Shamrock team that reached the weekend semi-finals of the famous Kilmacud 7s
A desire to keep football in the family led to the formation of a fledgling but increasingly successful women’s set-up at an age old Co Derry club.
Ballinderry Shamrocks will soon celebrate a century of men’s gaelic football while camogie has also been part of the club fabric for decades.
But while women’s football was only introduced in 2022, their young teams have hit the ground running.
Now entering their third year of competition the mostly underage Shamrocks sides number 120 girls playing across seven teams.
However titles have flowed like the Ballinderry River on its way to nearby Lough Neagh.
And it all began when founder and current ladies secretary Aine McCusker hung up her boots after a distinguished playing career with neighbouring Ardtrea to concentrate on raising a family.
Aine now has three girls – Aoibheann (7), Niamh (4) and Caoimhe (2).
“I wanted the girls to grow up playing football, as I did, and Ballinderry, being our own club, have created that opportunity,” Aine explains.
“Niamh is learning the game in the fundamentals, Aoibheann is in the under 8s and Caoimhe can’t wait to follow in her sisters’ footsteps.
“In fact, with camogie long established at the club, all the girls have an opportunity to play two sports and many do.”
Shamrocks field teams at under 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and minor (under 18).
Aine proudly relates: ” In our second year, the club won the Under 16 B title in Derry, then this year, our third year, so far we have won the Under 14 A Derry Championship and Under 15 All-Ireland Feile title and, at the weekend, reached the semi-finals of the Kilmacud 7s.
“Our under 16s are currently second in their league while our Minors have just started their season with a first round Derry championship win over Sean Dolans.”
The natural progression, as players move through the age groups in the next few years, will be the formation of a Senior team.
“We have a particularly strong group at under 14 and 16 level and we would hope they stay together to form the nucleus of a future senior team,” Aine anticipates.
“Obviously there is a drop out rate, for various reasons, in ladies football… university and career moves, starting families, for example, and we are a relatively small parish but, with a big community involvement, we have laid firm foundations in a short space of time that will allow us to continue to build for the future with confidence.”
Ballinderry teams (below)
