Laois GAA stars set to feature for Ireland in Masters games against Australia
There are three players and one coach from the O'Moore County involved in the Irish setup
There will be plenty of Laois involvement in the upcoming Masters International Compromise rules games against Australia this weekend.
Derek O'Connell from Kilcavan, Aidan McLernon from O'Dempsey's and Mary Griffin (nee Kirwan) from Shanahoe will wear the green of Ireland in their respective grades. Kilcavan's Eamon O'Brien will also be part of the Ladies setup which is fronted by former Mayo LGFA manager and former Mayo GAA star Michael Moyles.
Shanhoe's Griffin was part of the Laois Ladies side which famously captured the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship where it was Griffin who scored the match winner from a free as Laois won 2-14 to 1-15. Griffin was also part of the Shanahoe team which lifted the Laois Intermediate Championship in 2023 against St Joseph's.
There are three different grades with Laois having a representative in each. O'Connell will line-out in the Men's Over 50 with Aidan McLernon playing in the Mens Masters. Griffin will play for Ireland in the first ever Women's Masters Compromise Rules tests with the first test coinciding with International Women's Day.
The games themselves are broken down into quarters with each quarter lasting 18 minutes. A panel of 23 players are used per game with each test having three games. The Men's Over 50 game starts at 12pm, the Women's Masters starts at 2pm while the final game of the day, the Men's Masters gets underway at 4pm.
Charlestown GAA in Mayo will play host to the first of two tests on Saturday, March 9 while Denn GAA in Cavan will be the venue for the second test a week later on Saturday, March 16.