Ladies Football All-Stars depart for Dubai

Ladies Football All Stars Depart for Dubai

TG4/O’Neills Ladies Football All Stars Tour to Dubai

Forty of the country’s top ladies footballers departed Dublin today to grace the Dubai Polo Grounds where they will play an exhibition match between the 2006 and 2007 All Star selections this coming Saturday. The 2006 team includes the backbone of the Armagh side which propelled the Ulster team into the Senior All Ireland final. Armagh captain Bronagh O’Donnell and outstanding Orchard County midfielder Caroline O’Hanlon will provide the metal while Cork duo Nollaig Cleary and Mary O’Connor will add subtlety upfront.

The 2006 All Stars can also count on International Rules captain Sarah O’Connor from Kerry and the diminutive Dymphna O’Brien to cause difficulty for the ’07 All Stars defence. Triple All Ireland winning captain, Juliet Murphy of Cork will be partnered in midfield by Brianne Leahy of Kildare in a formidable 2007 All Stars line-up. The full forward line combination of Valerie Mulcahy, Gemma Begley and Deirdre O’Reilly is a frightening prospect when you consider that these three predators amassed 20/44 (104 pts) between them in last year’s Championship.

In defence, the 2007 All Stars boast four of this year’s All Ireland winning Cork side including the Championship’s stand-out performer Briege Corkery. The 2007 Championship Golden Boot winner, Mayo’s Cora Staunton, misses out on the All Stars trip as she undergoes surgery on a knee injury this month and Staunton is the only notable absentee from this talented touring party. Geraldine Giles, Uactaran, Peil Gael na mBan, said, “The biennial TG4/O’Neills All Stars tour is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our sport to new audiences. It is also a just reward for those players who have become outstanding ambassadors for the game both on and off the pitch. The All Stars tour plays an important role in the continuing worldwide expansion of the Ladies Football code and we will continue to support the export of our game around the globe.”

The exhibition match will take place on Saturday 26th January and will be officiated by Declan Corcoran from Mayo. The game will be played as part of the Gulf Gaelic Games Tournament which is a two day tournament hosted by the Dubai Celts GAA Club.

ALL STAR TEAM 2006: Katrina Connolly (Sligo), Caoimhe Marley (Armagh), Maura Kelly (Tyrone), Sinead Dooley (Meath), Aoibheann Daly (Galway), Bronagh O’Donnell (Armagh), Patricia Fogarty (Laois), Caroline O’Hanlon (Armagh), Mary O’Donnell (Waterford), Nollaig Cleary (Cork), Grainne Nulty (Meath), Sarah O’Connor (Kerry), Niamh Kindlon (Monaghan), Mary O’Connor (Cork), Dympna O’Brien (Limerick) subs: Lorraine Muckian (Laois), Alma O’Donnell (Armagh), Martha Kirwan (Laois), Aileen Matthews (Armagh), Emer Flaherty (Galway)

ALL STAR TEAM 2007: Mary Rose Kelly (Wexford), Rebecca Hallahan (Waterford), Angela Walsh (Cork), Rena Buckley (Cork), Claire O’Hara (Mayo), Brid Stack (Cork), Briege Corkery (Cork), Juliet Murphy (Cork), Brianne Leahy (Kildare), Sarah McLoughlin (Leitrim), Maeve Quinn (Leitrim), Tracey Lawlor (Laois), Valerie Mulcahy (Cork), Gemma Begley (Tyrone), Deirdre O’Reilly (Cork) subs: Kathy Donnelly (Tyrone), Ann Marie Cox (Leitrim), Sinead Brennan (Leitrim), Fiona McHale (Mayo), Martha Carter (Mayo)