Athlone woman given coaching role with Ireland powerchair soccer squad

ATHLONE native Mary Duignan has been appointed to the coaching staff of the Ireland Powerchair Soccer squad for the upcoming World Cup campaign in Paris. Along with Mary, Dani McGovern, also from Co Westmeath, has been selected as part of the seven-strong squad for the event. McGovern's two Midlands Utd team-mates, Tullamore's Emmet Daly, and Portlaoise's Aoife McNicholl, are also part of the playing squad. Mary Duignan, 29, is from Garnafailagh, Athlone, and became involved with Powerchair football in 2009, through her role as Sports Inclusion Disability Officer with Westmeath Sports Partnership (based in Mullingar). With the aid of the FAI's Football For All Programme, Westmeath and Offaly Sports Partnership's came together to form Midlands Utd, who have had great success since forming in 2009, winning a national league and cup double in their first season, and finishing runners-up in the national league ever since. Though the general purpose of the Sports Partnership's is to help form new clubs, for people with disability, and then part company with the clubs when they're established, Mary found it too difficult to walk away from Midlands Utd, and is still heavily involved with the club. Mary is also well-known locally for her heavy involvement with Garrycastle Ladies Gaelic football team. Her brother, James, has been a key figure for Garrycastle's senior team over several years, and he scored the vital goal in last Sunday's county final win over Mullingar Shamrocks which saw the club clinch their third title in a row. Although saying she is "delighted and proud" to be appointed part of the coaching staff for the World Cup, which runs from November 2-6 at the Halle Carpentier in Paris, Mary was keen to give praise to the three Midlands Utd players selected for the squad, after trials were held in Limerick in January. "I'm delighted to be involved. To be part of any World Cup, and to help Ireland, is fantastic, and I'm very proud to be associated with the team," said Mary. "The three players have done great to be involved. Power-soccer is a mixed-sex sport, so to get three players from our club on the squad is fantastic. They're all terrific players and a credit to themselves. We're all really looking forward to the competition," she added. Dani McGovern is a 25-year-old from Ballinlack, close to Multyfarnham, while Emmet Daly hails from Kilcormac, Tullamore in Co Offaly. Aoife McNicholl, from Portlaoise, Co Laois, is the youngest member of the playing squad at 16. The Irish contingent travel to France on Sunday, and are scheduled to play three games next Thursday (November 3). The draw for the competition was performed by none other than French football legend and current UEFA President, Michel Platini, and French World Cup-winner, Emmanuel Petit. Ireland have been drawn in a difficult group, along with Australia, Belgium, Canada and France. The current World champions are USA, and they participate in Pool A, alongside England, Japan, Portugal and Switzerland. *Powerchair Soccer Powerchair Soccer is played by two teams of differently-abled athletes, using special footguards attached to powered wheelchairs as 'feet', to kick the ball. The basic size of the court is 28m x 15m (94ft x 50ft) (standard size basketball court), and a goal area is marked at the centre of each end of the court, 8m (26ft) wide and 5m (16.5ft) deep. A match is played by two teams, each consisting of not more than four players, one of whom is a goalkeeper. Teams shall consist of four players, and generally with up to four substitute players, however, the rules of competition may allow a greater or lesser number of substitutes. Mainly, matches consist of two equal periods of 20 minutes, unless otherwise mutually agreed between the referees and the two participating teams. Players are entitled to an interval at half-time which must not exceed ten minutes.