The first women to pull on the Ireland jersey to represent the Women's National Team in official games were reunited on Friday, May 5th at a special event.As part of the Football Association of Ireland's 50-Year Anniversary Celebrations of Women and Girls' Football, the trailblazing women who first featured for Ireland in 1973 were honoured at The Westin Hotel, Dublin.Representing eight different counties, the women who helped Ireland defeat Wales 3-2 on May 13th, 1973 and who beat Northern Ireland 4-1 on June 30th, 1973 in Bluebell, Dublin were reunited for the first time in five decades.
WNT 1973 Reunion ☘️
We celebrate the reunion of the 1973 WNT Team and the year of Women and Girls’ Football in Ireland 🙌#COYGIG | #WeAreOne pic.twitter.com/oXEereKy6M— FAI Women (@FAIWomen) May 5, 2023
At a lunch event, each of the players received a special gift to mark the occasion, which was attended by Minister of State at Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Thomas Byrne, Lord Mayor of Dublin Caroline Conroy, FAI President Gerry McAnaney and FAI CEO Jonathan Hill.Along with the players, there were also a number of key personnel who helped to create the early foundations of women and girls' football at both domestic and international level in Ireland present at the event.The players will be special guests of the current Ireland WNT at their International Friendly against France on July 6th in Tallaght Stadium - their final home game before FIFA Women's World Cup 2023.Wales 2-3 Ireland, 13 May, 1973Goalscorer: Paula Gorham x3Goalkeeper: Anne GriffithDefenders: Nora McHugh, Geraldine Molloy, Sally Bownes, Mary O'CallaghanMidfielders: Mary Gavin, Carol Carr, Linda Gorman, Margaret O'Connell, Catherine RaffertyForwards: Paula GorhamSubstitutes: Teresa Holland, Eleanor Carroll, Geraldine GraceSelected but couldn't travel: Kathleen Ramsbottom, Ursula GraceIreland 4-1 Northern Ireland, 30 June, 1973Goalscorers: Maureen Stokes, Breda Hanlon, Joan Williams x2Goalkeeper: Anne GriffithDefenders: Nora McHugh, Anne O'Brien, Margaret O'Connell, Maureen StokesMidfielders: Violet Elliott, Linda Gorman, Eileen Brennan, Breda HanlonForwards: Joan Williams, Paula GorhamSubstitutes: Mary Gavin, Carol Doran, Marian Donnelly, Margaret O'Driscoll, Marion Slattery
