SUNDAY afternoon will be a historic one for Donegal GAA referee Siobhan Coyle when she takes to the pitch for the TG4 All Ireland Senior Championship Final in Croke Park.
The Gaeil Fhánada club member has been handed one of the biggest appointments of her career and will do the line for the Senior final between Dublin and Mayo, throw-in 4pm.
It marks another major achievement for Siobhan (29) who first took up the referee’s whistle seven years ago.
Last year she took charge of the Donegal Senior Ladies final while she also refereed the Ulster Junior Club Championship final.
Back in July, she travelled to Buffalo, New York, to referee at the Continental Youth GAA Championship.
One of the leading officials in Donegal Ladies Gaelic Football, she also officiates in the Donegal men’s All County Football Leagues, while she is secretary of the Donegal Ladies Gaelic Football Association.
Speaking to the Donegal News this week, Siobhan said that she was looking forward to working alongside Kerry native Seamus Mulvihill who will take charge of his first TG4 Senior All Ireland Final.
“It will be my first game in Croke Park and it’s something that I’m really looking forward to. My ultimate goal would be to referee an All-Ireland final,” she said.
A teacher in Scoil Mhuire, Gleneely, Siobhan lives in Letterkenny but she continues to line out for the Gaeil Fhánada club.
“The club needed a referee and as I was involved already I decided to try it out. I found that I really enjoyed it. I’m lucky enough I suppose. I’ve also been playing with the club’s senior team these past two years,” she said.
Siobhan will travel to Dublin this evening, Friday, ahead of this years’ All-Ireland Club Seven-a-Side competitions which will take place tomorrow in St Sylvester’s GAA and Naomh Mearnóg GAA Clubs.
“That’s another first. It’s been a good year,” she said.