Offaly star to play in FAI Cup Final
Having defeated College Corinthians of Cork in a thrilling semi-final on Sunday last, during which Grainne scored two of the five Longford goals, she now faces Dublin side, St Joseph’s, in the U-16 Final.
This is the second year in a row that 15-year old Grainne has lined out in the Finals of the U/16 National Cup. Last year she was a guest player with St Francis Club in Baldonnel who were narrowly defeated by Galway’s Colga FC in the Final at Terryland Park in Galway.
This year Grainne joined the Longford Town squad, under the management of Eoin Killackey, and mentor, Aisling Conway, and the team have had a glorious run of success on the path to the final, disposing of strong competition from Drumlin Youths (Monaghan), Greystones (Wicklow), Greencastle (Donegal) and College Corinthians (Cork).
She travels to Longford twice a week to train and spent last week coaching at the FAI Summer Soccer School in Leah Victoria Park where her brother and sister were taking part.
Grainne, who is daughter of Geraldine and Gerry Walsh, Muinagh, Clara Road, Tullamore started her soccer career with Tullamore Town FC and was the first female player to represent the Club at Gaynor Cup level. She also won Player of the Season during her time with Tullamore Town.
In recent years she has been playing with Killeigh FC, and was part of the squad who won both the League and the Cup at U-16 level for the past two years. She has also been a member of the FAI’s elite Emerging Talent Squads for the past three years, receiving intensive coaching at venues in Bunclody, UCD and Mullingar. She was also called up for Trials for the Ireland Inernational U-17 Panel last year.
Grainne is a student at Killina Secondary School, where she has just completed her Junior Cert, and she is eagerly looking forward to the U-16 Women’s Final on Sunday at 3pm in the Mullingar Athletic Club