We are delighted to announce that defender Hollie Mailey has become the latest player to arrive at Inver Park ahead of the 2024 Women’s Premiership season, joining on a permanent transfer from St. James’ Swifts.
Mailey joins the Inver Women from the NIWFA Championship side, who finished fourth in last season’s second tier. The move marks the 22-year-olds return to the top-flight of the women’s domestic game, having made 11 senior appearances for Cliftonville Ladies during an eight-year spell at Solitude.
Coming through the academy ranks in North Belfast, Mailey climbed the underage pathway and became a regular starter for Cliftonville Corinthians in the NIFL U19 Academy League.
After impressing at U19 level, the defender was promoted to Cliftonville’s first team panel, gaining vital senior experience and playing time. Seeking more regular first team minutes, Mailey then made the move across Belfast to St. James’ Swifts during the 2023 season.
Discussing her move to Inver Park, Mailey said:
“I’m really looking forward to a fresh challenge with Larne in 2024 in the Women’s Premiership. I enjoyed eight fantastic years at Cliftonville alongside a spell at St. James’ and am thankful for their experiences which both clubs have offered me.
“I have shared the changing room with some of the country’s best players and will be looking to take that experience and use it to my advantage in helping Larne achieve our ambitious goals.
“Ahead of the new season, my aim is definitely to support the team in any way I can, hopefully by being a regular player in the starting team as I want to establish myself as a key player in the Women’s Premiership.”
Head of Women’s Recruitment William Noble added:
“Securing Hollie’s signature for the upcoming season is a real moment of success for the club ahead of the new season. Hollie has shown during her time at Cliftonville that she is a Premiership quality player and that, mixed with the first team experience at St. James’ will make her a really strong addition to our first team this season.
“We believe that whilst Hollie is a player who can improve our squad immediately, she also has a very high ceiling to improve and is just another one to add to our growing list of exciting young talents at the club which is important for us as we want to build a squad capable of achieving our objectives over the next number of seasons.”
