Women in Sport- March Update

March really showcased the talents of our younger athletes, with several schools’ cups and final days taking place this month. With such a diverse array of sporting events happening, it can sometimes be challenging to fully celebrate our emerging athletes. Nevertheless, here are some notable highlights!

The U17 netball team won the Challenge section title at the European Under 17 championships in Gibraltar. Despite being regulated to the challenge section last year, being able to play other challenge teams, it was great way to focus on skill development and emerge victorious during a winning weekend in Gibraltar.

The Female Sports Forum had the opportunity to watch the Danske Bank Rugby girls’ schools cup, where Assumption Grammar School played against Enniskillen Royal Grammar School. Last year’s champions, Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, triumphed with a score of 49-05. However, it was exciting to see Assumption Grammar School, in their inaugural year of the program, demonstrate commitment to playing hard no matter what the score was even amidst adverse weather conditions.

Squash experienced a successful month, with Lisburn’s Hannah Craig, the Irish number 1, competing against her international teammate and reigning champion, Breanne Flynn, in the Irish National final. Craig, who has recently been playing on the pro tour and currently holds the 94th position internationally, along with Emma Lundy and Hannah McGugan, was selected to represent Team Ireland at the European Championship. Additionally, Ulster’s junior players, Lydia McQuillan (U19) and Shriya Drawid (U17), both secured second place in the Irish Junior Nationals. The future looks promising for women in the sport, with five Ulster players ranking in the top 10 in the Irish Senior rankings, and many newcomers joining through women’s events.

The NI Volleyball team won the St. Patrick’s Day Challenge, securing three out of five game wins with an exciting tournament hosted by Volleyball Ireland. It was particularly delightful to see the team claim victory at the challenge after a previous year without success.

As the seasons for Ladies Gaelic and Camogie near their end, several Ulster teams have advanced to the finals in their divisions. In Division 1, Armagh will face Kerry, while Kildare will play against Tyrone in Division 2. Recent matches saw Tyrone emerging victorious against Cavan in D2 (1-10:1-5), Down defeating Clare in D3 (0-11: 1-5), and Antrim losing to Roscommon in D3 (1-14: 4-6). Unfortunately, Fermanagh suffered a loss and lost out on being in the promotion match to move to Division 3. Armagh and Tyrone are set to contest their finals on April 6th.

Camogie is also nearing the end of the season, with several teams showing strong performances. The Minor Championships will kick off first on Sunday, April 7th. This weekend will see round 5 matches, including Dublin versus Antrim (Div 1B), Kerry against Down (Div 1B), and Westmeath versus Derry (Div 2A). Let’s show our support for our female athletes across all levels of sport!

This weekend, the World Cross Country Championships will be held in Belgrade, with all the action broadcast live on Virgin Media 2 from 9:50 am. Northern Irish runner Anna Gardiner (East Down AC) will compete in the U20 6000m race. Gardiner showcased her skills by winning the senior girls’ title at the 123.ie All-Ireland Schools Cross Country Championships earlier this month, and she aims to build on that success and her top-ten finish at the European Cross Country Championships last year.

March has been a bustling month for the Female Sports Forum, from speaking engagements at Stormont for International Women’s Day to attending NGB events, awards ceremonies, and hosting workshops. It has been rewarding to actively see what various programs and initiatives are getting up to throughout the community.