Good news given to Aisling in Taipei

WEXFORD YOUTHS midfielder Aisling Frawley has been named the Continental Tyres Women’s National League player of the month for July. The 20-year old is currently in Taipei with the Team Ireland squad at the World University Games, and she was told the good news ahead of their first game against Mexico on Friday.

Frawley was instrumental in Youths’ solid form throughout the month where they claimed wins over UCD Waves, Cork City WFC and Kilkenny United, and picked up a valuable point at Peamount United in a 2-2 draw.

Frawley scored a fantastic goal against the Peas and, speaking out in Taipei, she was delighted to get the award.

‘It’s a great honour to be named the Continental Tyres Women’s National League player of the month, I’m absolutely delighted.

‘I think it shows how well the team have done during the month of July and the great season we’re currently having. It’s great to be top of the league but we’ve got to keep going now as we get into the business end of it.

‘We’re going to be playing a lot of the top teams from now until the end of the season so it is going to be tough but we’ve played really well against the top teams so far this season, which showed in the win over UCD Waves.’

Frawley is one of four Wexford Youths players in the World University Games squad along with Claire O’Riordan, Aoibhin Webb and Rianna Jarrett, with the latter called up as a late replacement one day before the squad departed.

‘”It’s been a great experience so far and I’m really enjoying it. It’s a great group of players with plenty of experience and we can be confident,’ Frawley said.

‘It’s also great to have the women’s national team manager Colin Bell here with us so we get to work with him and he gets to see us which is great exposure for the group.

‘I’m really looking forward to the first game and it’s great to represent your country. It was great to win the award and it’s given me a real lift being told out here as well.’

That first game against Mexico in Hsinchu County on Friday resulted in a scoreless draw, with Frawley coming on in the 55th minute while Claire O’Riordan featured from start to finish.

Ireland lost to Canada 1-0 on Sunday to make their bid to qualify for the quarter-finals that bit harder, although the Wexford players will undoubtedly benefit from this experience when they return.