Ladies Football Allstars

Ladies Gaelic Football Association

O’Neills/TG4 All-Stars Set to Take California by storm
On the 31st March 2010 40 of the most talented Ladies Gaelic footballers will touch down in San Francisco for the third O’Neills/TG4 All Stars Tour.
This tour celebrates the sporting prowess of some of the finest female athletes Ireland has to offer and provides a unique experience for both players and supporters of the game in San Francisco to go along and see them train and play.
In the past, the O’Neills/TG4 All-Stars have travelled to New York (2004), Singapore (2006) and Dubai (2008).
The All-Stars will play an exhibition game and will also take a number of training sessions while on the west coast of America.
Among the stand out items on the itinerary is the appearance in Páirc na nGael, Treasure Island on Easter Saturday, April 3rd. A Ladies Football tournament consisting of local and visiting teams will also be held on Treasure Island to coincide with this event.
For those not familiar with the concept, the All Stars Tour celebrates the sporting achievements of these athletes during the previous two calendar years when their performances were acknowledged at an end of year awards ceremony. And after a magnificent few years for Ladies Gaelic Football in Ireland five-in-a-row senior winners Cork are well represented on the tour as are 2009 runners up Dublin and perennial contenders Mayo.
Pat Quill, the president of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association is certainly looking forward to the trip after a very positive year for the Association.
“The last few years have been truly memorable years for Ladies Football in Ireland culminating in 2009 when we had three classic finals in Croke Park with well over 25,000 people in attendance. Coupled with the fantastic coverage we receive from our sponsors TG4, Ladies Football is on the rise and we are delighted to spread the good word to the GAA community, and indeed non-GAA, folk of San Francisco.
The All-Stars tours bring the country’s best players to GAA heartlands overseas and the growth of Ladies football in places like Asia, Great Britain, Australia, Europe and of course North America has been one of the most important and memorable achievements of Ladies Football over the last three decades.
Echoing these sentiments was Ladies' Football Chief Executive, Helen O'Rourke who insisted that these players were critical to the success of the Association over the last few years and deserve the rewards and recognition of their male counterparts.
“2009 was certainly a great year for the Association and we are delighted to be presenting both the 2008 and 2009 All Star Teams to our loyal followers in San Francisco. The trip is a great way of recognising the sterling contribution that these stars make to the Association.
“These players are not found wanting either on the field of play or in the way they carry themselves off the pitch and illustrate the ethos of Ladies Football over the course of the season. Our All Stars are worthy of our admiration as sportswomen, as individuals and as ambassadors for Ladies Football. I am delighted we are going to San Francisco to help those in California who are enjoying and promoting the wonderful game of Ladies Football.
After a winter of unusually inclement weather in Ireland with floods followed by snow and ice, no doubt the touring party will be hoping for fine weather Stateside and will be hoping for an even warmer San Francisco welcome.
The travelling party of All-Stars is as follows:-



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

Cora Staunton, Mayo

Edel Hanley, Tipperary

Cliodhna O'Connor, Dublin

Geraldine O'Flynn, Cork

Martha Carter, Mayo

Siobhan Mc Grath, Dublin

Norita Kelly, Cork

Noelle Earley, Kildare

Sinead Aherne, Dublin

Kathy Conway, Derry

Aoife McAnespie, Monaghan

Noelle Comyn, Dublin

Derval Toal, Armagh

Denise Masterson, Dublin

Angela McDermott, Tipperary

Louise Henchy, Clare

Emma Mullin, Mayo

Anne Marie McDonough, 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