TERMON’S Geraldine McLaughlin has been named in the Bord Gáis Energy Ladies Football Division 1 Team of the League at a ceremony in Croke Park. This is the third year that Bord Gáis Energy have sponsored the Ladies Football National Leagues and these awards honour those players, across all four divisions, that delivered on a consistent basis for their counties over their respective league campaign.
In total 26 counties are represented in the 60 players selected and each player was presented with a specially commissioned kit to mark their achievement.
The selection process is led by team managers and referees who were asked to nominate players after each round of league matches – naturally enough managers are precluded from voting for their own players.
Speaking at the announcement Pat Quill, President of Ladies Gaelic Football said, “It is a great personal honour for the players to be selected. All counties have talented players and these awards may be the only opportunity that players from counties who do not reach the final stages of competitions get to be recognised.
“I thank the county managers and referees for their diligence in their nominations. These are also coveted awards by the managers in recognition of their team building skills. It has been a wonderful evening of interaction and friendships and I thank Bórd Gáis Energy for their foresight in honouring these talented members of our Association.”
Ger Cunningham, Sports Sponsorship Manager at Bord Gáis Energy, said, “I’d like to firstly congratulate all the players who have been recognised here tonight. The Teams of the League has become a set piece event in the Ladies Football calendar at this stage and I know the announcement is eagerly awaited once the finals are complete.
“Bord Gáis Energy’s sponsorship of ladies football is an association we are very proud of and we are delighted to be able to support you in developing the game and raising its profile with initiatives like this that recognise the dedication put into the organisation across the country.”
Cork, who secured an impressive fourth league title in a row this year, not surprisingly lead the way with five players selected on the Division 1 Team of the League, including their inspirational captain Amy O’Shea. League finalists Laois are well represented with three players, as are Kildare who managed to build on last year’s promotion from Division 2 with a very solid maiden campaign in the top flight.
The strength of Ladies Football in Ulster in also well represented with two players selected from Monaghan – the McAnespie twins – and one player each from Tyrone and Donegal in Cathy Donnelly and Geraldine McLaughlin.
Geraldine, who is a final year student at Loreto Convent Letterkenny and who celebrated her 18th birthday last Saturday night, has been a top performer for Termon teams for many years.
Deirdre Galligan Termon’s ladies chairperson when spoken after the award was announced in Crokepark stated that Geraldine was a fitting recipient for such a prestige award. She has been an inspiration to the younger Girls in the club. She has the ability to lead by example, and her heroics on the field of play for Termon team has been tremendous considering that she is just 18 years of age .
Christy Gillespie from Scoil Colmcille An Tearmainn who some would attributed to maturing Geraldine skills when spoken to after the award was announced stated that he was very proud to be associated with Geraldine Mc Laughlin. She was the perfect example of a very successful footballer because she in very talented and she puts in a huge effort to improve her game. Gillespie added she was a very good listener and a great team player when she played on several Scoil Colmcille teams. To sum her up ” Goals won games and Geraldine has the ability to score Goals at the highest level” .
Geraldine who was on the Termon senior ladies team that lifted the only adult Ulster GAA title that came Donegal’s way in 2010, has played on the Donegal All Ireland winning team in 2010. She also holds an All Ireland Ladies Gaeltachta title which Termon won in Belmullet Co Mayo in 2010
Bord Gáis Energy Division 1 Team of the League
1. Elaine Harte (Cork) 2. Aisling Quigley (Laois) 3. Gráinne Dunne (Laois) 4. Aoife McAnespie (Monaghan) 5. Briege Corkery (Cork) 6. Bríd Stack (Cork) 7. Aisling Holton (Kildare) 8. Joanne Timmons (Kildare) 9. Tracey Lawlor (Laois) 10. Cathy Donnelly (Tyrone) 11. Valerie Mulcahy (Cork) 12. Amy O’Shea (Cork) 13. Geraldine McLaughlin (Donegal) 14. Noelle Earley (Kildare) 15. Ciara McAnespie (Monaghan).
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