CARLTON has added to its Irish ranks, signing Gaelic footballers Aisling Reidy and Siofra Ni Chonaill from County Clare.
Ni Chonaill – whose first name is pronounced ‘Shee-fra’ – is a tough tall defender who will fit in alongside Harriet Cordner and captain Kerryn Peterson down back.
Outside of football, Ni Chonaill is a mental health nurse and also plays Camogie at a high level.
Meanwhile Reidy is a midfielder in the Irish game, and will look to add some speed around the contest and half forward line for the Blues. She split her time across her County Clare responsibilities and also played for the University of Limerick while completing a degree in risk and insurance.
View this post on Instagram
The pair have boasted Gaelic teammates like recent North Melbourne premiership defender Erika O’Shea, Adelaide premiership player Ailish Considine, and Erone Fitzpatrick, who they will join at Carlton.
They bolster the Irish contingent at the Blues to four, alongside Fitzpatrick and 2024 breakout player Dayna Finn.
There is a hope that they will help to fill some gaps at Carlton that were exposed this year, with a lack of speed in attack – not helped by Fitzpatrick’s inactivity due to an ACL injury – and limited support in defensive tall stocks exploited by opposition teams.
The club fell to 14th on the ladder this year, with just four wins from 11 starts, amid a struggle to score, averaging just four goals per game.
It is expected the Blues will be active in the upcoming trade period, adding to the recruitment of Reidy and Ni Chonaill.
