Players Launch First Ever Ladies International Rules Test Series

Players Launch First Ever Ladies International Rules Test Series At Ambassador’s Reception

Players from the Irish and Australian International
Rules squads were greeted by the Australian Ambassador, Ms Anne
Plunkett at the Australian Embassy ahead of their two Test International
Rules Series.

This is the first ever Ladies International Rules Test Series with
the first Test taking place in Kingspan Breffni Park, Cavan on Tuesday
31st October at 4.30pm and the second Test following just four days
later under lights in Parnell Park on Saturday 4th November at 7.30pm.

Irish squad manager, Jarlath Burns, has constructed a very strong
panel for this first Ladies International Test Series. The panel
includes eight players who played key roles in the recent All Ireland
Championship Final and 22 of the 30 strong squad have been nominated
for All Star Awards in 2006.

“The players have responded very well in training to the introduction
of the new rules and skills and the entire squad has worked incredibly
hard of the past number of weeks and I believe that we are in a
very strong position heading into this first ever two Test series
against Australia”, said Burns.

The Irish management team also contains Meath’s Geraldine Sheridan,
Robbie Griffin from Kerry, Galway’s Pat Costello and Hayley Boyle
from Armagh.

The panel sees representatives from 14 different counties highlighting
the strength and depth of ladies football and the squad will not
be short of leadership with five senior captains in the squad including
Cork’s Juliet Murphy, Armagh’s Bronagh O’Donnell, Mayo’s Cora Staunton,
Meath’s Mary Sheridan and Waterford’s Mary O’Donnell.

Connacht Champions Galway contribute four players to the squad
as do Cork, Armagh and Meath while two are included from Leinster
Champions Laois.

Ireland Squad:

Bronagh O’Donnell, Alma O’Donnell, Caroline O’Hanlon, Caoimhe Marley
(All Armagh), Bronagh Sheridan (Cavan), Angela Walsh, Norita Kelly,
Juliet Murphy, Rena Buckley (All Cork), Micheala Downey (Down),
Cliodhna O’Connor, Sinead Aherne (both Dublin), Aoibheann Daly,
Anne Marie McDonagh, Una Carroll, Patricia Gleeson (All Galway),
Grainne Ni Flathartha, , Sarah O’Connor (All Kerry), Brianna Leahy
(Kildare), Lorraine Muckian, Patricia Fogarty (Laois), Dympna O’Brien
(Limerick) Cora Staunton, Christina Heffernan (Mayo), Sinead Dooley,
Jackie Shields, Geraldine Doherty, Mary Sheridan (All Meath), Mairead
Morrissey (Tipperary), Mary O’Donnell (Waterford)