Underdog Niamh aiming high on television series

A CARRICKMORE woman has embarked upon a journey with the TG4 Underdogs after being selected for a Ladies football team on the popular series, which began last week.

Niamh McElduff, who recently enjoyed success with the St Colmcille’s ladies in winning the Tyrone senior title, is now aiming to make her mark with the Underdogs team.

None of the Underdogs players have represented their counties at senior level.

After undergoing months of coaching under the guidance of three experts, including Gaelic Life columnist, Kevin Cassidy, they will eventually play a top county side.

The series has been running since the early 2000s, and provided a platform for Killyclogher man, Eoin Bradley who went on to become part of Tyrone’s 2005 All-Ireland winning panel.

Now Niamh is aiming high, and she told We Are Tyrone how she is enjoying the trial matches and preparations following her selection.

“The Underdogs selection process was being heavily promoted earlier this year and I just decided to apply and give it a go,” she said.

“This is the first Ladies version of the show in over a decade. It’s very enjoyable and the craic has been great, but at the same time the pace and standard of all the players is amazing and challenging.”

On Thursday night, viewers saw Niamh being selected on the team, and greeted by her father, Barry, the Fermanagh and Omagh District councillor.

Over the coming weeks, the series will focus on the development of the team and their fortunes in a series of challenge matches. But first Niamh and the other players will have to go through a further selection process to see if they make it onto the final panel.

“Our training has been like county training in terms of the standard and intensity,” added Niamh, who is a teacher based in Dublin. My hope now is to get onto the final team, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens. The whole experience has been really exciting.”