Siobhan Coyle to referee Ulster ladies senior club final

Siobhan Coyle will referee of Sunday-week’s Ulster Ladies Senior Club Football Championship final.

The Gaeil Fhánada official will take charge of the game between champions Donaghmoyne and Bredagh.

Donaghmoyne overcame Carrickmore in their semi-final at the weekend while Bredagh defeated St Ergnat’s.

Coyle refereed the 2020 TG4 All-Ireland Junior Ladies final between Fermanagh and Wicklow and this is her latest big assignment.

Ten years ago, she first took up the whistle when Gaeil Fhánada were in search of a referee within the club.

“I was coaching at the time and said that I’d give it a go,” Coyle told Donegal Live.

“I never thought it was something I’d want to do or try but it went from strength to strength. I kept it going. I enjoy it. It’s not something you’d do for too long if you didn’t enjoy it.

“It’s been busy but been successful so that has made it easier for me.”

For the Ulster final, she will be joined by her trusted team of umpires JP Coyle, John Cushnan, Hughie Shields and Hannah Shields.

“I can trust them and I’m so used to them,” she said.

“For them to give up their time like that, I couldn’t do it without them.”

A school teacher at Scoil Mhuire, Gleneely, Coyle was in the middle for the 2020 Donegal IFC final and also refereed the 2020 Donegal LGFA SFC final.

She officiated at the 2019 Asian Games and is certainly an official firmly on the rise.

She said: “I do enjoy it. There are amazing opportunities.

“The levels, the physicality and the speed of the game has really gone up. The levels of the fitness testing has increased because of the speed of the game.”