TG4 have announced that the station will broadcast weekly matches and highlights from the Australian Football League Women’s (AFLW) season.
A record thirty-three Irish players will take the field this season with sixteen Irish Counties represented.
Mayo lead the pack with six players with Tipperary a close second with five – while Laois have one.
Park-Ratheniska’s Erone Fitzpatrick made the move to Carlton in the summer and her debut arrived on Saturday.
Her side got off to a winning start too – edging out Gold Coast Sons on a score of 34-32.
The AFLW Competition began at the weekend with eighteen teams battling it out to see who will reach the Grand Final on December 2.
TG4 will broadcast two matches deferred each weekend as well as weekly highlights as part of GAA 2023 on Monday evenings at 8pm.
TG4’s Head of Sport Rónán Ó Coisdealbha said: “The growth of the AFLW has been phenomenal and we are excited to be bringing the best action from Australia to viewers in Ireland each week.
“With so many players from Ireland competing in the competition it is a great opportunity to showcase this growing sport to a free-to-air audience on TG4.”
IRISH PLAYERS
- Niamh Kelly (Adelaide Crows / Mayo)
- Dayna Finn (Carlton / Mayo)
- Sarah Rowe (Collingwood / Mayo)
- Rachel Kearns (Geelong Cats / Mayo)
- Aileen Gilroy (Hawthorn / Mayo)
- Grace Kelly (St Kilda / Mayo)
- Orla O’Dywer (Brisbane Lions / Tipperary)
- Aishling Moloney (Geelong Cats / Tipperary)
- Anna Rose Kennedy (Geelong Cats / Tipperary)
- Niamh Martin (North Melbourne Kangaroos / Tipperary)
- Aisling McCarthy (West Coast Eagles / Tipperary)
- Amy Mulholland (Fremantle / Armagh)
- Bláithín Mackin (Melbourne Demons / Armagh)
- Aimee Mackin (Melbourne Demons / Armagh)
- Yvonne Bonner (Adelaide Crows / Donegal)
- Niamh McLaughlin (Gold Coast Suns / Donegal)
- Tanya Kennedy (Sydney Swans / Donegal)
- Jennifer Dunne (Brisbane Lions / Dublin)
- Sinéad Goldrick (Melbourne Demons / Dublin)
- Paris McCarthy (Sydney Swans / Kerry)
- Julie O’Sullivan (Sydney Swans / Kerry)
- Joanne Cregg (Fremantle / Roscommon)
- Jennifer Higgins (Sydney Swans / Roscommon)
- Aishling Sheridan (Collingwood / Cavan)
- Ailish Considine (North Melbourne Kangaroos / Clare)
- Erika O’Shea (North Melbourne Kangaroos / Cork)
- Clara Fitzpatrick (Gold Coast Suns / Down)
- Joanne Doonan (Essendon / Fermanagh)
- Áine McDonagh (Hawthorn / Galway)
- Erone Fitzpatrick (Carlton / Laois)
- Áine Tighe (Fremantle / Leitrim)
- Orlagh Lally (Fremantle / Meath)
- Cara McCrossan (Gold Coast Suns / Tyrone)
Dates for AFL Women’s Season:
Round 1 – Weekend of 1 / 2 / 3 September
Round 2 – Weekend of 8 / 9 / 10 September
Round 3 – Weekend of 15 / 16 / 17 September
Round 4 – Weekend of 22 / 23 / 24 September
Round 5 – Weekend of 29 / 30 / 31 September
Round 6 – Weekend of 6 / 7 / 8 October
Round 7 – Weekend of 13 / 14 / 15 October
Round 8 – Weekend of 20 / 21 / 22 October
Round 9 – Weekend of 27 / 28 / 29 October
Finals series / Elimination finals – November
Grand Final – Saturday 2 December
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