September Update:
As the pleasant weather gives way to autumn’s chill, we bid farewell to September, a month that featured several significant moments in sports across the country. We begin this monthly update by highlighting the Women’s Sport Series event, held at Windsor Park, titled Telling Her Story. We were thrilled to explore social media campaigns and importance of covering womens sport! We gained insights from organizations like BBC Sport NI, Basketball NI, as well as athletes and coaches. It was a fantastic event that brought together various members of the sports industry, with a special focus on women’s sports.
Returning to the conclusion of a remarkable summer at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, we are proud to recap some impressive performances by NI women. The MacCombe twins delivered top-ten performances in their PTVI category, with Chloe finishing 6th and Judith 8th in their first Paralympics. Claire Taggart, a Boccia player, narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing 4th in her bronze match. Dearbhaile Brady swam brilliantly in the S6 50m Butterfly final, securing 5th place in her debut Games. Additionally, Katie Morrow shone as part of the GB Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team. It was exciting to see these athletes excel and compete on the world stage.
In cricket, the Irish Women’s Cricket Team faced off against England earlier this month. In a historic moment, the Irish team secured their first-ever T20 international win against England as the series came to a close. Although they lost the previous week’s ODI series in Belfast, the team also notched a significant 3-wicket win against England during this competition. These intense competitions offer hope for future matchups, with the Irish team aiming to strengthen their position in international cricket.
Meanwhile, the Northern Ireland Warriors netball team earned a clean sweep in the Paradise Cup series in Barbados, led by captain Caroline O’Hanlon and vice-captain Fi Toner, with Michelle Magee and Orlaith Rogers rounding out the leadership team. The Warriors played impressively against Barbados, a team ranked in the top ten globally. The U21 team also celebrated a victory this weekend, clinching their spot in the 2025 Youth World Cup by defeating the Isle of Man. Congratulations, ladies!
On the squash court, Hannah Craig of Lisburn claimed her first Professional Squash Association (PSA) title at the Paraguay Open, defeating Lucia Bautista of Colombia. This victory boosted her international ranking, placing her 76th in the world. Congratulations, Hannah!
The Irish Women’s Rugby Team had an outstanding month. As part of the 150th Anniversary of Irish Rugby, a series of celebratory matches kicked off. The season opener against Australia, held in Belfast, ended with a dominant 36-10 victory for the Irish team. After a few challenging years, this win sets an optimistic tone for future successes. Additionally, in this weekend’s WXVI tournament in Vancouver, Ireland faced reigning world champions New Zealand. In a thrilling finish, Ireland triumphed 29-27 over the Black Ferns. With performances like these, the future looks bright!
We are exciting to continue to highlight all the wonderful programmes and opportunities that exist in Northern Ireland!