Following in the footsteps of a true giant
Alannah shining for Ireland
‘It was great to get on the scoresheet in all three games.
‘Scoring a goal for Ireland is THE Republic of Ireland U-19 an unbelievable feeling but in Women’s team qualified for the my opinion it’s not all about who elite phase of the UEFA U-19 scores the goals, it’s about the Championships with a 100 per team performance and getting the cent record last week fuelled by win of course’. the goals of Alannah McEvoy. McEvoy - formerly of Wolfe Tone
Bray girl McEvoy, 17, scored a and Enniskerry - currently plays goal in each of their qualifiers last here club football with Shelbourne week as the young Girls in Green in the WNL and she hopes that if overcame Ukraine, Faroe Islands she can continue to find the net at and Lithuania. club and country, it could help her
The Loreto Bray leaving cert progress to the international stage student is the granddaughter of - just like her granddad. legendary goalscorer Andy McE‘I signed for Shelbourne Ladies voy and she loved every second in August in 2017 and made my of the recent internationals - espeChampions League debut at 16. I cially scoring three goals. am playing with the seniors and we
‘The last two weeks in camp has are currently second in the league been another incredible experiwith three games to go. ence as we came first in our group ‘We are also in the semi-final with three wins against Lithuania, of the FAI Cup against Peamount Faroe Islands and Ukraine. United on October 17.
‘We scored 13 goals and con‘My hopes for the next few ceded none. seasons are to keep working hard, to get good game time and to hopefully move on to bigger things and make the Irish Senior Women’s squad some day.
‘It is a real honour to be representing my country like my granddad did and I believe that he is looking down on me game after game. My family are very proud of me and I know that he is too’.
At just 17, McEvoy has many years to hone her skills and sharpen her eye for goal but one aspect of her game that she needs to alter is her James McClean-like workrate as going full throttle may not always be the best policy.
‘My strengths as a player are my speed, composure, stamina and my reading of the game. I am a very hard-working player but I need to learn to not overdo it when pressing players and stand off more instead of making runs that don’t need to be made’.
Alannah McEvoy - remember the name! THE Wicklow Senior hurlers will face the long spin to Donegal for their opening Christ Ring Cup clash of 2019 as they look go a step further than this season and reach the final.
Wicklow, currently without a manager after the resignation of Seamus Murphy, were drawn in Group 1 along with Donegal, Down and Derry and will know that no easy game awaits in their group after being put to the sword by the Down men in Ballycran in the group stages this year.
It won’t be a return to Ballycran in 2019, however, as Wicklow will welcome Down to Joule Park Aughrim or Pearse’s Park, Arklow, for their second group game.