LIDL and the LGFA - an unstoppable force
TWENTY-EIGHTEEN is set to be a landmark year for both the LGFA and the GAA, as the two major Gaelic Games bodies join forces for a historic series of double headers.
For the first time ever, we saw the Mayo Ladies appear on a double bill with the Men’s side. They played Connacht Ladies Gaelic Football rivals, Galway Ladies Football, on the 11th of February at Pearse Stadium, Salthill, in the Lidl Ireland National League Division 1. Victory went to Mayo with 2-7 against Galway’s 1-7.
Speaking to balls.ie prior to her move to Australia to commence a professional AFLW career, Mayo Superstar, Cora Staunton, expressed a desire to see more double-headers in the sport:
‘’It's the only way people are going to see ladies football and enjoy it. They’ll see it on All Ireland final day, it was great to have the attendance there, but you want regular attendances. You don’t want just one big event per year of 47,000, you want them at league matches. Mayo men would have between 15000-20000 in Castlebar. Even if only 500 watched the ladies, eventually more and more would come out to watch it,’’ she said.
She called it!
The move is set to have a really positive impact for both the LGFA and the GAA.
More exposure for the Ladies Footballers will potentially lead to more young girls wanting to get involved with their local clubs, which will only strengthen the future aspirations of the sport in Ireland.
A total of seven Lidl NFL ties are being contested as curtain-raisers ahead of matches involving the men’s teams from the host counties this season. It kicked off on Saturday 10th February and there’s 3 more matches to go:
(The Men’s matches are in bold)
Saturday February 24 – Lidl NFL Division 1 – Mayo v Dublin (5.0), Elverys MacHale Park, Castlebar (Mayo v Dublin)
Saturday March 3 – Lidl NFL Division 1 – Dublin v Kerry (5.0), Croke Park (Dublin v Kerry)
Saturday March 3 – Lidl NFL Division 2 – Tyrone v Cavan (5.15), Healy Park, Omagh (Tyrone v Donegal)
