With 14 Irish women, some of whom are from farming backgrounds, playing in this year’s Australian Football League Women’s (AFLW) competition, TG4 will commence coverage of the matches.
An agreement between TG4 and the Australian Football League (AFL) will see full deferred coverage of a match on Saturdays and weekly highlights on Mondays.
The competition coverage on TG4 will kick off on Saturday 30 January.
AFL head of women’s football Nicole Livingstone said she was looking forward to the AFLW being broadcast in Ireland.
“We are proud to expand the AFLW broadcast to Ireland, a significant announcement for Australian football, given the impact Irish footballers have had on the NAB AFL Women’s competition,” she said.
Sinead Goldrick, Dublin, of the Melbourne Demons in action during a AFLW practice match between the Geelong Cats and the Demons at Deakin University on 18 January 2020, in Geelong, Australia. \ Michael Willson/AFL Photos
“We have 14 Irish players currently on AFLW lists and it is great to know that their family and friends back home will be able to watch them in action this season.”
Cross-over
Player cross-over from both men and women’s Gaelic football with Australian rules football has become increasingly common.
Some of the Irish AFLW players this year include Grace and Niamh Kelly, who are from a suckler farm in Co Mayo, and Cora Staunton, also from a farm in Co Mayo.
Niamh and Grace Kelly, Bohola, Co Mayo. Pictured previosuly for My Farming Week in the Irish Farmers Journal.
Last Sunday, former Cork ladies’ footballer Bríd Stack sustained a serious neck fracture playing for the Greater Western Sydney (GWS) Giants in a pre-season debut against the Adelaide Crows.
Stack tweeted on Wednesday that she was devastated, but counting her blessings and that she was looking forward to starting rehab when she was cleared to do so.
The Adelaide Crows are currently appealing a match ban put on one of their players in relation to the incident. The hearing has been adjourned until 28 January.
About the AFLW
The AFLW is Australia's national semi-professional Australian rules football league for female players.
Sarah Rowe, Mayo, of the Collingwood Magpies in action during a 2020 AFLW round one match between the Magpies and the West Coast Eagles at Victoria Park on 9 February, 2020, in Melbourne, Australia. \ Michael Willson/AFL Photos
This year’s competition will see 14 teams battle it across 12 weekends to reach the grand final in April.
The first season of the league in 2017 had eight teams. The league expanded to 10 teams in 2019 and 14 teams in the 2020 season.
The 14 Irish players confirmed for the 2021 season are:
Sarah Rowe (Collingwood / Mayo).Cora Staunton (GWS Giants / Mayo).Aileen Gilroy (North Melbourne / Mayo).Grace Kelly (West Coast Eagles / Mayo).Niamh Kelly (West Coast Eagles / Mayo).Sinéad Goldrick (Melbourne FC / Dublin).Niamh McEvoy (Melbourne FC / Dublin).Lauren Magee (Melbourne FC / Dublin).Aisling McCarthy (West Coast Eagles / Tipperary).Orla O'Dwyer (Brisbane Lions / Tipperary).Ailish Considine (Adelaide Crows / Clare).Áine Tighe (Fremantle Dockers / Leitrim).Bríd Stack (GWS Giants / Cork).Aishling Sheridan (Collingwood / Cavan). Read more
Podcast: changing the game with 20x20 founder Sarah Colgan
My farming week: Niamh Kelly, Listrisnane, Bohola, Co Mayo
With 14 Irish women, some of whom are from farming backgrounds, playing in this year’s Australian Football League Women’s (AFLW) competition, TG4 will commence coverage of the matches.
An agreement between TG4 and the Australian Football League (AFL) will see full deferred coverage of a match on Saturdays and weekly highlights on Mondays.
The competition coverage on TG4 will kick off on Saturday 30 January.
AFL head of women’s football Nicole Livingstone said she was looking forward to the AFLW being broadcast in Ireland.
“We are proud to expand the AFLW broadcast to Ireland, a significant announcement for Australian football, given the impact Irish footballers have had on the NAB AFL Women’s competition,” she said.
Sinead Goldrick, Dublin, of the Melbourne Demons in action during a AFLW practice match between the Geelong Cats and the Demons at Deakin University on 18 January 2020, in Geelong, Australia. \ Michael Willson/AFL Photos
“We have 14 Irish players currently on AFLW lists and it is great to know that their family and friends back home will be able to watch them in action this season.”
Cross-over
Player cross-over from both men and women’s Gaelic football with Australian rules football has become increasingly common.
Some of the Irish AFLW players this year include Grace and Niamh Kelly, who are from a suckler farm in Co Mayo, and Cora Staunton, also from a farm in Co Mayo.
Niamh and Grace Kelly, Bohola, Co Mayo. Pictured previosuly for My Farming Week in the Irish Farmers Journal.
Last Sunday, former Cork ladies’ footballer Bríd Stack sustained a serious neck fracture playing for the Greater Western Sydney (GWS) Giants in a pre-season debut against the Adelaide Crows.
Stack tweeted on Wednesday that she was devastated, but counting her blessings and that she was looking forward to starting rehab when she was cleared to do so.
The Adelaide Crows are currently appealing a match ban put on one of their players in relation to the incident. The hearing has been adjourned until 28 January.
About the AFLW
The AFLW is Australia's national semi-professional Australian rules football league for female players.
Sarah Rowe, Mayo, of the Collingwood Magpies in action during a 2020 AFLW round one match between the Magpies and the West Coast Eagles at Victoria Park on 9 February, 2020, in Melbourne, Australia. \ Michael Willson/AFL Photos
This year’s competition will see 14 teams battle it across 12 weekends to reach the grand final in April.
The first season of the league in 2017 had eight teams. The league expanded to 10 teams in 2019 and 14 teams in the 2020 season.
The 14 Irish players confirmed for the 2021 season are:
Sarah Rowe (Collingwood / Mayo).Cora Staunton (GWS Giants / Mayo).Aileen Gilroy (North Melbourne / Mayo).Grace Kelly (West Coast Eagles / Mayo).Niamh Kelly (West Coast Eagles / Mayo).Sinéad Goldrick (Melbourne FC / Dublin).Niamh McEvoy (Melbourne FC / Dublin).Lauren Magee (Melbourne FC / Dublin).Aisling McCarthy (West Coast Eagles / Tipperary).Orla O'Dwyer (Brisbane Lions / Tipperary).Ailish Considine (Adelaide Crows / Clare).Áine Tighe (Fremantle Dockers / Leitrim).Bríd Stack (GWS Giants / Cork).Aishling Sheridan (Collingwood / Cavan). Read more
Podcast: changing the game with 20x20 founder Sarah Colgan
My farming week: Niamh Kelly, Listrisnane, Bohola, Co Mayo
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