Jessica Gleeson
{{short description|Irish footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Jess Gleeson
| image = Jess Gleeson DLR Waves Goal.jpg
| fullname = Jessica Gleeson
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1993|10|23}}{{UEFA player|id=250013480|accessdate=28 August 2020}}
| birth_place = Waterford, Ireland
| height = 1.76 m{{Soccerway|212692|accessdate=28 August 2020}}
| position = Defender
| currentclub = DLR Waves
| clubnumber = 5
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Villa AFC
| youthyears2 =
| youthclubs2 = Tramore AFC
| years1 = 2011–2017
| clubs1 = Wexford Youths
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 2018–2020
| clubs2 = Shelbourne
| caps2 =
| goals2 =
| years3 = 2021–
| clubs3 = DLR Waves
| caps3 =
| goals3 =
| nationalyears1 = 2009–2010
| nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland U17
| nationalcaps1 = 8
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| nationalyears2 = 2011–2012
| nationalteam2 = Republic of Ireland U19
| nationalcaps2 = 4
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2015–
| nationalteam3 = Republic of Ireland
| nationalcaps3 = 4
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| pcupdate =
| ntupdate = 12 April 2016
| caption = Jess Gleeson in action for DLR Waves
}}
Jessica Gleeson (born 23 October 1993) is an Irish footballer who plays as a defender for Women's National League club DLR Waves. She previously played for Wexford Youths and Shelbourne. Since making her debut in 2015 she has been a member of the Republic of Ireland women's national team. Her younger brother Austin Gleeson has represented the Waterford county hurling team.{{cite news |last1=Redmond |first1=Jason |title=Austin Gleeson Is Not The Only Sporting Superstar In His Family |url=https://punditarena.com/gaa/thepateam/austin-gleeson-sister/ |accessdate=10 October 2020 |publisher=Pundit Arena |date=25 December 2016}}
Club career
Gleeson was born in Waterford{{cite news |title=Gleeson outlines reasons for move |url=https://www.pressreader.com/ireland/enniscorthy-guardian/20180313/282647508039078 |accessdate=10 October 2020 |publisher=Enniscorthy Guardian |date=13 March 2018}} and played youth soccer for local clubs Villa AFC and Tramore AFC.{{cite news |title=Player Profile: Jessica Gleeson |url=http://www.munster-express.ie/school-talk/player-profile-jessica-gleeson/ |accessdate=10 October 2020 |publisher=The Munster Express |date=20 November 2008 |archive-date=10 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201010185646/http://www.munster-express.ie/school-talk/player-profile-jessica-gleeson/ |url-status=dead }} She joined Wexford Youths for the inaugural Women's National League (WNL) season in 2011–12. In 2014–15 Wexford Youths won the WNL for the first time, and Gleeson represented the club in the 2015–16 UEFA Women's Champions League.{{cite news |title=Wexford Youth's women's side secure famous Champions League win in Poland |url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/champions-league/wexford-youths-womens-side-secure-famous-champions-league-win-in-poland-31444771.html |accessdate=10 October 2020 |publisher=Irish Independent |date=11 August 2015}}
Ahead of the 2018 WNL season, Gleeson accepted an offer to join Wexford Youths' WNL rivals Shelbourne FC. She had considered moving a year earlier, but decided to spend one more season at Wexford out of loyalty to the team's coach. Gleeson considered quitting soccer in favour of Gaelic football after losing her place in the Shelbourne team during the 2020 season, but she was persuaded to join DLR Waves instead.{{cite news |last1=Donnelly |first1=Dave |title=Gleeson coaxed to stay in football with DLR Waves |url=https://dublingazette.com/sport/gleeson-dlr-23982/ |access-date=3 March 2021 |publisher=Dublin Gazette |date=4 February 2021}}
Gleeson made her DLR Waves debut at the beginning of the 2021 Women's National League season. Following a successful first year at the club she was appointed club captain ahead of the 2022 season. As of 2024 she is still with DLR Waves and remains the club captain.{{Cite web |title=Jess Gleeson Player Profile – DLR Waves |url=https://dlrwaves.com/senior-squad/jess-gleeson-player-profile/ |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=dlrwaves.com}}
International career
=Youth=
In 2010, Gleeson was a key player{{cite news |last1=Harte |first1=Adrian |title=Gleeson learns from Ireland loss |url=https://www.uefa.com/womensunder17/news/0252-0ce1f34d6955-412ba2dc1ca2-1000--gleeson-learns-from-ireland-loss/ |accessdate=10 October 2020 |publisher=UEFA |date=26 June 2010}} in the Republic of Ireland U-17 squad who were runners-up in the 2010 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship{{cite news |title=Women's U17 Player Profiles |url=https://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/womens-u17-player-profiles |accessdate=25 September 2020 |publisher=Football Association of Ireland |date=18 June 2010}} and quarter-finalists in the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.{{cite web | url=http://www.fai.ie/womens/international-squads/under-17-women/101189-king-announces-21-player-squad-for-fifa-u17-world-cup.html | title=King announces 21 player squad for FIFA U17 World Cup | date=24 August 2010 | accessdate=25 September 2020 | publisher=Football Association of Ireland | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306032835/http://www.fai.ie/womens/international-squads/under-17-women/101189-king-announces-21-player-squad-for-fifa-u17-world-cup.html | archive-date=6 March 2014 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}{{cite web | url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/u17womensworldcup/trinidadandtobago2010/teams/team=1914889/squadlist.html | title=Republic of Ireland – Squad List | accessdate=25 September 2020 | publisher=FIFA|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307063625/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/u17womensworldcup/trinidadandtobago2010/teams/team=1914889/squadlist.html |archivedate=7 March 2016}}
While enrolled at Waterford Institute of Technology, Gleeson represented Ireland at the 2013 and 2015 Summer Universiades.{{cite news |last1=Power |first1=Catherine |title=Waterford Students at World University Games |url=http://www.munster-express.ie/sports/waterford-students-at-world-university-games/ |accessdate=10 October 2020 |publisher=The Munster Express |date=3 July 2015}}{{cite web |title=Ireland Athlete List |url=http://kazan2013.com/ru/hide/0/Root/CountryInfo/IRL |publisher=2013 Summer Universiade |accessdate=17 September 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
=Senior=
Gleeson received her first Republic of Ireland national team call-up for the 2013 Cyprus Cup.{{cite web |title=Senior Women Player Profiles |url=https://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/senior-women-player-profiles |publisher=Football Association of Ireland |accessdate=10 October 2020 |date=16 January 2009}} In May 2015, Gleeson was called up to the senior national team again for a friendly in the United States. After the match had been arranged, it was discovered to be outside FIFA's designated dates for international matches, so several of Ireland's first-choice players were not released by their clubs.{{cite news|title=WNT Squad named for USA and Haiti games|url=http://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/wnt-squad-named-for-usa-and-haiti-games|accessdate=22 November 2015|publisher=Football Association of Ireland|date=2 May 2015}} Gleeson started Ireland's 3–0 defeat to win a debut cap, but was substituted at half time after being concussed by Abby Wambach.{{cite news|title=Ireland lose to USA in San Jose|url=http://www.fai.ie/ireland/match/55501/2015/999941530|accessdate=22 November 2015|publisher=Football Association of Ireland|date=11 May 2015}}
Eight months later Gleeson collected a second cap, making a substitute appearance in another friendly defeat by the United States in San Diego.{{cite news |title=Gleeson keen to push on |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wexfordpeople/sport/soccer/gleeson-keen-to-push-on-34397305.html |accessdate=10 October 2020 |publisher=Wexford People |date=30 January 2006}} She retained her place in the squad for the 2016 Cyprus Cup and played in the opening 2–0 defeat by Austria,{{cite news |title=Ireland women beaten by Austria in Cyprus Cup |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/ireland-women-beaten-by-austria-in-cyprus-cup-1.2557108 |accessdate=10 October 2020 |publisher=Irish Times |date=2 March 2016}} before succumbing to a foot injury which ruled her out of the remaining fixtures.{{cite news |title=Two international debuts |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wexfordpeople/sport/soccer/two-international-debuts-34541191.html |accessdate=10 October 2020 |publisher=Wexford People |date=19 March 2016}} On 12 April 2016 she made a competitive appearance as a 68th-minute substitute for Niamh Fahey in Ireland's 3–0 UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying defeat by Spain at La Ciudad del Fútbol, Las Rozas de Madrid.{{cite news |last1=Fallon |first1=John |title=Emma Byrne heroics in vain as gutsy Ireland suffer defeat to Spain |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-20392690.html |accessdate=10 October 2020 |publisher=Irish Examiner |date=13 April 2016}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerway|jessica-gleeson/151333}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gleeson, Jessica}}
Category:Republic of Ireland women's association footballers
Category:Women's association football defenders
Category:League of Ireland Women's Premier Division players
Category:Wexford Youths W.F.C. players
Category:Shelbourne F.C. (women) players
Category:Republic of Ireland women's international footballers
Category:Association footballers from County Waterford
Category:Alumni of Waterford Institute of Technology
Category:Association footballers from Waterford (city)
Category:Republic of Ireland women's youth international footballers