There was Donegal delight Down Under this morning as the Irish Banshees defeated Canada Northern Lights to win the AFL International Cup’s Grand Final in Melbourne.
Irish Banshees 4-1 (25) Canada Northern Lights 3-3 (21)
The Banshees came from behind to win by four points in a final played at the 53,000-capacity Etihad Stadium.
Gweedore woman Aisling Gillespie scored one of the Donegal goals in the famous win as Ireland avenged a 38-12 final defeat from the 2014 version.
Gillespie was joined on the Irish Banshees panel by fellow Gweedore women Rachel McGee, Roisin McFadden, Carolann Cassidy and Fiona Roarty.
Letterkenny woman Leona Russell, who showed immense courage to play on last week after requiring surgery on a dislocated finger, was the other Donegal native on the Banshees squad, which also included former LyIT student Aine Higgins.
The six Irish Banshees players from Donegal in Melbourne.
The Banshees were trailing by eight points, 20-12, at half-time, but were within three at the end of the third quarter (21-18).
Canada were kept scoreless in the final quarter as Ireland claimed the narrow win after edging ahead midway through the final period.
In their semi-final, the Banshees had beaten the Great Britain Swans 23-15 to fire them into a meeting with Cup holders Canada.
The Banshees defeated USA Freedom, European Crusaders and Papua New Guinea to reach the semi-final.
Tags: