Photo Credit - AFL Media: Scott Barbour
The Alfa Irish Banshees, the Irish women's Australian Rules Football national team, win the 2017 AFL International Cup at the weekend in the Etihad Stadium, Melbourne.
Ireland Banshees 4.1 (25) to Canada North Lights 3.3 (21)
In a nail biting finish, with the Irish up by less than a goal, they held the valiant Canadian women out to secure a famous win.
Gillian Behan from Properous, ex Kildare Ladies footballer, now living in Sydney, was an integral part of the team, and had previously competed at the tournament in 2011 and 2014, with strong performances awarding her a position on team of the tournament for 2011, 2014 and most recently 2017.
Gillian Behan plays Australian Rules Football with UTS Shamrocks, Sydney
Women's Aussie Rules has never been more popular with the new semi-professional league that started this year and it was Ireland's only women's AFL player,
Cavan woman Laura Duryea that lifted the cup alongside co-captain Onora Mulcahy from Cork.
Canada led for most of the game but Ireland managed to get ahead in the final quarter before putting up an impenetrable defence in the final five minutes to repel attack after attack from the Canadians. The Irish goal scorers were Linda Connolly, Aisling Gillespe, Maebh Moriarity and Colleen Quinn with the best on ground award going to the impressive Sydney based Carol Breen. Speaking after the game Irish joint-manager Brendan Kelly said "we are delighted with the effort the girls put in against a very strong Canadian team and the celebrations will go long into the night after waiting six years to win the most important competition in women's international AFL". Watch a replay of the game on www.afl.com.au/internationalcup and listen to the Irish winning song here - www.instagram.com/p/BX9-uFIA3je
Website: www.arfli.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/IrishBanshees
UTS Australian Football Club - www.utsafc.com.au
Alfa Irish Banshees
1. Claire Donnelly(Tyrone) – Ulster Kookaburras
2. Amanda Maginn(Down) – Ulster Kookaburras
3. Rachel McGee(Donegal) – Ulster Kookaburras
4. Sarah O’ Donovan(Cork) – UCC Crusaders
5. Laura Flannery(kerry) – Dublin Angels
6. Emma Kelly(Derry) – Ulster Kookaburras
7. Fiona Roarty(Donegal) – Ulster Kookaburras
8. Carolann Cassidy(Donegal) – Ulster Kookaburras
9. Olivia McCann(Armagh) – Ulster Kookaburras
10. Onora Mulcahy(Cork) – Wandsworth Demons, London
11. Laura Corrigan Duryea(Cavan) – Melbourne FC
12. Carol Breen(Waterford) – UTS Shamrocks, Sydney
13. Niamh Hainsworth(Dublin) – UTS Shamrocks, Sydney
14. Linda Connolly(Mayo) – Wandsworth Demons, London
15. Clara Fitzpatrick(Down) – Diamond Creek, Melbourne
16. Megan Creegan(Longford) – Sydney University
17. Molly Cullen(Wicklow) – Dublin Angels
18. Marie Keating(Limerick) – UCC Crusaders
19. Aisling Gillespie(Donegal) – Ulster Kookaburras
20. Rachel Fox(Sligo) – Pert Angels, Western Australia
21. Sandra Ryan(Tipperary) – UTS Shamrocks, Sydney
22. Colleen Quinn(Tyrone) – Ulster Kookaburras
23. Gillian Behan(Kildare) – UTS Shamrocks, Sydney
24. Emma Treanor(Galway) – UTS Shamrocks, Sydney
25. Maebh Moriarty(Armagh) – UTS Shamrocks, Sydney
26. Leona Russell(Donegal) – Ulster Kookaburras
28. Aine Higgins(Galway) – Galway Magpies
29. Deborah Geraghty(Dublin) – UTS Shamrocks, Sydney
30. Christine McCutcheon(Cavan) – UTS Shamrocks, Sydney
Coaches: Tom Madigan, Roger Clarke, Brendan Kelly(Antrim)
Team Manager: Pat Leavy(Westmeath)
Tour Manager: Paul Ryan
