Meet Waterford’s Intermediate Ladies Football All-Ireland Panel

Aileen Wall at 21 is one of the most senior members of the panel. She was part of the panel that won the first of seven Munster Intermediate Finals in a row in 2009 but did not make her debut till the following year against Tipperary. Along with older sisters Linda and Mairead, the Ballymacarbry Club player who has won many honours within the game is going to be vital to Waterford this weekend.

Aoife Landers is another player in her very early 20’s who has wealth of experience. The Saint Patrick’s Club player joined the panel in 2012 and since then has won four Munster Intermediate medals. She made her debut in the year she joined the panel against Tipperary and was part of the side that played right corner back in that year’s All-Ireland Intermediate Final against Armagh.

Aoife Murray at 17 is one of a set of triplets in this year’s panel who are involved for the first year. The Comeragh Rangers player would have worked with manager Pat Sullivan a lot in the last few years at under 14 and 16 levels where she won honours and knowing what she did with these panels Pat Sullivan had no hesitation in bringing in Aoife into his panel this year after taking over the Intermediate team.

Caoimhe McGrath is one of the most exciting young prospects within the county who is involved in the panel for the second year. A member of the Abbeyside Club 18 year old Caoimhe has already achieved so much in the last few years playing Ladies Football and is a player that I look forward to seeing her a lot more in the years to come, possibly playing in the centre back position.

Ciara Kearney is one of a number of players involved in this year’s panel from the Ballyduff Upper Club who recently won the County Intermediate Final against a good Clashmore side.  She is the sub goalkeeper on this year’s panel playing reserve to fellow Ballyduff player Katie Hannon. Ciara has won two Munster Intermediate medals and will be looking to add an All-Ireland medal to that this weekend.

Elaine Power is the longest serving player on this year’s panel having made her debut against Laois in 1999. A member of the Tramore Club she is one of a number of players to play senior for Waterford and was part of the Waterford panel which lost the senior All-Ireland Final against Mayo in 2000 where she wore the number 20 shirt.

Emer Scanlon is a member of the Saint Patrick’s Club and is in her first year involved with the panel. She made her championship debut earlier this year in Waterford’s opening round win in the round robin series of games in the Munster Championship against Limerick. Emer is likely to start on Sunday as a sub but at 25 despite it been her first year involved with Waterford, if called upon she will offer the side plenty of experience.

Emma Murray is another of triplets to be involved this year with Waterford. Like her sisters, this is her first season involved at this level having come through from successful under 14 and 16 teams where she would have worked alongside Pat Sullivan. If All-Stars were awarded to players playing in the Intermediate and Junior grades the Comeragh Rangers player would almost be assured of one this year and even up against players in the senior grade she may not be far from winning one.

Gráinne Kenneally is another member of the Ballyduff Upper Club. At the age of 27 she is one of the most experienced players in the panel. She made her debut back in 2006 against Kerry. A player that will always give it her all be it on the Ladies Football or Camogie field, she is one of the bravest players you will find anywhere. She has six Munster Intermediate Medals. She missed the 2012 All-Ireland Final having picked up an injury in the run up to the game that saw her miss nearly 12 months of action, but it did not stop her literally playing every ball along the line against Armagh.

Hannah Landers at 20 is another of the vastly experienced players in this year’s panel and another member of the Ballyduff Upper Club. She joined the panel in 2012 and made her championship debut that year against Tipperary. Twelve months earlier she was part of the Waterford team that won a Minor ‘B’ All-Ireland. Highly thought of by many, Hannah could have a very bright future ahead of her in the game.

Karen McGrath is the younger sister of former team captain Michelle and just like her is a very experienced player. She made her debut for Waterford in the championship against Sligo in 2011 and has not looked back. In addition to winning Intermediate medals each year since she made her debut she has also won honours at minor level with Waterford and also had played for Munster in the Inter Provincials and has won many hours for her club Ballymacarbry.

Kate McGrath is another member of the panel who is involved in the panel this year and is one of its younger members. A member of the McGrath Dynasty from the Brickey Club, 16 year old Kate has a very bright future ahead of her. Like so many new members of the panel this year she has come off successful underage panels. She made her debut earlier this year in the championship against Limerick.

Katie Hannon is yet another member of the Waterford panel who comes from the Ballyduff Upper Club. This is her first year involved with Waterford in a number of years and has taken over the number one shirt despite never playing in goal in a ladies football match up to this year. However, she is no stranger to playing between the posts having played soccer there for a number of years while she was a student in Cork.

Katie Murray is the third of triplet sisters from the Comeragh Rangers Club that involved in this years panel. She has come through the Comeragh Rangers set up along with her sisters Aoife and Emma and was part of successful underage teams in the past few years. Just like her sisters you can expect to see and hear a lot more about her in the next few years.

Linda Wall is the captain of the side this year and is an honour that she richly reserves. A member of the Waterford panel since 2001 she made her championship debut that same year against Cork. She has won seven intermediate All-Irelands in recent years as well as two Munster Senior Medals and a National League medal. She also has minor medals won with Waterford and has played for Munster. She recently won her EIGHTEENTH County Senior Club medal in a row, which surly puts her in the record books.

Louise Ryan comes from a family that is steeped in football. Her father was manager of the Waterford senior team throughout the 90’s and Louise on more than occasion was one of the teams mascots. Her uncle Jim Wall was one of the finest footballers of his generation and one of Waterford’s all time greats while her mother Catherine was also a footballer of note. She’s been involved with Waterford since 2005 making her championship debut that year against Cork. She has won many honours at club and county level over the past few years.

Mairead Wall is one of the most under rated players in the country and another member of the Ballymacarbry Club. She is a sister to team captain Linda and Aileen she is a very versatile player who can play anywhere needed. She made her championship debut against Cork in 2005 and lined out at wing back against Armagh in Waterford’s last All-Ireland Final appearance at Croke Park. Last year she played in attack but is set to start this year in an all Ballymacarbry full back line.

Maria Delahunty is a player that has made a huge impression with Waterford this year playing on the 45 metre line. She made her Championship debut for Waterford in 2010 and won a Munster All-Ireland medal that year and was part of the side which lost the All-Ireland Final that same year against Donegal. She did not feature for Waterford again after this till this year where she has impressed. The Abbeyside club player has won for herself many admirers as a quality striker of the ball especially kicking from distance.

Mary Foley is another very experienced member of the panel. The Abbeyside player has been involved with Waterford since 2003 and made her debut that year against Cork. She is one of a number of players who have experience playing senior with Waterford and surely would love to get back playing again at this grade. She has won six Munster Final medals in the last seven years, missing out in 2012 when Waterford went on to contest the All-Ireland Final against Armagh.

Mary Kate Morrissey is another player in her first year playing with Waterford. A member of the Na Déise Club who have supplied some very good players for Waterford down the years at different levels, she recently was involved in the Junior ‘A’ County Final against Comeragh Rangers where she kicked some good scores but finished up on the loosing side. She made her championship earlier this year against Limerick.

Megan Dunford is another of the young players introduced this year for the first time by Pat Sullivan. She has quickly established herself as a regular starter in the team and in the league final earlier this year when Sligo were exerting pressure on the Waterford goal she remained calm and proved to be one of the best players on the field and must have pushed Sligo’s Katie Walsh all the way for the player of the game award. Expect to see and hear a lot more about this Abbeyside player in the coming years.

Michelle McGrath has served the team well over the past number of years since making her championship debut against Kerry back in 2002. She captained the side over the past few years and formed a very successful centre field partnership with Elaine Power. She has moved to full back this year and again has lead by example in that position. Like many before her coming from the Ballymacarbry club, she has won many honours within the game and must be looking to return playing senior for Waterford in the near future.

Michelle Ryan is another very experienced player from the Ballymacarbry Club. An older sister to Louise and Sinead, she has been involved with Waterford on the adult inter county scene since 2001 when she made her debut against Cork. No stranger to the Croke Park sod, she was a mascot to many of the successful senior sides in the 90’s. She has been used a lot this year as a sub but has offered so much to the side when introduced especially if the game is close. She hit 1-1 in the semi final win over Leitrim and would love to get her name on the score sheet again this weekend.

Nicola Fennell is from the Stradbally Club and is involved this year for the second year. She was first involved in 2013 and while she missed out last year she returned to the inter county set up this year. Like so many of the panel she has won Intermediate Munster Medals in each of the last number of years she is involved. She made her debut against Tipperary in 2013. Likely to start as a sub this weekend, if called upon during the game she wont let the side down.

Nora Dunphy is another hugely experienced player. She made her championship debut back in 2006 against Kerry and since then has won so much with Waterford and with her club Comeragh Rangers. When Waterford last visited Croke Park on Ladies Football All-Ireland Final day, Nora began in the number four shirt, but is likely to start on the bench this time around. She recently played a part in the county senior final with Comeragh Rangers and looked very sharp.

Shauna Dunphy is another of the young players introduced to this level of football in recent years. The Comeragh Rangers players made her Championship debut in 2013 against Limerick. She has also been part of successful college’s sides and is a player that could cause most sides a lot of damage. Shauna is a player that I for one am expecting to make a big impact in the next few years.

Sinead Ryan has come into the panel this year after missing a number of years recently. The youngest of the Ryan sisters, she has made a huge impact this year playing on the edge of the oppositions square. Aged 24, the Ballymacarbry player made her championship debut ten years ago against Cork on the same day as her sister Louise. She has won Munster medals at this age group in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and again this year. She has clocked up some impressive totals this year and if she gets the right ball this Sunday expect her to cause Kildare a lot of heartache.