Gaeil Leitir Ceanainn launched their annual U14 girls football competition, the Fiona Doherty Memorial Cup, at their clubhouse at Pairc na nGael last Wednesday night.
Coaches and players from the participating clubs Termon, Convoy and Glenfin attended the launch of the annual inter-club U14 Girls football memorial cup. Fiona’s mother Margaret Gallagher and her sister Leoine Gallagher were also in attendance.
Fiona Doherty was a valued member of CLG Ghaeil Leitir Ceanainn and played for the club’s senior ladies’ team before she lost her life tragically in 2016. Gaeil Leitir Ceanainn have hosted the memorial cup in her memory since 2019. The tournament, which has been a great success over the last five years, has been supported by Fiona’s husband Ciaran Doherty and the Gallagher family. Previous winners include Sean MacCumhaills, Termon and Cloughaneely.
In 2024, the cup will be run in an expanded format to include group and play-off stages. Joining the host club, the three invited clubs involved this year will be Termon, Convoy and Glenfin. The first games will take place on Saturday 20th April. Over the succeeding five weeks each team will play three round robin group games hosted at the participating club grounds. This group stage will be followed by two semi-finals and a finals day played at Pairc na nGael on the weekend of 25th/26th of May.
At the launch, chairperson of the Ladies Board Michael O’Connor, who started the cup back in 2019, spoke fondly of Fiona Doherty and her involvement in the senior ladies’ team as a player and also as a valued member of the first Ladies Football sub-committee. Fiona’s sister Leoine Gallagher thanked the club for continuing to host the competition in Fiona’s memory and said that the family were very appreciative. Particularly, now that Fiona’s daughters were playing football for the underage girls’ teams.
Club chairperson Danny Cahill thanked the coaches and players from the three participating clubs and wished the teams well in the competition. He also thanked the Gallagher and Doherty families for their continued support.
Cup coordinator Brian Sweeney conducted the draw which produced two very tasty opening games with Gaeil Leitir Ceanainn hosting Termon at Pairc na nGael and Convoy hosting Glenfin at St Mary’s on the opening day on Saturday 20th April 2024.
In attendance on the night from the four clubs were Clara and Amy Carroll (Glenfin), Barry and Niamh Moore (Convoy), Niamh Friel, Stephen Sweeney and Beth Sweeney (Termon) and Annmarie and Ciara Patton (Gaeil Leitir Ceanainn). Danny Cahill (Club Chairperson), Michael O’Connor (Ladies Board Chairperson), Laura Walker (Ladies Board Chairperson) Paul Cullen (Girls Football Coach) and Brian Sweeney (Girls Football Coach) were also in attendance. Margaret and Leoine Gallagher were in attendance representing the Gallagher and Doherty families.
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