Hall the best to Marissa

Cliftonville Football Club were delighted to this weekend induct Marissa Callaghan into the John McCredy McAlery Hall of Fame.

A trailblazer throughout a stellar playing career, the midfielder – who announced her retirement in the aftermath of the Reds’ Irish Cup Final victory over Linfield Women in October – becomes the first female to receive the accolade.

It says everything about Marissa’s longevity that her 27-year association with the Club pre-dates the keeping of any official statistical records but, as a scorer of more than 100 goals – including one particularly notable effort in a 2023 Champions League encounter with BIIK Kazygurt in Portugal – it goes without saying that she has more than earned her place as a modern day Cliftonville legend and remains an inspirational figure for so many, especially the young players within our Girls Academy.

Part of three Irish Cup-winning squads, Marissa tasted Premiership title joy in both 2022 and 2024, the latter of which was achieved with invincible status as part of a trophy treble that also saw the VBet League Cup and County Antrim Cups paraded at Solitude.

Indeed, the League Cup has been in residence in BT14 for three consecutive years, with the County Antrim crown having also been claimed on more than one occasion during the last decade of Marissa’s career, which also saw her named 2023/24 Ulster Footballer of the Year before also being inducted into the NI Football Writers’ Hall of Fame earlier this month.

The most capped player in the history of Ireland’s Oldest Football Club, Marissa’s first appearance for Northern Ireland came in a friendly against Scotland in May 2010 and she marked her maiden outing as skipper by scoring twice in a European Championship qualifying victory over Georgia six years later – two of eight goals she recorded on international duty.

As well as being one of six Cliftonville players in the squad at Euro 2022 – the highest Club representation in the NI panel – and contributing to the Reds providing more players at the competition than the likes of AC Milan, Ajax and Liverpool, Callaghan also had the distinction of skippering the side through their landmark first steps at a major tournament.

Her last Northern Ireland appearance came in a goalless draw with Malta at Windsor Park in April of last year and, though she is now also stepping away from the Club stage, there is little likelihood of her being too much of a stranger at Solitude, where she has played an integral, leading role in the development of our Ladies team and Girls Academy set-up.