelic football aged eight. She credits Hugh Lynn, her school principal at The Quay National School, for encouraging her to develop her sporting potential.[6][10] Between 2013 and 2018 Rowe attended Dublin City University on a sports scholarship and trained to be a PE and Biology teacher.[7][10][13][14]
Association football
[edit]Clubs
[edit]St. Mary's Secondary School
[edit]In 2010 Rowe was a member of the St. Mary's Secondary School team that won the FAI Under-16 Schoolsgirls Cup. Rowe scored twice in the semi-final as St. Mary's defeated St. Caimin's Community School, Shannon 2–0. In the final Rowe scored the winner as St. Mary's defeated Moville Community College 2–1.[15][16][17]
Castlebar Celtic
[edit]Rowe played for Castlebar Celtic during the 2012–13 and 2013–14 Women's National League seasons. She was a member of the Celtic team that played in three cup finals, the 2013 and 2014 WNL Cup finals and the 2013 FAI Women's Cup final. On each occasion Celtic finished as runners up.[18][19][20][21][22] While playing for Celtic, Rowe was also named in the 2012–13 WNL Team of the Year.[23][24]
Ballina Town
[edit]In 2014 Rowe was a member of the Ballina Town team that won the WFAI Intermediate Cup. Rowe provided an assist and scored Ballina's third goal as they defeated Douglas Hall 3–1 in the final at Turners Cross.[12][25][26][27]
Raheny United
[edit]Rowe played for Raheny United during the 2014–15 Women's National League season and helped the team win the 2015 WNL Cup.[19][28]
Shelbourne Ladies
[edit]Rowe played for Shelbourne Ladies during the 2015–16 and 2016 Women's National League seasons. She played in the 2015 FAI Women's Cup final but again finished as a runner up. In 2016 she was a member of the Shelbourne Ladies team that won a Women's National League/FAI Women's Cup double.[29][30][31][32]
Melbourne Victory
[edit]In January 2023, Rowe signed with A-League Women club Melbourne Victory, initially on a three-week injury replacement contract for in place of Melina Ayres.[33]
Bohemians
[edit]In February 2023, Rowe returned to her homeland and signed for Bohemians, in the hope of impressing and being selected by Vera Pauw for the national team.[34]
Central Coast Mariners
[edit]In December 2024, Rowe returned to the A-League Women, signing with Central Coast Mariners until the end of the season.[35] Her AFLW club, Collingwood, confirmed that she's still contracted to them too and will return in May 2025 for pre-season training.[36]
Republic of Ireland
[edit]Rowe represented the Republic of Ireland at under-15,[11] under-17 and under-19 levels.[2] Together with Megan Connolly, Savannah McCarthy, Clare Shine and Katie McCabe, Rowe was a member of the Republic of Ireland U19 team that won their group at the 2014 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship and qualified for the semi-finals. In the qualification campaign she scored the goal against Turkey that secured their place in the finals.[12][37][38][39][40] On 4 March 2015, Rowe made her senior debut for the Republic of Ireland at the 2015 Istria Cup. She came on as a substitute against Hungary and subsequently provided an assist for Ruesha Littlejohn who scored to earn the Republic of Ireland a 1–1 draw.[41] Rowe was also a member of the Ireland squad at the 2015 Summer Universiade.[42][43]
Gaelic football
[edit]|
| |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Ladies' Gaelic football | ||
| Position | Left Half Forward | ||
| Clubs | |||
| Years | Club | ||
2013–2018 |
Kilmoremoy DCU | ||
| Inter-county | |||
| Years | County | ||
2012–2018 | Mayo | ||
|
| |||
|
| |||
Clubs
[edit]At club level, Rowe has played for Kilmoremoy and DCU GAA.[6][14][32][44] She has played in two O'Connor Cup finals for DCU, both against the University of Limerick. In 2015 she finished as a runners up. In 2018 she scored 1–3 as DCU won by 2–12 to 0–17.[45][46][47][48]
Inter-county
[edit]Rowe played for Mayo at under-12, under-14, under-16, under-18 and under-21 levels before making her senior debut in 2012, aged 16, against Galway.[6][10][44] Rowe has played for Mayo in three Ladies' National Football League finals, losing in 2013 and 2016 to Cork and in 2018 to Dublin.[49][50][51][52] She also played for Mayo in the 2017 All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship final, losing again to Dublin.[13][53][54][55]
Australian rules football
[edit]| Sarah Rowe | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Draft | Rookie signing, 2018 | ||
| Debut | 2 February 2019, Collingwood vs. Geelong, at GMHBA Stadium | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 2019– | Collingwood | 75 (13) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of the 2025 season. | |||
| Source: AustralianFootball.com | |||
In August 2018 it was announced that Rowe had signed a five-month, one season contract with Collingwood in the AFLW.[56][57][58][59] On 2 February 2019 Rowe made her AFLW debut for Collingwood in a 24–23 defeat against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium in round 1 of the 2019 season.[60][61][62][63] At the end of the season, Rowe was named Collingwood's Best First Year Player.[64][65][66][67] She signed a contract to play for Collingwood in 2020, though declined a two-season contract so to ensure she could remain available to play for Mayo.[67][68][69] Rowe improved her output in most statistical areas and was part of the Magpies team that was narrowly eliminated by North Melbourne in the finals series, shortly before the rest of the season was cancelled outright due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She re-signed with Collingwood again for the 2021 season.[70]
- AFLW stats
- Statistics are correct at the end of the 2024 AFL Women's season.[63]
G
|
Goals | K
|
Kicks | D
|
Disposals | T
|
Tackles |
B
|
Behinds | H
|
Handballs | M
|
Marks |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | Votes | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | |||||
| 2019 | Collingwood | 7 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 52 | 21 | 73 | 21 | 20 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 7.4 | 3.0 | 10.4 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 3 |
| 2020 | Collingwood | 7 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 72 | 31 | 103 | 27 | 17 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 10.3 | 4.4 | 14.7 | 3.9 | 2.4 | 0 |
| 2021 | Collingwood | 7 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 57 | 37 | 94 | 14 | 6 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 8.1 | 5.3 | 13.4 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 0 |
| 2022 (S6) | Collingwood | 7 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 135 | 50 | 185 | 30 | 23 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 12.3 | 4.5 | 16.8 | 2.7 | 2.1 | 3 |
| 2022 (S7) | Collingwood | 7 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 82 | 27 | 109 | 18 | 20 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 7.5 | 2.5 | 9.9 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 0 |
| 2023 | Collingwood | 7 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 152 | 27 | 179 | 28 | 43 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 15.2 | 2.7 | 17.9 | 2.8 | 4.3 | 0 |
| 2023 | Collingwood | 7 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 155 | 52 | 207 | 27 | 47 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 14.1 | 4.7 | 18.8 | 2.5 | 4.3 | 0 |
| Career | 64 | 13 | 17 | 705 | 245 | 950 | 165 | 176 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 11.0 | 3.8 | 14.8 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 6 | ||
Personal life
[edit]From 2018 until 2019, Rowe was in a relationship with Seán O'Brien, the retired Ireland rugby union international. This relationship ended because of long distance.[7][71] She has previously been in a relationship with Aidan O'Shea, who is also a Mayo Gaelic footballer.[12][14][37][38]
Honours
[edit]Association football
[edit]- FAI Women's Cup
- Winners: 2016: 1
- Runners-up: 2015: 1
- Women's National League
- WFAI Intermediate Cup
- Winners: 2014
- FAI Women's Cup
- Runners-up: 2013: 1
- WNL Cup
Gaelic football
[edit]- O'Connor Cup
- Winners: 2018: 1
- Runner up: 2015: 1
References
[edit]- ^ Welsh, Sophie (30 August 2024). "AFLW Pocket Profile: Sarah Rowe". AFL Women's. Melbourne. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
- ^ a b "Sarah Rowe". www.fai.ie. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Sarah Rowe". australianfootball.com. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Sport has added a new dimension to my life; one that doesn't focus on how I look". www.independent.ie. 1 August 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ "Champions Shelbourne bolster squad ahead of new Women's National League season as Sarah Rowe joins Bohemians". RTÉ.ie. 23 February 2023. Archived from the original on 27 February 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ a b c d "Sarah Rowe Talks Ladies Football". www.oneills.com. 20 June 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
- ^ a b c "Revealed: Irish rugby star Sean O'Brien is dating Mayo footballer Sarah Rowe, one of the GAA's fastest rising stars". www.independent.ie. 7 July 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ "Sarah Rowe – My Dad and Me". www.thesportschronicle.com. 13 June 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ "Alan and his All-Stars". www.ballinarfc.com. 26 November 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Top of her game: Sarah Rowe". shapingthefuture.dcu.ie. 4 December 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Ireland capture Bob Docherty Cup". www.faischools.ie. 15 April 2010. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Sarah and Co make their mark". www.mayonews.ie. 29 July 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Sarah Rowe determined to help lift spirits in her native Mayo". www.irishtimes.com. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ a b c "'No mens team would put up with our conditions...They'd go nuts' - Mayo's Sarah Rowe taking a stand against inequality". www.independent.ie. 21 February 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ "Two in a Rowe for Ballina". www.fai.ie. 8 March 2010. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
- ^ "St Mary's, Ballina win soccer title". www.mayonews.ie. 23 March 2010. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
- ^ "St. Mary's Secondary School, Ballina (Sport - Soccer)". stmarysballina.ie. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
- ^ "Player focus - Sarah". wnl.fai.ie. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Sarah Rowe". www.extratime.ie. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ "Castlebar Celtic v Peamount United - Bus Éireann Women's National League Cup Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 19 May 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ "Raheny United v Castlebar Celtic - 2013 FAI Umbro Women's Senior Cup Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 3 November 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ "Wexford claim Women's League Cup". www.fai.ie. 18 May 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ "Bus Éireann Women's National League Awards Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 14 May 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ "Sara Lawlor of Peamount United named Women's League Player of the Season". www.rte.ie. 14 May 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
- ^ "Ballina Town win FAI Umbro Women's Intermediate Cup". www.fai.ie. 20 September 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- ^ "Douglas Hall LFC v Ballina Town FC - FAI Women's Intermediate Cup Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 20 September 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
- ^ "Brilliant Ballina make history". www.mayonews.ie. 23 September 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Peamount United v Raheny United - Continental Tyres Women's National League Cup Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ "Wexford Youths victorious in Women's Cup after penalties". www.rte.ie. 8 November 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ "Wexford Youths v Shelbourne Ladies - Continental Tyres FAI Women's Senior Cup Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 6 November 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ "Peamount United v Shelbourne FC - Continental Tyres Women's National League Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 4 December 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Torn between Champions League and inter-county football: A day in the life of Sarah Rowe". www.the42.ie. 20 December 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ Harrington, Anna (6 January 2023). "'One can dream': AFLW player joins Melbourne Victory, eyes World Cup". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ O'Connor, Sean (23 February 2023). "Bohemians complete signing of former AFLW and Mayo star Sarah Rowe". Irish Independent.
- ^ "Mariners sign multi-sport superstar and Irish International Sarah Rowe". Central Coast Mariners. 12 December 2024.
- ^ Collingwood [@CollingwoodAFLW] (12 December 2024). "We'd like to congratulate Sarah Rowe on her recent signing with the Central Coast Mariners Football Club in the Ninja A-League! The 29-year-old will return to Collingwood for pre-season training in May 2025 ahead of the Club's tenth AFLW campaign" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b "Republic of Ireland v Spain - UEFA Women's U19 Championship Finals Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 15 July 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Rowe's sacrifices earn rich dividend as Girls in Green now focus their attentions on England". www.independent.ie. 17 July 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ "Fantastic Irish U19's women secure European Championship semi-final spot". www.breakingnews.ie. 21 July 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ "Meet Ireland's newest soccer stars as they prepare for Euro semi-final". www.breakingnews.ie. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ "Ireland women's team begin Istria Cup campaign with Hungary draw". www.independent.ie. 4 March 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ "World University Games 2015 Team Announcement". www.studentsport.ie. 9 June 2015. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
- ^ "Match Report - Ireland vs Czech Republic" (PDF). www.gwangju2015.com. 4 July 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
- ^ a b "Sarah Rowe". mayolgfa.com. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ "UL claim Irish Examiner O'Connor Cup". www.irishexaminer.com. 21 March 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ "DCU v UL - O'Connor Cup Ladies Football Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 21 March 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ^ "DCU edge out UL to secure O'Connor Cup in fiery affair". www.rte.ie. 11 March 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ "UL v DCU - Gourmet Food Parlour HEC O'Connor Cup Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 11 March 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ^ "Cork v Mayo - TESCO HomeGrown Ladies National Football League Division 1 Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 11 May 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
- ^ "Mayo v Cork - Lidl Ladies Football National League Division 1 Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
- ^ "Dublin women see off Mayo to earn maiden league title". www.irishtimes.com. 6 May 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
- ^ "Aherne the star turn as Dublin blitz Mayo to secure first league crown". www.the42.ie. 6 May 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
- ^ "Putting her soccer career on hold to chase All-Ireland senior glory with Mayo". www.the42.ie. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ "Dublin's goal rush secures All-Ireland glory". www.rte.ie. 24 September 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
- ^ "Dublin v Mayo - TG4 Ladies Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 24 September 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
- ^ "Mayo's Sarah Rowe signs pro Aussie Rules contract with Collingwood". www.rte.ie. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
- ^ "Mayo star Rowe to follow in Staunton's footsteps by joining AFLW side Collingwood". www.the42.ie. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ "Somewhere I'd feel at home". www.athletesvoice.com.au. 20 December 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ "Hard to Shake GAA From Sarah Rowe As She Impresses At Collingwood". www.balls.ie. 21 January 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ "AFLW Rd 1 - Geelong v Collingwood". www.gettyimages.co.uk. 2 February 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ^ "AFLW – Round 1 Review". afleurope.org. 4 February 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ^ "AFLW woe for Irish quartet". www.independent.ie. 4 February 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Sarah Rowe – Player Stats By Season". australianfootball.com. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ "AFLW: Lambert wins best and fairest". www.collingwoodfc.com.au. 9 April 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ^ "The 25 Irish sportswomen who are making waves nationally and internationally". www.independent.ie. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ "'That's when it dawned on me that this isn't just a hobby. People's lives depend on this'". www.the42.ie. 13 April 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Mayo's Rowe re-signs with Collingwood for 2020 AFL Women's season". www.the42.ie. 28 April 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ^ "Best of both worlds for now, but Mayo star Rowe understands growing fear of AFLW". www.the42.ie. 8 May 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ "Rowe: More Irish will join Aussie code". www.independent.ie. 8 May 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ "Sarah Rowe says uncertainty around Gaelic football in 2021 spurred her AFL return". Sky Sports. 24 September 2020.
- ^ "Sean O'Brien lines out with GAA star girlfriend Sarah Rowe at star-studded Leinster Awards Ball: all the pictures". www.independent.ie. 29 April 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
External links
[edit]- Sarah Rowe's profile on the official website of the Collingwood Football Club
- Sarah Rowe at AustralianFootball.com
Sarah Rowe
View on GrokipediaEarly life and education
Family and upbringing
Sarah Rowe was born on 25 July 1995 in Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland.[9][10] She grew up in the town alongside her parents, Alan and Gráinne Rowe, and her two older sisters, Lorna and Fiona.[11][12] The family maintained close bonds, with Rowe later describing her parents' unwavering support as instrumental in her development, despite the demands of her athletic pursuits.[12][13] Rowe's early environment was steeped in sporting heritage, particularly Gaelic games, which fostered her multi-sport interests from a young age. Her maternal grandfather, Paddy Jordan, had been a key player on Mayo's 1951 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship-winning team, the county's last such triumph to date.[11][14] Her other grandfather had represented Mayo at the minor level, embedding a legacy of local athletic involvement that exposed Rowe to Gaelic football and association football through family narratives and community participation.[13] Gráinne Rowe, while prioritizing family over personal fitness in her earlier years, contributed to a household environment that valued resilience and communal sports.[15] This backdrop in rural Mayo, known for its strong GAA culture, provided Rowe's initial grounding without formal training structures initially.[16]Initial sporting involvement and schooling
Rowe attended St. Mary's Secondary School in Ballina, County Mayo, where she participated in competitive association football at the inter-school level.[17][18] During her time there, she represented the school in the FAI Schools Junior Girls competition, scoring four goals in a match against an opposing team from Ballina, contributing to progression in the tournament.[17] She also featured in national school squads, including the Republic of Ireland team that won the Bob Docherty Cup in 2018, though this overlapped with her secondary education period.[18] Her initial organized sporting involvement began in primary school, where she started playing association football around age seven with local club Castlebar Celtic in Mayo.[19] Concurrently, at age eight, she took up Gaelic football, initially through national school teams before advancing to club and county underage levels.[16] By age nine or ten, Rowe had joined Mayo's development squads for Gaelic football, playing at under-12 and subsequent underage grades, which highlighted her early versatility in handling ball skills and physical demands across both codes.[20][21] These formative experiences fostered transferable athletic attributes, including speed, endurance, and agility, evident in her ability to compete effectively in multiple field sports from a young age, setting the foundation for her later multi-code career without early specialization.[19][20]Association football career
Club career in Ireland
Rowe began her senior association football career with Castlebar Celtic in the Women's National League (WNL) during the 2012/13 season, remaining with the club for two and a half seasons until February 2015.[22] Playing primarily as a midfielder, her performances at the Mayo-based side contributed to her selection for the Republic of Ireland U19 squad in the 2013/14 UEFA European Championships qualifiers.[22] In mid-2014/15, Rowe transferred to Raheny United, a prominent Dublin club competing at the top level of Irish women's football.[22] She featured in Raheny's run to the last 32 of the 2014/15 UEFA Women's Champions League, where they were eliminated by Bristol Academy.[22] The team also secured the FAI Women's Cup that season, defeating Shelbourne 3–0 in the final on August 16, 2015, at AUL Complex, though specific contributions from Rowe in the match are not detailed in records.[23] Raheny's merger with Shelbourne at the end of the 2014/15 campaign marked the conclusion of Rowe's time there, amid the domestic league's challenges of limited professional infrastructure and reliance on semi-professional setups.[22] Rowe continued with the amalgamated Shelbourne for the 2015/16 season, helping the club achieve a WNL and FAI Women's Cup double.[22] Shelbourne clinched the league title and defeated Athlone Town 2–0 in the cup final on November 6, 2016.[3] She briefly returned to Shelbourne in 2021 for one season but departed afterward.[22] In February 2023, Rowe signed with Bohemians ahead of the WNL season, utilizing an off-season window from her Australian commitments.[22] Over 13 league appearances, she scored 4 goals, contributing to key results such as a 2–0 win over Treaty United where she netted in the 45th minute.[24] Bohemians finished mid-table, reflecting the competitive parity in the league where resource disparities often hinder consistent challenges to dominant sides like Shelbourne. Rowe left the club in July 2023 after expressing satisfaction with her brief return to Irish football.[25]Professional club career abroad
In January 2023, Rowe signed a short-term contract with Melbourne Victory in the A-League Women, initially as an injury replacement player.[26] She adapted to a right-back role during her stint, contributing defensive stability in limited appearances amid the club's competitive schedule.[23] However, her time with Victory was curtailed, preventing a full-season commitment as she balanced multi-code demands.[4] Rowe returned to professional soccer abroad in December 2024, joining Central Coast Mariners midway through the 2024/25 A-League Women season on a contract for the remainder of the campaign.[27] Transitioning to a dedicated right-back position, she provided tactical versatility and defensive solidity, drawing on her international experience to meet the league's professional intensity.[4] Her integration bolstered the Mariners' backline, enabling a cohesive unit that advanced through playoffs undefeated.[28] Rowe played a pivotal role in the Mariners' historic 2025 A-League Women Grand Final victory over Melbourne Victory on May 18, 2025, securing the club's first championship via a 5-4 penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 draw.[29] Positioned at right-back, she contributed to the defensive resilience that limited Victory's attacks, while her multi-sport athleticism aided in high-pressing transitions.[3] This triumph marked a more settled adaptation compared to her earlier Australian soccer experience, with Rowe crediting team belief and her own growth in professional demands.[30]International career with Republic of Ireland
Rowe made her senior international debut for the Republic of Ireland women's national team on 4 March 2015 during the Istria Cup in Croatia, entering as a substitute against Hungary. Her introduction prompted the equalizer, with Ruesha Littlejohn scoring shortly thereafter to secure a 1–1 draw.[31][32] She featured as a substitute in the remaining Istria Cup group matches, including a 0–2 loss to Austria on 9 March 2015 and a 2–1 victory over Costa Rica on 11 March 2015.[33] These three appearances constitute Rowe's complete senior international record, with no goals scored.[9] In 2023, following a period focused on Gaelic football and Australian rules football, Rowe returned to association football and was added to the standby list for the Republic of Ireland's FIFA Women's World Cup squad in June, though she did not earn further caps or selection for the tournament.[34]Gaelic football career
Club career
Rowe began her club-level Gaelic football career with Kilmoremoy, an amalgamation of three clubs from the Ballina area in County Mayo, where she emerged as a star forward.[3][20] The team advanced from junior to intermediate status during her involvement, though specific championship wins tied to her contributions remain undocumented in primary reports.[20] While studying at Dublin City University from 2013 to 2018, Rowe represented DCU in higher education competitions, including the O'Connor Cup. In the 2015 semi-final against University College Cork on March 20, she scored 1-7, helping DCU secure a 3-9 to 0-10 victory.[35] DCU reached the 2018 final, defeating University of Limerick 2-10 to 2-8 on March 11, with Rowe contributing a goal amid a closely contested match featuring multiple lead changes.[36] Throughout this period, Rowe balanced club Gaelic commitments with soccer, prioritizing Gaelic football during its primary season and shifting focus to association football post-September.[21] This dual-code schedule, involving up to 10 hours weekly for Gaelic training alongside inter-county and soccer duties, persisted until her move to Australia for professional AFLW in late 2018.[21]Inter-county career with Mayo
Rowe made her senior inter-county debut for the Mayo ladies' team in 2012 at age 16, initially balancing it with soccer commitments before prioritizing Gaelic football.[37] She quickly established herself as a forward, scoring a late goal in a 2016 National Football League Division 1 match against Monaghan that preserved Mayo's unbeaten run.[38] Her contributions helped Mayo secure Connacht Senior Ladies' Football Championship titles in 2015, 2016, and subsequent years, with the team reaching All-Ireland finals in 2016, 2017, and 2019, though falling short against Dublin in each. [39] In recognition of her performances, Rowe earned an All-Star award in 2016, highlighting her speed and scoring prowess in high-stakes games. She featured in three National Football League finals and the 2017 All-Ireland Senior Championship final, where Mayo challenged for the title but lost by a point.[27] Her role emphasized forward play, leveraging athleticism developed across sports to impact Mayo's competitive edge in provincial and national campaigns. Rowe stepped away from inter-county duty after 2021 to focus on professional opportunities abroad, last appearing for Mayo that year.[40] As of May 2025, amid her AFLW pre-season return with Collingwood, she expressed openness to a potential comeback, stating "who knows?" without firm commitment, citing ongoing multi-sport demands.[41] Her absence coincided with Mayo's shift from contention, underscoring the empirical value of her prior on-field impact in elevating team performance during peak years.Australian rules football career
Draft and debut with Collingwood
In September 2018, Sarah Rowe was signed by the Collingwood Magpies as a rookie ahead of the 2019 AFL Women's season, marking her entry into professional Australian rules football following her relocation to Australia.[42] [43] The signing came after Collingwood identified her athleticism and Gaelic football background as assets transferable to the sport, despite the need to adapt to differences in rules, such as kicking technique and structured play.[44] Rowe expressed confidence in the transition, highlighting overlaps in physicality, tackling, and ball-winning skills from her Gaelic experience.[44] Rowe made her AFLW debut on 2 February 2019, lining up in the forward pocket position during Collingwood's 24–23 loss to Geelong at GMHBA Stadium in round 1. In that match, she recorded 6 kicks, 0 handballs, 6 disposals, 3 contested possessions, 177 metres gained, 2 marks, and 1 tackle. Over the 2019 season, which consisted of 7 games for Collingwood, Rowe featured in all matches, averaging 7.4 kicks, 3.0 handballs, 10.4 disposals at 61.6% efficiency, 3.0 marks, and 2.9 tackles per game, while spending 91.4% time on ground.[45] Her early play showcased versatility, rotating between defensive and midfield roles to leverage her endurance and ball-winning ability, though she faced a learning curve in refining disposal accuracy and positional discipline compared to the more fluid Gaelic style.[44] These debut-year contributions helped establish her as a multi-positional asset amid the challenges of adapting to the AFLW's professional environment and rule nuances.[45]Ongoing achievements and role
Rowe has maintained a prominent role as a midfielder for Collingwood in the AFL Women's competition through the 2024 season and into preseason preparations for 2025, leveraging her multi-sport background to contribute consistently in high-pressure scenarios.[46][30] In 2023, she delivered a career-high performance, averaging elevated disposal counts and securing third place in the club's Best and Fairest award, reflecting her growing influence in midfield rotations and contested ball wins.[47] Her 2024 campaign sustained this momentum, with per-game averages exceeding prior benchmarks in fantasy scoring metrics around 155 points, underscoring adaptations in decision-making under fatigue.[48] The synergies from Rowe's prior Gaelic football and soccer experience manifest in tangible AFLW outputs, particularly enhanced kicking accuracy and aerobic endurance derived from cross-code demands. Gaelic football's emphasis on physical contesting and overhead marking has directly bolstered her tackling efficiency and aerial presence, while soccer's precision ball-striking has refined her goalkicking and handball execution, as evidenced by her self-reported skill transfer where AFLW's technical demands amplify rather than conflict with soccer fundamentals.[4][49] This multi-code foundation enables Rowe to excel in transitional play, where her ability to chain possessions—averaging higher clearances in recent seasons—stems from soccer's off-ball movement patterns and Gaelic's ground-ball scavenging, providing Collingwood with versatile midfield depth amid injury rotations.[50] Collingwood's coaching staff have integrated Rowe into leadership rotations, positioning her as a veteran mentor for younger recruits while contributing to regular-season stability; though the team has not advanced to finals in her recent tenures, her consistent output—nearing 50 career games by late 2023—has anchored midfield structures against top opponents.[51][52] Balancing AFLW commitments with off-season soccer duties, including a 2025 A-League Women's premiership win, has not diminished her preseason intensity, as confirmed by her return to Collingwood training immediately post-grand final.[30] This dual-path resilience highlights causal benefits of her athletic versatility, where soccer's tactical discipline sharpens AFLW's interpretive elements without eroding core physical adaptations.[4]Personal life
Relationships and relocation decisions
Rowe relocated to Australia in October 2018 to pursue a professional contract with Collingwood in the inaugural AFL Women's season, marking a significant shift from her Gaelic football and soccer commitments in Ireland.[53] This move enabled her to establish a base in Melbourne, facilitating ongoing participation in Australian rules football while accommodating off-season returns to soccer with clubs like Melbourne Victory in 2022–2023 and a short-term stint with Central Coast Mariners in late 2024.[11] [4] The decision reflected her prioritization of multi-code opportunities over stability, with Rowe describing the transition as a calculated risk driven by the novelty of paid women's AFL at the time.[13] Family support has underpinned these relocations, with Rowe crediting her parents and siblings for providing emotional backing amid the logistical strains of transcontinental travel and seasonal juggling. In a 2019 interview, she emphasized her father's role in encouraging her pursuits abroad, stating that familial encouragement was essential for coping with isolation and performance pressures.[13] This dynamic has extended to her tolerance for multi-sport risks, as Rowe has publicly noted that her close-knit family's understanding allows her to navigate injury concerns and scheduling conflicts without undue personal sacrifice.[54] On romantic relationships, Rowe revealed in 2021 that she was single following a breakup, enlisting her parents' assistance on the Irish dating show Pulling with My Parents to find a partner compatible with her athlete lifestyle, specifically seeking someone who attends Mass and appreciates her career demands.[55] No subsequent public disclosures indicate marriage or a long-term partner influencing her 2024 Mariners commitment, which she attributed primarily to professional alignment with coach Emily Husband rather than relational factors.[56] Her relocations have strained work-life balance, with Rowe acknowledging in 2023 that maintaining personal connections amid dual-sport seasons in Australia requires constant adaptation, though family proximity visits during Irish national team duties help mitigate this.[11]Honours and achievements
Association football honours
Shelbourne- Women's National League (Ireland): 2016[37][26]
- FAI Women's Cup: 2016[37]
- WNL Cup: 2016[37]
- Women's National League (Ireland): 2021[24]
- FAI Women's Cup: 2021[24]
- All-Island Cup: 2023[24]
- A-League Women Premiership and Championship: 2024–25[30][57][3]
