THE ANNUAL presentation of national and provincial medals to the various county ladies' football teams was held in Taghmon Community Centre on Saturday night last.

The recipients were the Under-12 Leinster blitz winners of two divisions, the Under-14 national blitz winners, the Milnor Leinster championship runners-up and the Leinster Intermediate championship runners-up teams.

The special guests were the national President, Pat Quill, and his wife, Liz. County Chairman, Michael Whelan, welcomed everybody and introduced the national President who start6ed the presentations to the Leinster Under-12 'A' blitz winners.

The manager, Jonathan O'Hanlon, introduced the players as follows: Aoife Levingston (Naomh Éanna), Mary Carroll (St. Martin's), Nóirín McMahon (St. James'), Noeleen Shanahan (Crossabeg-Ballymurn), Kathryn Whelan (Fethard), Bronwyn Murphy (Volunteers), Jasmine McGowan (Naomh Éanna), Niamh Donnelly (Kilanerin), Hazel Murphy (Horeswood), Chloe Troy (Kilmore), Gemma Fox (Shelmalier), Hayley Roche (Clonard), Ciara McKelvie (Ballyhogue), Annie Stafford (Ballyhogue), Ciara Nolan (Fethard), Amy Dee (Taghmon-Camross), Cora Cullen (Fethard), Tara Doyle (Ballygarrett-Réalt na Mara), Kelda Cullen (St. Anne's), Lorna Cushe (Naomh Éanna), Fiona Rowe (Fethard), Pamela Fitzharris (BannowBallymitty), Aoife Birney (Shelmalier), Jessica Hore (Clonard). Manager was Jonathan O'Hanlon, with the selectors being Patricia Nolan, Thomas Whelan, Brenda Fox and George Dee.

The manager, John Power, introduced the Leinster Under-12 'B' blitz winners: Tara Corrigan (Blackwater), Trudy Downey (Volunteers), Ellie Sheehan (Gusserane), Amy Butler (Clongeen) Kate McGuinness (Blackwater), Rebecca Foley (Clonard), Lisa O'Brien (Crossabeg-Ballymurn), Leanne Corrigan (Shelmalier), Ellie O'Connor (Kilmore), Kate Kelly (Blackwater), Jessica Foote (Kilanerin), Michelle Ryan (Gusserane), Amy Banville (Crossabeg-Ballymurn), Eimear Doherty (St. Martin's), Megan Power (Crossabeg-Ballymurn), Freya Ines (Volunteers), Chloe Hayes (Clonard), Jamie Beary (Clonard), Elaine Murphy (Taghmon-Camross), Aoibhean Doyle (Naomh Éanna), Laura Bruen (Volunteers), Eilish Cullen (Bannow-Ballymitty), Chloe Foxe (Clongeen), Emily Kenny, Niamh Mernagh (Horeswood), Ciara Ryan (Gusserane), Sinéad Ryan (Horeswood). Manager was John Power, with the selectors being Karen Scallan, Marie Corrigan and Pat Bruen.

Next up were the Under-14s who were the only national winners in the county this year, taking the All-Ireland blitz in Mullingar. They were introduced by manager, Peter Bennett, with the panel featuring: Katie Lawlor (Kilmnore), Claire O'Rourke (Clonee), Róisín Fitzgerald (Clonee), Ciara Corrigan (Shelmalier), Nicole Kelly (Kilmore), Laura Ross (St. Fintan's), Niamh O'Gorman (Taghmon-Camross), Niamh Butler (Volunteers), Mary Cummins (Horeswood), Ellen O'Brien (Adamstown), Ailish Cullen (Crossabeg-Ballymuran), Katie White (Adamstown), Aisling Cronin (St. Martin's), Fiona Bennett (St. Anne's), Catríona Power (Kilmore), Muireann Byrne (St. Martin's), Rebecca Stafford (St. Anne's), Gillian Kavanagh (Clonee), Aoife Ryan (Gusserane), Charlene Hayden (Clonee). Manager was Peter Bennett, with the selectors being Andrea Fitzgerald, Patricia Nolan, Aoife Newe and Nicky White.

The Minors were next to be presented with their Leinster championship runners-up medals and they were introduced by their manager, Peter Hayden: Caroline Curran (Shelmalier), Bríd Breen (Horeswood), Amy Ryan (St. Martin's), Emma Doyle (Naomh Éanna), Orla Donohoe (HWH-Bunclody), Tara Whitty (Taghmon-Camross), Bebhinn Kehoe (Gusserane), Róisín Murphy (Ballygarrett), Maebh Kehoe (St. James'), Miriam Smith (Clonee), Sandra Lawlor (Ballygarrett), Aoife Tormey (Clonard), Sonja Murphy (St. James'), Georgina Hearn (Horeswood), Katie Redmond (Crossabeg-Ballymurn), Katie Sludds (Crossabeg-Ballymurn), Catríona Graham (Ballygarrett), Ciara Byrne (Clonard), Donna Byrne (Marshalstown), Ellen Kelly (Marshalstown), Aoife Dunne (Taghmon-Camross), Aoife Fitzpatrick (Kilmore), Bríd Kehoe (St. James'), Niamh Quirke (Crossabeg-Ballymurn), Siobhán Cummins (Crossabeg-Ballymurn), Ka]ren Tomkins (Ballygarrett), Grace Cardiff (Kilmore), Mairéad Waters (St. Martin's). The captain, Caroline Curran, made a presentation to the manager, Peter Hayden, and the selectors, Geraldine Lawlor, Watty Long and Darren Egan.

Now it was the turn of the Intermediate team to collect their Lenister runners-up medals. They were introduced by the County Chairman, Michael Whelan: Mary Rose Kelly (St. Fintan's), Ciara Cosgrave (Ballygarrett), Julie Kelly (St. Fintan's), Ceara O'Brian (Shelmalier), Aoife Waters (St. Martin's), Leona Tector (Shelmalier), Mary O'Neill (Clonee), Fiona Rochford (St. Anne's), Deirdre Fox (Shelmalier), Anne Cooper (Adamstown), Claire Finn (HWH-Bunclody), Laura Corrigen (Shelmalier), Sharon Kehoe (Kilmore), Diane Kelly (Adamstown), Sandra Thorpe (Adamstown), Sinéad Whelan (Clongeen), Fiona Cullen (Shelmalier), Lisa Goff (Kilmore), Lisa Quill (Sheilmalier), Jane Mythen (Starllights), Eimear O'Brien (St. Martin's), Marcella Cullen (GOH), Emma Hore (Kilmore), Amy Ryan (St. Martin's), Sinéad McCarthy (GOH), Naomi Fogarty (Kilmore), Shelly Doyle (Shelmalier), Tara Moloney (Shelmalier), Linda Casey (Clongeen). The manager was Jim McGovern, with Marie Thorpe and John Hassett as selectors, while Jim Walsh was trainer/physio and Breda Casey was team Secretary.

In his address to the large gathering, Pat Quill thanked the County Board for their promotion and effort in keeping ladies' football healthy in the county. He thanked the local media for their coverage over the years.

He praised the parents for bringing their girls to training sessions and games. He praised the clubs sending girls to county training.

It was an honour to be picked to play for their county, and they should wear the colours with pride, as their playing career was a short one and they should enjoy playing and have fun for as long as possible.

Players from friendships with teammates, and it gives them confidence to work as a team. He also said that dual players should be able to play both football and camogie without pressure from either set of mentors.

He also mentioned that in the current climate some players are forced to emigrate, so if they do they should get in touch with someone who could get them involved with clubs abroad, as football is played all over the world now.

In conclusion, he congratulated St. James' on a fabulous year in reaching the All-Ireland Club semi-final.