Ladies jet off

Ladies jet off

 

By Jackie Cahill

THE 2010 O’Neills/TG4 Ladies Football All-Stars left Dublin today (Wednesday) for a six-day tour of San Franciso.

The highlight of the trip will be the game between the 2008 Allstars and the 2009 selection, which will be played tomorrow in Gaelic Park on Treasure Island.

The big day will kick off with games featuring the cream of local Ladies Football talent in San Francisco, before the visiting stars take centre stage.

The Allstars clash will be followed by a game involving players selected from three Ladies Football clubs in the city – Saoirse, Fog City Harps and Clan Na Gael.

Helen O’Rourke, CEO of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, is relishing the trip and she explained: “We always look to go to a country or an area that has Ladies Football.

“We looked at a few places before deciding upon San Francisco.”

This is the fourth O’Neills/TG4 Ladies Football Allstars tour, following on from previous excursions to Dubai, Singapore and New York.

O’Rourke visited San Franciso a month ago to touch base with the tour hosts and to finalise accommodation arrangements and an official itinerary.

She added that budding young local Ladies Football stars are relishing the opportunity to avail of some top class coaching from the Allstars.

O’Rourke said: “There are an awful lot of young kids out there in the 6-18 age bracket and we’ll be doing something with them over the Easter Weekend.

“They have picked two Allstar teams themselves for an exhibition match. It’s a big set-up out there – there are five or six Ladies clubs around San Francisco.

“I was dealing with the San Francisco board and they have beautiful grounds on Treasure Island. They have developed two pitches with a lovely centre.

“The local people there are well behind the trip and the media over there are well briefed. And the restaurants we will be visiting are run by people who have been good to the GAA in San Francisco.”

Stars from numerous counties are part of the 46-player strong travelling party.

O’Rourke added: “It’s fantastic and it’s great for the girls.

“They put so much into it and it’s a nice reward for those selected. Also, players get to know girls from other counties and that’s a nice aspect to it. Years ago, everybody mixed after matches and the interprovincials spanned a weekend but it’s gone so competitive now. It’s such a busy season and that social aspect has dwindled.”

 

 

 

2010 O’Neills/TG4 Ladies Football All Stars Tour Players Party

Elaine Harte (Cork), Angela Walsh (Cork), Linda Barrett (Cork), Sharon Courtney (Monaghan), Brid Stack (Cork), Neamh Woods (Tyrone), Juliet Murphy (Cork), Amanda Casey (Monaghan), Nollaig Cleary (Cork) Michaela Downey (Down), Niamh Kindlon (Monaghan), Noelle Tierney (Mayo), Cora Staunton (Mayo), Edel Hanley (Tipperary), Cliodhna O’Connor (Dublin), Geraldine O’Flynn (Cork), Martha Carter (Mayo), Siobhan McGrath (Dublin), Norita Kelly (Cork), Noelle Earley (Kildare), Sinead Aherne (Dublin), Kathy Conway (Derry), Ciara McAnespie (Monaghan), Aoife McAnespie (Monaghan), Noelle Comyn (Dublin), Derval Toal (Armagh), Denise Masterson (Dublin), Angela McDermott (Tipperary), Louise Henchy (Clare), Emma Mullin (Mayo), Anne Marie McDonagh (Galway), Aine Kelly (Clare), Patrice Dennehy (Kerry), Una Carroll (Galway), Joline Donnelly (Tyrone), Caroline Little (Fermanagh), Eliza Downey (Down), Rebecca McPhillibin (Galway), Sinead Mc Laughlin (Tyrone), Briege Corkery (Cork)

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