Former Kildare senior footballer helps Irish AFL side to national title in Australia

Former Kildare senior footballer Gillian Behan was part of an Aussie Rules side made up up of Irish women that won a national title in the sport last weekend in Australia.

Behan was playing for the Alfa Irish Banshees, the Irish women's Australian Rules Football national team as they captured the 2017 AFL International Cup by defeating Canada at the weekend in the Etihad Stadium, Melbourne.

In a nail biting finish, with the Irish up by less than a goal, they held the valiant Canadian women out to secure a famous win. Women's Aussie Rules has never been more popular with the new semi-professional league that started this year and it was Ireland's only women's AFL player, Cavan woman Laura Duryea thatlifted the cup alongside co-captain Onora Mulcahy from Cork.

Former Lilywhite footballer Behan, who is from Properous and now living in Sydney, was an integral part of the team, and had previously competed at the tournament in 2011 and 2014, with strong performances awarding her a position on team of the tournament for 2011, 2014 and most recently 2017.

Behan in action for the Alfa Irish Banshees. Photo by Scott Barner of AFL Media

Behan played with Kildare as far back as 2005, lining out for the county in their first year in Division 1 of the National Football League. She played her club football with Confey while she was at home.

Another member of the side was Blessington native Molly Cullen, who only recently went out to Australia after representing Wicklow in the National League this year.

Canada led for most of the game but Ireland managed to get ahead in the final quarter before putting up an impenetrable defence in the final five minutes to repel attack after attack from the Canadians. The Irish goal scorers were Linda Connolly, Aisling Gillespe, Maebh Moriarity and Colleen Quinn with the best on ground award going to the impressive Sydney based Carol Breen.