Wexford Ladies Football Convention
Last Friday the 29th of November saw the Wexford Ladies Football board hold its annual convention in the Ferrycarrig Hotel. A very big crowd was in attendance in what has been a year to remember for Wexford ladies football as the under 14 team captured the All Ireland title beating Tipperary while the Junior team got a taste of what it’s like to be involved on the biggest day in the sport as they lost out bravely to Offaly in the All Ireland Junior final in September in Croke Park.
The current numbers of girls and ladies playing the game in Wexford is now over 3,000 and it’s hoped the numbers playing in the county will continue to grow on the back of the junior teams run last year. With hard work continuing at development in Wexford the proof is in the success of the under 14 team this year as they took All Ireland glory and a Leinster title and a Leinster blitz title in what was a brilliant year. Indeed seeing five of this year’s minor team in the squad for the junior team and Ellen O’Brien nomination for junior player of the year show that all the hard work at club and county level is working and must continue.
The league campaign for the Wexford ladies team saw them travel away six times and ultimately they won a local derby with Wicklow to secure their status in Division 3 of the Tesco Home-grown National League, where Maeve Quill was named on the team of the league. This year however with six of their seven games at home this season manager Billy Donnelly will be targeting the league semi-finals at least this year as a building block to the All-Ireland championship. Billy will take charge for a third season after he and his back room team were ratified during the agm, it has also been confirmed that Wexford will remain in the junior ranks for the coming season also where Louth, Derry and New York will stand in the way of an All-Ireland push, and after a lot of progress has been made over the past two seasons under Billy and his management team, everyone in Wexford is looking forward with excitement to 2014.
Tesco Home Grown Ladies football Division League Fixtures for 2014
1st February Wexford home to Tipperary
9th February Wexford home to Waterford
16th February Wexford home to Armagh
2nd March Wexford home to Leitrim
9th March Wexford home to Longford
30th March Offaly home to Wexford
6th April Wexford home to Sligo
The management teams for all the counties underage squads were also put in place on the night Noel Holohan will remain in charge of the minor team for a third season, Paudge Brennan will take over the under 16 team for the coming season, Peter Bennett continues in his role as manager of the under 14 side while the under 12 manager will be MJ Berry.
The election of officers on the night and there was no real changes on the top table with Peadar O’Connor being re-elected for a second year as chairman of the county board and he will be supported by the following committee this year.
Vice Chairman Tony Cardiff
Secretary Andrea Cooney Rowe
Assistant Secretary Ian Plunkett
Treasurer Billy Stafford
PRO Noel Holohan
Registrar Karen Scallan
Leinster Delegates: Breda Curran, Mick O’Neill and Mairead O’Neill
Central Delegates: Peadar O’Connor, Leona Tector and Nicky White
Fixtures Chair: Sharon Drennan
Fixtures Secretary Ann Doyle
Treasurer Billy Stafford gave his report on what was a very busy year on the financial front but was pleased to show that the account is still in a healthy position and he thanked everyone who helped out during the year in fund raising and affiliation and memberships. He also paid huge thanks to the committee set up to help out in the run up to the All-Ireland final who raised extra funding to kit out the team and hold a fantastic banquet in Dublin after the big game.
Fixtures
Monday 9th December 12pm
Dr Cullen Park Carlow
Leinster Ladies Football Post Primary Schools Senior “A” Final
Loreto Secondary School Wexford v Colaiste Iosagain, Stillorgan
Monday 9th December 12pm
Carlow Town Hurling Club
Leinster Ladies Football Post Primary Schools Senior “C” Quarter Final
Presentation Secondary School Wexford v Sacred Heart Secondary School Tullamore
