IRELAND MAY NOT have qualified for this year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup, but the country will be represented by referee Michelle O’Neill at the finals in Canada.
Wexford native O’Neill, who officiates in the Women’s National League (WNL) and the SSE Airtricity League, has been named as one of 44 assistant referees for the tournament — which takes place between 6 June and 5 July.
She becomes only the second Irish referee to be picked for a World Cup finals after Eddie Foley at France ’98.
“I’m absolutely delighted to have been invited to officiate at the FIFA Women’s World Cup. It’s such an honour to be appointment for such a prestigious event,” said O’Neill.
“I can’t say I’m surprised to have made it but I went out to every event I was asked to go to by FIFA and did my best. I tried to give them nothing for them to possibly not pick me. I tried to be as professional as possible.
It was a great feeling when I received an email on Friday confirming that I was on the panel.
“I’ll be looking now to keep myself as fit as I can be, stay as sharp as possible in terms of speed work and being mentally prepared. I’ll continue doing the offside analysis and training as hard as I can. I want to stay at the top of my game.”
What are ya’s on about who’s paying who ? It’s no advertorial ! Am I the only one surprised and delighted them girls are getting a kit deal worth €60,000 ? I remember in my own county the great Wexford camogie team of the time having to scrimp and save to get a bloody holiday, even though they won an All Ireland, went so far that they done bag packing in Dunnes FFS ! Imagine the men doing that !!! Ladies sport, OK, it’s debatable that it’s not as entertaining as the men’s game but they don’t deserve to be treated as second class citizens ! Fair play girls, f@€( the begrudgers.
Is a yas anything like a yak?
Stay off the internet when you’re drunk like a good lad.
Kieran.. Maybe you should sponsor the Wexford team if you feel so strongly about it..
Maybe I did Marc.
I reckon this piece should be marked as an advertorial for McKeever Sports/thegaastore.com
Fair play to them. Sporting legends and really need to be recognised so…
Yeah Arthur absolute legends known throughout the country
Is that the old style crest? How come the men aren’t allowed use that?
can’t vouch for the ladies team continues with the old crest but I’m fairly sure the men’s team brought out the new crest which was in turn copyrighted by the county board. whatever way you look at it there was money involved.
The crest used here is the coat of arms of Cork City. The Cork GAA teams (i.e. the mens) came up with a new crest a few years back. I assume that because the Ladies Gaelic Football Association is (bizarrely) not a part of the GAA they can’t use it…
Ya Donncha, I know in Tipp and other counties it was a trademark issue and county boards came up with their own makey upey ones and I’d imagine it was money related indeed. Which begs the question are county boards now run like companies just like pro clubs?
Is it just me or does the adidas gear look crap when you know it’s sort of fake
Fake?
@lad I’m pretty sure no one working for adidas apart from the factory workers in Pakistan know about the gear still a great deal though
Bet Anna Geary will be looking savage in it oh & Aisling Thompson too, sexy ladies
@coco expect Ann Geary has retired from inter county playing now..
Free kit for the next three years…..a saving for the cork county board. If its a print (white on the inside) its shit just like the o’neills ones
Yeah the county jerseys are the same price as soccer ones but the county jerseys are poorer quality
Who is paying who for this article
About time the girls got something, they always play better & win more then the guys do.. Cork GAA hasn’t won hurling since 2005 & Football since 2010, shame on them…
Sixty grand wow it must be a really popular game
Jesus that’s ugly.