Banner Ladies Football Club Honoured By Clare GAA

Banner Ladies Football Club Honoured By Clare GAA

The Banner Ladies Football Club was honoured by the
Clare County GAA Board when their All Ireland Division One Féile
Peil na nÓg and their Kilmacud Crokes All Ireland Sevens
winning teams were guests of honour of the Clare GAA Board at the
county championship football finals played in Cusack Park, Ennis.

Clare GAA chairman Michael McDonagh welcomed the teams and their
mentors to Cusack Park on the biggest day in the football calendar
in Clare. At half time in the thrilling senior encounter (in which
Éire Óg of Ennis just held off a brave Lissycasey
challenge on a 2 – 9 to 0 -13 score line) the All Ireland Champions
were introduced to the 7,000 attendance. Following their introduction
the team did a celebratory lap of honour in the famous ground to
tremendous applause from all present.

The Banner Ladies Football Club of Ennis became the first Clare
club in any code of football to win an All Ireland A Championship
football title when they defeated Galway champions Corofin in the
All Ireland Féile Division One final in Wicklow last July.
Following on from this tremendous success the Ennis team went on
to consolidate their All Ireland champions status when annexing
the inaugural U – 14 All Ireland Sevens Championship, held in Kilmacud
Crokes Dublin in September, with a victory over Meath champions
Oldcastle in the final.

In their All Ireland campaigns this year the Clare representatives
have beaten the champions of Galway, Dublin, Kerry, Meath, Monaghan,
Cavan, Armagh and Wicklow amongst others on their way to championship
victories. Great credit must be heaped on this team and their mentors
for their fantastic achievements over the past two years (The Banner
Ladies also won the All Ireland Division Two Féile Championship
in 2005). They have proven to be excellent ambassadors for the sport
of Ladies Gaelic Football in Clare and one hopes their success at
club level will be reflected at inter-county level for the Banner
county in the years ahead.

Team mentors Joe Reidy, Patricia Ryan, Dr. Paul McKenna, Jim Costello
and Pat O’Driscoll also deserve great credit for their commitment
in preparing and coaching these girls in the skills of Gaelic football.
Long may their success continue.

Dr. Paul McKenna,

Secretary/PRO,

The Banner Ladies Football Club,

Ennis