Seneschalstown Ladies - 20 Glorious Years

November 11, 2015

Seneschalstown celebrate their 2014 Meath SFC win at Ashbourne

Club beginnings: 
Following the success of the Meath Ladies Junior Team in winning the All Ireland Ladies Junior Football Championship in 1994, Dearbhla O' Carroll, one of the successful team members, began to stir up interest in her home parish once again and in March 1995 the first Annual General Meeting of Seneschalstown Ladies Football Club took place after a ten year lapse. There was great interest in the development of ladies football in the club at the time following the success of the Seneschalstown Men's team in winning the Meath SFC the previous year. Dearbhla recalls it was after this that conversations about starting a ladies club began and the idea to reform was well supported and encouraged by members of the men's club at the time. Dearbhla 'it started out as a bit of fun but as we go organised it got serious'. 

The ladies club had previously existed for three years from 1982-1985, initially participating in the local summer fun festivals and subsequently entering a team in the Meath Club championship in which there were approximately 8 clubs competing in at the time.  This team qualified for two Junior Finals but never managed to take the honours home to Yellow Furze. Unfortunately due to pressures of work, family commitments and travel towards the end of 1985, Seneschalstown were unable to keep the flag of ladies football flying in the parish and the team disbanded.  

In 1995 Dearbhla transferred from her original team of Dunsany to lead her home parish of Seneschalstown onto the pitch again in the blue & yellow jerseys. Only one of the original team of the 1980's, Geraldine Mulvany took to the field again. The Seneschalstown Ladies played their first game against Dunsany and went on to reach the final of the Division 3 league and were narrowly defeated by Drumbaragh. 

Honours: 
1 All-Ireland Senior Club Championship Runner-up 2003 ( v Donaghmore, Cork)
1 Leinster Senior Club Championship 2003 (v Shelmaliers, Wexford)
4 Leinster Senior Club Runners up (2000, 2006, 2009, 2013) 
13 Meath SFC (2000-2003, 2005-2009, 2011-2014)
1 Meath Junior Club Championship (1998)
11 Division 1 League Titles (1999-2003, 2005-2006, 2008, 2009, 2011-2012)
4 Feis Cup Championships (2007-2009, 2014)
1 U21 (1999)

All-Ireland Senior Club 7-a-side 
2010 Cup Winners v Emyvale (Monaghan)
2003 Shield Winners v Timahoe (Laois)
2006 Shield Winners v St. Brendans (Galway)
2007 Shield Winners v Donaghmoyne (Monaghan)

Numerous underage honours and a number of players received Meath Green star awards.

Fiona Mahon (aged 12 yrs) played in 1995 on the Junior team and is the only player that is still currently playing who played on the original '95 team

All Stars: 
Grainne Nulty received an All-star Award in 2006 & travelled to Dubai 
Mary Sheridan received a replacement All-Star in 2000
Louise McKeever was nominated for an All-Star in 2006 and 2007
Fiona Mahon received a replacement All-Star in 2011 and travelled to Canada

Notable Achievement
Only two players have played in each and every one of the thirteen Senior Club Championship Finals in which we were victorious.  The two players in question are Orla and Philomena Sheridan with Philomena playing in 2000 as a thirteen year old. 

2003 Path to All-Ireland Senior Club Final (managed by Damien Sheridan)
Meath SFC Final Seneschalstown 3-18 to St. Ultans 0-9
Leinster SFC Semi-Final Seneschalstown 5-10 - 1-07 Ballyboden, St Endas (Dublin)
Leinster SFC Final Seneschalstown 1-12 to Shelmaliers (Wexford) 2-04
Captain: Louise McKeever Player of Match: Fiona Mahon 
All-Ireland Senior Club Semi-final Seneschalstown 3-17- 2-04 Knockbride (Cavan)
All-Ireland Senior Club Final Seneschalstown 1-06- 2-16 Donaghmore (Cork) 

2011 Féile
Our U-14 team did the club proud at the Féile in what was the first ladies team ever to represent the Seneschalstown club in Féile. Well done to Val Gilsenan, Brian Williams and Gerry Clarke on leading those girls. 

Driving force of club:
There have been many faces behind the success story of Seneschalstown ladies and that have contributed in making this club as successful as it has been and hopefully continues to be with a huge juvenile section at present. Over the years there have been many players (too many to name) who have represented the county team at all levels, at one stage the Seneschalstown senior team had 11 of its starting 15 on the senior county panel. The club has gone from strength to strength since it was reformed back in 1995 and we have had 20 memorable years which we wish to remember & celebrate on 14th November 2015. 


Most Read Stories