Galway’s Ailbhe Davoren: Ladies football teams are renowned for being able to have the craic’

In her eighth intercounty campaign, the Galway player enjoys her sport as much as ever – and takes the threat posed by Cork this Saturday very seriously

Daire Walsh

She is midway through her eighth season on the senior intercounty scene and although her status within the squad has changed since she first broke into the set-up, Ailbhe Davoren is still enjoying every second of her time as a Galway footballer.

Having previously donned the maroon and white in the underage ranks of the LGFA – she was on a Galway side that lost to Cork in an All-Ireland minor championship final in 2015 – Davoren scored two goals on her debut for the Tribeswomen in a Connacht Winter League semi-final against Mayo in January 2017. She went on to make a further 11 appearances that year, including an outing as a substitute when Galway once again defeated Mayo in a TG4 Connacht Senior Football Championship decider.

She started at centre-forward when Daniel Moynihan’s side got the better of their nearest rivals in a provincial showdown that was held at St Brigid’s GAA in Kiltoom last month – a late goal from Andrea Trill putting the seal on a 1-11 to 0-9 victory. That meant that, after taking over the role at the start of the year, Davoren with got her first opportunity to lift silverware as Galway captain.

“It’s my eighth season now and I love it. Just thoroughly enjoy it. Each year brings something different in terms of different players, management, different challenges. We wouldn’t be doing it if we didn’t enjoy it. It can be great craic if you’re involved in a team,” Davoren said.

“You do spend an awful lot of time with the team and the players, and ladies’ football teams are renowned for being able to have the craic as well. It’s not all serious or hard work. We do love it as well.”

Being able to enjoy rather than endure the life of an intercounty footballer is particularly important for Davoren, who faces a considerable commute to and from Galway training for a big chunk of the calendar year. In more recent times, Davoren has been working as a teacher at St Andrew’s College in Dublin – a school that counts past and present professional rugby players such as Andrew Porter, Jordan Larmour, Felix Jones and Peter Bracken among its more notable alumni.

This has led to her clocking up a significant number of miles during the winter, spring and early summer months, albeit she will get a chance to base herself a little closer to home in the next few weeks now that the school year is drawing to a close.

“That’s what makes living in Dublin a bit more doable. The fact that I do have summer holidays to come home to and commit fully to the team,” Davoren acknowledged.

“Even just having extra time to look at extra shooting or whatever, it’s just brilliant. I think there’s enough intercounty players that are teachers and it does suit the intercounty.”

Although she continues to line out for her home club of Moycullen on a camogie side that is coached by her uncle (her sister is also a part of the team), March of last year saw Davoren completing a football transfer to Dublin’s Kilmacud Crokes.

Given her Galway team-mate Dearbhla Gower was already part of the set-up, and she was already living in the capital, Davoren viewed joining the Stillorgan club as a natural fit.

It proved to be a memorable first season with Crokes for the University of Limerick graduate as she picked up top honours in both the Dublin and Leinster Senior Club Football Championships. She was also a prominent figure as Kilmacud lost out narrowly after extra-time to a Kilkerrin-Clonberne side featuring many of her intercounty colleagues at the semi-final stage of the All-Ireland Senior Club Championship.

“It was a brilliant run and I look forward to it again this year. To get out of Dublin it’s very difficult and then out of Leinster. We can’t count our chickens yet in terms of what game we might end up in at the end of the year. Anything can happen along the way.

“They’re a super club. The management are brilliant and the players are great. Incredible experience. I’d always say all of them could be playing for Dublin and many of them have in the past and we’ve many more adding to the mix with their county final success. I’ll be meeting clubmates, hopefully, if we keep going in this championship.”

While last Sunday saw Davoren attending Tom Jones’s concert at St Anne’s Park on the northside of Dublin with family members, the same day saw Cork and Laois kick-starting Group 3 of the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship with a clash in Laois Hire O’Moore Park, Portlaoise. Yet after being idle on the opening weekend of the Brendan Martin Cup, Galway will get their own campaign up and running on Saturday against Cork at MTU Cork (throw-in 1pm).

The Tribeswomen will be hoping for a repeat of their group success over the Leesiders at Pearse Stadium in Salthill a little under 12 months ago, but Davoren (who was a panellist when Galway last reached an All-Ireland senior final in 2019) recognises the challenge that will be posed by an outfit that recorded a 6-13 to 1-5 win over Laois last weekend.

“We wouldn’t often look back at last year because it does change so much year-on-year. Teams change and even last weekend, weather had an impact on games. You kind of have to take every game as it is, I know it’s a cliche,” says Davoren.

“We won’t be taking any of last year’s wins as a rite of passage or anything like that to win this game. It will just be about taking this game this year – this Cork team and see how we can break them down.

“Anyone in their circles would never underestimate Cork. Cork are steeped in ladies football and have loads of choices. We definitely won’t take their league and losses as a given that they aren’t up for this battle. They put up a massive performance against Laois at the weekend. That’s an indicator of their form.”

Playing Senior Championship Excites Kildare Captain Grace Clifford

ALL-IRELAND LADIES FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP – PREVIEW

By Daire Walsh

FOLLOWING a significant gap, Kildare captain Grace Clifford is excited by the prospect of playing in the All-Ireland senior ladies football championship once again.

Having missed out on their national intermediate success against Clare the year before through injury, the Eadestown midfielder was back in harness for the Lilywhites’ return to the top-tier in 2017. She was a starter on August 5 of that year when Kildare suffered championship relegation as a result of a heavy qualifier defeat to Mayo at Duggan Park, Ballinasloe.

History has since repeated itself on two counts as, firstly, the Lilies enjoyed another All-Ireland intermediate final triumph over Clare at Croke Park in the summer of 2023. Although there isn’t as much at stake as their previous meeting, Kildare will begin their All-Ireland SFC Group Four campaign away to Mayo this coming Saturday.

“Sometimes I think maybe people forget there are a few of us that were there! As I say, a few of us are part of the decline and now we’re part of some of the incline in that sense. That’s senior football and that is what it’s about. You want to play against the best and that’s what we’re at,” Clifford remarked at a recent launch of the All-Ireland championships in Croke Park.

While their forthcoming opponents Mayo have reached the semi-final stage of the Brendan Martin Cup in the past three seasons, Kildare are lucky to have someone within their ranks who knows the county inside out.

A native of Ballina, Lilies manager Diane O’Hora was part of the Mayo teams that won All-Ireland senior titles in 1999, 2000 and 2003. In addition to captaining the county for that breakthrough triumph all of 25 years ago, she also struck the winning goals when the green and red defeated Dublin in a low-scoring 2003 decider – the most recent Brendan Martin triumph for the Connacht side.

“It’s close to home for her! You wouldn’t nearly know that she’s from there in that sense. She’s all about Kildare and that’s the way she runs with things. I think with the way it has gone, the profile of the game, it is easy to do your homework on opposition because all games are now streamed and televised,” Clifford said.

“Mayo are super, they’re a senior team forever. It’s going to be tough, we’re under no illusions. We’ll be definitely marking it.”

Following this weekend’s tussle with Mayo, Kildare will have eight days to prepare for their second and final group game against defending All-Ireland champions Dublin. This will be the toughest challenge imaginable for the Lilies, but with the game set to take place at Manguard Park in Hawkfield, Clifford is very much looking forward to their duel with the Jackies.

“I don’t when the last time Dublin ladies played in Kildare at senior level. They’ll get a nice welcome, I’m sure, at Hawkfield. I think it has panned out as best it could in the tough group that we’re in,” Clifford added.

Champions Dublin off to impressive start of defence of their TG4 All-Ireland crown

TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Dublin 1-10

 Mayo 0-5

 By Daire Walsh

 Team captain Carla Rowe struck 1-2 at Parnell Park as defending champions Dublin kick-started their TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Group 4 campaign with victory over Mayo.

Following their recent success in the TG4 Leinster Senior Football Championship, Mick Bohan’s side had eight points to spare over their Connacht counterparts. Despite Lisa Cafferky chipping in with three points, Mayo ultimately came up short in the capital and will now face into a crunch group stage encounter at home to Kildare next weekend.

Playing with the aid of a breeze in the first half, Dublin edged in front when full-forward Hannah Tyrrell knocked over a free less than two minutes into the action. Yet Mayo levelled matters with a score on the run from midfielder Erin Murray and Liam McHale’s westerners subsequently squeezed ahead after Cafferky split the uprights on 10 minutes.

While Rowe restored parity moments later, a strong defensive effort from their opponents ensured attacking opportunities weren’t easy to come by for Dublin. Nevertheless, the Jackies regained their slender advantage with a Lauren Magee point that shook the woodwork before floating over the bar.

Having found the range earlier on in the contest off her trusty left boot, Tyrrell registered a point from play with her right foot and Rowe was also on hand to convert a close-range free that propelled Dublin into a 0-5 to 0-2 cushion at the end of a low-scoring and cagey opening period.

Whereas Mayo enjoyed the majority of possession prior to the interval, Dublin established a foothold in the early stages of the second half. The Mayo defence did initially hold firm, but Dublin eventually opened them up and Rowe palmed to the net on 40 minutes via a pass from industrious half-forward Caoimhe O’Connor.

Despite now dealing with a tricky wind, Dublin added points through Tyrrell and Olwen Carey to open up an eight-point buffer inside the final-quarter.

A successful Maria Cannon free ended a 38-minute scoring drought for Mayo, but Dublin immediately responded with a Sinead Goldrick point following a superb team move by the hosts. The experienced Cafferky did add a brace of scores for the visitors as the final whistle approached, but with Magee and Carey contributing their second points of the game, Dublin eased towards a convincing triumph.

 Scorers – Dublin: C Rowe 1-2 (0-1f), H Tyrrell 0-3 (2f), O Carey, L Magee 0-2 each, S Goldrick 0-1.

Mayo: L Cafferky 0-3, M Cannon 0-1 (f), E Murray 0-1.

DUBLIN: A Shiels; O Carey, L Caffrey, N Donlon; L Magee, M Byrne, S Goldrick; J Dunne, G Kós; C O’Connor, C Rowe, O Nolan; N Hetherton, H Tyrrell, K Sullivan. Subs: N Crowley for Donlon, N Owens for Kós (both 40), E Gribben for Nolan (50), C Darby for Rowe (51), A Kane for Goldrick (54).

MAYO: L Brennan; S Lally, N O’Malley, K Sullivan; É Ronayne, C Durkan, D Caldwell; A Geraghty, E Murray; A Gough, C Needham, F McHale; A Staunton, M Cannon, L Cafferky. Subs: S Walsh for Needham (19), F McLaughlin for Murray (h-t), S Delaney for Staunton (46), M Reilly for McHale (51), A Fitzpatrick for Sullivan (54). 

Referee: Patrick Smith (Waterford).

Offaly footballer Nicole Buckley inspired by U20s hurlers

By Daire Walsh

Ahead of her side’s TG4 All-Ireland intermediate football championship clash with Clare at Cusack Park, Ennis tomorrow (throw-in 1pm), Nicole Buckley has spoken in glowing terms about the impact the Offaly Under-20s hurlers have had on those within the Faithful County.

Thanks to a superb final victory over Tipperary last Saturday, Offaly made history by claiming a maiden All-Ireland U 20 Hurling Championship crown.

Aside from the quality of their performances throughout the competition, a notable feature of this memorable march to underage glory was how people came out in their droves to see Leo O’Connor’s men in action.

Having beaten Dublin in front of 15,215 spectators at Laois Hire O’Moore Park, Portlaoise in an enthralling Leinster final on 22 May, the Offaly Under-20s subsequently added a national title to their list of honours on a day when 25,825 patrons passed through the turnstiles of Nowlan Park.

Their 2-20 to 2-14 victory against Tipp was a major topic of discussion when the Offaly ladies footballers assembled for a training session the following day and Buckley is hopeful it can be a springboard for many teams within the county.

“It really just shows us and shows everyone in the county basically where we stand. It shows how big of a buzz and how much hype is in the county after winning such a big final. It really drives everyone on and encourages people to keep going training and pushing it hard,” Buckley acknowledged.

“We had training after that on the Sunday morning and even at our training, there was such a good buzz. Everyone talking about the lads and stuff like that as well. It really drove us on in our session as well. I feel like it really will drive the county on now with other levels and other age groups.”

The Under-20s hurlers weren’t the only big sporting story to come out of Offaly last weekend, however, as Tullamore boxer Grainne Walsh sealed a spot at the forthcoming Olympic Games in Paris by getting the better of Armenia’s Ani Hovesepayan at a qualifier bout in Bangkok on Sunday.

As a gifted fighter herself – within the past two years she has won Irish Intermediate Championship, Irish National Championship, Irish U22 Championship and Irish Third-Level Championship titles – Buckley is well acquainted with her fellow Offaly native and is thrilled that she will be boarding a plane to the French capital later this summer.

“I don’t think anyone deserves it more than Grainne. She puts in so much work and I was delighted for her. I know she will do brilliant out in Paris. I wish her the best of luck because she is just an incredible athlete. So many people look up to her, she’s just amazing.”

After being regularly active in both sports when she was growing up in the Faithful County, Buckley has continued to strike a balance between both Gaelic football and boxing as a young adult.

While her presence at the European U-22 Championships in Budva, Montenegro ensured she was absent for her club Naomh Ciaran’s Leinster senior club final defeat at the hands of Kilmacud Crokes last November, she managed to feature in all 10 games that Offaly played between Division 3 of the league and the TG4 Leinster Intermediate Championship earlier this year.

As if that isn’t enough, Buckley is also a student teacher in DCU and is currently on a placement at a primary school in Rahan, Co Offaly. She has a year left before she completes her third-level education and despite not ruling out the future pursuit of an Olympic dream, this is her main focus for the time being.

“I think it could be something I would potentially look towards, but at the moment I’m mainly focusing on just basically finishing college. Getting the degree, getting college out of the way. After that then, I think I will probably decide what I’m going to do because if I do decide to go for the Olympics, I’d have to probably cut football out of it.

“I’d probably need a lot more sessions with the boxing than what I’m doing at the moment. It’ll be a big decision to make, but I won’t be worrying about that now until I have my degree in college hopefully.”

For the immediate future, Buckley remains a vital defensive cog in ladies football for both Offaly and the aforementioned Naomh Ciaran.

It was with the latter that she had one of her most memorable sporting days to date as she lined out in the full-back line when the Ferbane-based outfit secured the All-Ireland intermediate club championship title with a 2-11 to 2-09 victory against Antrim’s Naomh Pol at Kingspan Breffni on November 23, 2019.

“That was my first year I was actually brought up onto the senior team with Naomh Ciaran. Even when they won the county title, all the girls were relaxed about it. With me, even just sitting down and watching them, it was just a great thing to witness and to see,” Buckley recalled of Ciaran’s successful 2019 campaign.

“Then we went onto the Leinster series. I think I came on in one of the matches and I was so shocked I even came on. To win the All-Ireland, it was just an amazing feeling. To get to be part of the team, it was even better.”

Buckley ultimately hopes to enjoy similar success at inter-county level with Offaly and after paying a visit to Clare this weekend, the Faithful will round off their All-Ireland Intermediate Group 2 campaign by welcoming Monaghan to Glenisk O’Connor Park tomorrow week (16 June).

They are expected to have tough tests against two teams who had a compelling battle at St Tiernach’s Park, Clones last weekend – Clare emerged victorious over Monaghan on a final score of 6-06 to 1-13 – but Buckley is in a positive mood ahead of their meeting with the Banner tomorrow.

“Clare are a good side and we are in a challenging group with Clare and Monaghan, but I feel that it will be a great contest. They are a good team and they did beat us in the league, but I feel like we’re up there now with the teams. We have potential now of winning against these teams and getting to where we actually want to get,” Buckley added.