02 February 2005 2005 Suzuki Ladies NFL launched in Cork Share this Article 0 0 0 Shares! 0 Shares! 2005 Suzuki Ladies NFL launched in Cork The 2005 Suzuki Ladies National Football League was launched today in Cork by the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr John O’Donoghue TD. This will be the 27th Ladies National Football League and the third year the competition will be sponsored by Suzuki Ireland. Speaking today in Cork, Minister O’Donoghue said: “Ladies Gaelic Football has been a real success story over the last number of years with increased participation and spectators. We have shown a strong commitment to the development of women’s sport in Ireland and I was particularly pleased to allocate EUR750,000, through the Irish Sports Council, for programmes to attract women into sports in 2005. “I look forward to another exciting year following on from last year’s great spectacle of the All Ireland Ladies Final”. Mr Niall O’Gorman, General Manager of Suzuki Ireland expressed his delight at being involved with Ladies Football for another year. Mr O’Gorman said: “We in Suzuki are delighted to be associated with the Ladies Gaelic Football Association through our sponsorship of the National League. This is our third year sponsoring this competition and we are very impressed with the rapid growth of Ladies Football at all levels. Credit is due to the officers at both national and local level for their professional approach to the running of their affairs.” This year’s Suzuki Ladies National Football League will be divided into seven different divisions with 41 teams. Divisions 1,2 and 3 are divided into A and B sections of six teams, with a stand-alone Division 4 featuring emerging counties like Wicklow, Carlow and Kilkenny. All 32 counties are competing in this year’s competition, and such is the strength in depth in some places that eight counties have entered B teams and Dublin have become the first county to enter a C team – a sign that the game in the capital is flourishing. Ladies Gaelic Football is the largest female sport in Ireland and its playing numbers and popularity are also the envy of female sports worldwide. Currently, there are 900 clubs throughout Ireland and overseas the game is played in Australia, USA, the UK, Asia, Europe and Canada. The Association has grown at a phenomenal pace and now boasts a membership of over 90,000. Structures are now also in place at grassroots level to ensure underage talent is nurtured. The All-Ireland final on the first weekend of October has attracted an attendance of over 20,000 for the last ten years, which compares more than favourably with attendances at female sports events throughout the world. In 2003, the All-Ireland final between Mayo and Dublin was attended by 33,000, while the FIFA Women’s World Cup Final between Sweden and Germany in the USA had an attendance of 26,000. This year promises to be another competitive League as Mayo go out to defend the title they won in 2004. In all, Kerry have won the tournament 11 times since 1979, with Waterford next in the roll of honour with five titles. Share this Article 0 0