Ladies Gaelic Football

ladiesgaelic.ie // 21 INTERMEDIATE PLAYER'S PLAYER OF THE YEAR PEIL Winter | Issue No 4 | Volume 14 By DECLAN ROONEY t would be some achievement for Neamh Woods and Tyrone to finish 2019 as successfully as 2018, as the TG4 Intermediate Player of the Year and two-time All- Star sets her sights on a return to senior football. Three years in the second tier following their voluntary regrading, Woods knew it was time for the county to return to senior football, and following their TG4 All-Ireland intermediate final win over Meath, they're back in the big time. Woods scored goals in each half of a convincing Tyrone performance at Croke Park and she finished the game by lifting the Mary Quinn Memorial Cup aloft. Now, all focus turns to cementing their place in the senior championship grade. "We've been intermediate for a few years but there are a few of us on the panel that have played senior football. We're just delighted to be back there and competing at the top grade again," said Woods. "But for us, we have a lot of younger members of the panel which is great for the future. We are under no illusions that it will be extremely tough, it is a massive challenge that lies ahead but it's one we are looking forward to. "We've added to the panel. At the minute it's around 46 or 47, and over the winter that will be trimmed back to a selection of 30 players ahead of the Lidl National League." A talented footballer, Woods also represents Northern Ireland at netball, and as a PE teacher in St Ciaran's in Ballygawley, there is no escaping sporting commitments. But the Drumragh Sarsfields clubwoman is happy to maintain an active life, and she hopes their All-Ireland win can have a positive effect on the county's sporting stars of the future. "We enjoyed the days after the All Ireland. They was plenty of hype in Tyrone after it, in the schools and clubs so it really has been a massive boost for Tyrone Ladies. Return to Senior Football is the Biggest Reward of 2019 for Tyrone Captain "It's great for ourselves as players, but the promotion of the game within the county has been great, it's great to see the young people enjoying it. "In the lead up to the All-Ireland we had a special assembly for the former pupils of the school on the team and we did the same after the game too. It's great for the younger members of our school to be able to see the success of the pupils that went before them." The Lidl National League Division 2 campaign was a something of a mixed bag for Tyrone in 2018, where they experienced some good wins and morale-sapping defeats, but a convincing run through the Ulster championship saw their season gain momentum. First up in 2019 is a tilt at promotion to Division 1 in the Lidl National League, with Woods and Tyrone eager to avoid standing still. "We're still in Division 2 of the National League, but it's a very competitive competition. We've missed out on semi-final spots in the last two years but we want to go one step better this year. That's our first target and we'll see where it goes after that for the year ahead." After lifting the intermediate title for Tyrone in September, the year ended with plenty more silverware in the Woods household, and she admits she was thrilled to win the TG4 Intermediate Players' Player of the year award, along with that second All Star. "It was a lovely way to finish the year. Individual awards are great but at the same time it is completely a reflection of how successful Tyrone Ladies were this year. "I'm just delighted collectively that we are returning to senior football. That's what we wanted to achieve in the last few years so to finish off with the individual awards is the icing on the cake." "We've been intermediate for a few years but there are a few of us on the panel that have played senior football. We're just delighted to be back there and competition at the top grade again."

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