Armagh vice-captain Lauren McConville is the latest GAA ladies footballer to jump ship and move 10,000 miles across the other side of the world to play Australian rules.
The Crossmaglen star (29), who is a niece of Armagh legend Oisin McConville, has signed for the Gold Coast Suns ahead of the start of the 2025 season which kicks off on August 30.
Her father Jim is also a former Armagh player and an All-Ireland club winner with Crossmaglen.
McConville’s signing will give the Suns a fab four of Irish talent alongside Niamh McLaughlin (Donegal), Clara Fitzpatrick (Down), and Cara McCrossan (Tyrone).
Suns Head of Women’s Football Fiona Sessarago said: “Lauren is a tenacious player who has competed at a high-level in Ireland and also has experience playing with the Sherrin in country Victoria.
“Given the recent success of players like Niamh, Clara and Cara with the Suns, we believe there is more untapped talent in Ireland and are excited to see what Lauren can produce in her first season with the club.
“She has elite speed and line-breaking capabilities and an ability to hit the scoreboard which we look forward to seeing at AFLW level this season.”
In other news Amy Boyle-Carr (23) has started pre-season training with the Adelaide Crows.
The Glenties woman signed a one-year rookie deal to play in the 2024 AFLW season as a replacement for Glenfin’s former Crows and Greater Western Sydney forward Yvonne Bonner who retired last year.
Boyle-Carr is now the third Donegal player on the books of an AFLW club alongside Niamh McLaughlin and Sydney Swans star Tanya Kennedy.
A three-time Ulster champion, Boyle-Carr was only 17 when she was selected to represent Ireland at soccer in a FIFA World Cup Qualifier against the Netherlands in 2018.
“I was definitely shocked when they called last October and even now it still feels a bit surreal,” Boyle-Carr said.
“Yvonne Bonner was also drafted from Donegal and we played together for a few years.
“When the Crows were looking at the vision of Yvonne, I appeared in a few of them, so that’s when it kind of happened and it took off from there.
“It’s just an amazing opportunity… especially being asked to come out by a team like the Crows who are so successful.”
Boyle-Carr was rookie listed before Christmas but only arrived in South Australia last week after completing her GAA season. On arrival she was stunned to see her new teammates welcoming her at Adelaide Airport.
“A few of them told me they were going to be there (at the airport) but I didn’t realise it was going to be like that, with the posters and everything like that,” Boyle-Carr said.
“It’s a reception that I was really lucky to get and even everyone from home has been messaging me saying ‘that’s such a good reception and you seem to be in safe hands’.
“I am looking forward to easing into things a bit more and getting used to the set-up and I’m just excited to get into training.”
Boyle-Carr could make her Crows debut in a practice match against Port Adelaide in Port Augusta on Sunday.
