Lisgoold ladies footballers get a Lidl bit of help to improve mental health

LIDL’s ‘One Good Club’ is proving a hugely significant initiative within East Cork LGFA club Lisgoold which is benefitting on and off the pitch.

In association with the LGFA and Jigsaw – the National Centre for Youth Mental Health - it is a five-step youth mental health awareness programme for LGFA clubs. The aim of the initiative is to raise awareness and improve understanding of mental health while empowering clubs to positively affect their members and communities.

Located between Midleton and Watergrasshill, East Cork club Lisgoold was selected as one of the country’s 26 clubs to take part.

“Lisgoold LGFA club was absolutely delighted to be selected as county Cork’s Lidl’s ‘One Good Club’ initiative representative this year,” club secretary Sinead Murphy told the Echo.

“This is a very important youth mental health and well-being programme involving JISGSAW and the LGFA. There are five different themes and we are proud to have completed stage one which is the ‘be active’ stage. We are almost finished stage two which is ‘take notice’ and then will move on to the ‘connect’ theme.

“Why are we doing this? There are many reasons. 

I have a 12-year-old daughter myself and for some children of that age, it can be tough transitioning from primary to secondary school. I just feel mental health and well-being are hugely important for them to take notice of and learn about.

“Everyone within the club just wanted to let the younger members know that we are there for them and to get the girls to look out for each other, through this initiative.”

On the pitch, Lisgoold caters for LGFA players aged from U6 all the way up to an active Gaelic for Mothers and Others panel. Sinead Murphy has witnessed first-hand her LGFA club’s growth following the end of Covid restrictions.

“Since last year, Lisgoold (LGFA) is dealing with its largest number of registered players and has over 250 individuals now representing the club,” Murphy said.

POPULAR

“Things have been going really well. We started up a Gaelic for Mothers and Others team. Also, the decision to start up a nursery group for our U6s has proven very popular. As well as that, two years ago, Lisgoold decided to start up underage Camogie teams as well.

“This year, the club will for the first time field U16, U10 and U11 Camogie teams. When it comes to ladies football, we will have teams at every age grade from U6 to U21 and will field two junior teams for the 2023 (Cork LGFA) leagues and championships.”

While the East Cork club’s vibrant underage structure is laying the foundation for a successful future, Lisgoold is already making an impact at U21 and junior level.

Lisgoold U21s are through to the last four of this year’s Cork LGFA U21 D county championship. Killavullen were dispatched 1-15 to 1-4 in the opening round before an even more comprehensive victory over Mitchelstown setup an upcoming county semi-final clash with Rosscarbery.

Áine Hallihan, Laura Murphy, Chloe Collins, Molly Cullinane, Eilish Hegarty and Lainey O’Sullivan are some of the players who have helped Lisgoold move within a couple of victories of U21 D county glory. Many of those aforementioned individuals also helped their club reach last year’s Cork LGFA Junior D county final only to come up short, 3-7 to 0-6, to St Peters.

ROLE MODEL

Yet, the one Lisgoold player who has been the most prominent during her club’s recent U21 and junior county runs is Cork senior Dara Kiniry.

Kiniry grasped her opportunity to nail down a place in Shane Ronayne’s starting 15 during this year’s National League campaign. The versatile footballer is a name to watch out for this year and beyond as well as being someone revered in her local parish.

“All the young girls in Lisgoold look up to Dara,” Sinead Murphy commented.

“Dara is brilliant within the club and does anything asked of her. A group of young Lisgoold players attended Cork’s National League game with Meath in Páirc Uí Rinn recently. After the match, Dara gave up so much of her time to sign every autograph and pose for loads of pictures. All our young players are mad about her and she is a great ambassador for the club.

“Watching Dara over the years, she worked so hard to get to where she is today and on to the Cork senior team. Dara would spend hours training and running on her own. Our girls have seen that and what’s possible if you work hard.”