World Footy News

With the 2017 AFL International Cup just over a year away the Irish Banshees team might want to sound out Sinead Omahony when they put together their squad. 

Omahony is a rising star in the VFL women's competition with Melbourne University.  The following story by Callum O'Connor featured on The Footy Almanac this week - the original story can be read here.

November, new country.

January, new sport.

April, debut in the state’s highest competition of said sport. During its most revolutionary stage.

It’s been an interesting nine months for Melbourne Uni’s Irish recruit Sinead Omahony.

Last year, Omahony was living in Dublin when her partner Jamie Hagan was offered a two-year contract at the Melbourne Rebels, making him just the second fully capped Irish international to play Super Rugby. Omahony made the leap to join him – the move, she says, made her “a little bit heartbroken” – and left behind not just friends and family but a very impressive Gaelic football record. She first played at the age of five and has been in representative sides since she was 12.

“I was pretty devastated to have to leave but the decision was there,” she recalls. “And Jamie was just amazing, he’s been very supportive of my sport over the years and it was an amazing opportunity for him.”

In a stroke of luck, Hagan passed on a Rebels’ physio’s recommendation that she try out in the VFL Talent Search. Omahony caught the eye of Mugar forward Louise Stephenson, who invited her to come train at their Arden St base.

“Lou brought me to the club,” says Omahony. “She was just amazing to me.”

It didn’t take long for Omahony to realise what a serious operation she had gotten herself into. In her first session, coach Andrew Jago screened the Mugars’ 2015 one-point preliminary final loss to Diamond Creek....read the rest of the story here.