Marie Hourihan


Marie Hourihan is a retired Irish footballer and current head coach. She currently manages Plymouth Argyle and previously played for clubs including Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea, and Manchester City She represented the Republic of Ireland at senior international level, having represented England up to under-23 level.

Club career

Birmingham City, 2011–2013

Hourihan's debut for Birmingham City was a 4–0 shutout win against Bristol City on 14 April 2011. She made 11 appearances for the club during the 2011 FA WSL season helping the team finish in second place with a record.
During the 2012 FA WSL season, she made seven appearances to help the team finish in second place with a record.

Chelsea, 2013–2015

In July 2013, Hourihan signed with Chelsea L.F.C. for the 2013 FA WSL season.

Manchester City, 2016–2018

In December 2015, Hourihan signed with Manchester City for the 2016 FA WSL season.

Brighton, 2018–2019

Hourihan joined Brighton & Hove Albion W.F.C. in January 2018, on a loan deal until the end of the season. The move was made permanent in the summer of 2018.

Braga, 2019–2021

In July 2019 Hourihan signed for Portuguese Campeonato Nacional de Futebol Feminino champions Braga.

International career

After previously representing the England women's national under-23 football team, Hourihan accepted a call-up from the new Republic of Ireland women's national football team coach Colin Bell in 2017. She was eligible to represent the Girls in Green thanks to her late grandmother who moved back from London to her native Arigna, County Roscommon. She made her senior debut in March 2017, in a 0–0 draw with Hungary at the 2017 Cyprus Cup. Hourihan was installed as the successor to Ireland's longstanding goalkeeper Emma Byrne.

Managerial career

On 24 July 2023, Hourihan was appointed head coach of Stoke City Women, the team's first full-time manager. In the 24-25 season Marie led Stoke City Women to their highest ever league finish in the FA Women's National League and her side earn't their place in the FAWNL Cup final against Nottingham Forest Women and lost 3-1. She left Stoke in May 2025 and joined Plymouth Argyle Women as Head Coach in June 2025.

Personal life

Hourihan is a second cousin of the footballer Conor Hourihane.

Honours

;Birmingham City
;Chelsea
;Manchester City