Netball Northern Ireland Warriors Selection

A squad of 15 Warriors have been selected for December’s Test series vs ROI Emeralds.

Sheonah Forbes, NI Warriors Head Coach

“I cannot wait for my first test series with the squad, especially with it being on home soil. We have been really busy since I have come into the position of NI Warriors Head Coach and the squad has been progressing well. It will be great to get out there and see the squad on court against our neighbours.” 

Karen Rollo-Stewart, NNI Executive Manager

“I cannot wait to see our Warriors back on court in a home test series. The work behind the scenes from the entire squad, management and performance team has been phenomenal, with huge commitment and buy in from everyone to drive the Warriors forward both on court and off. It will be great to see them do what they love, and we are thrilled to be competing against our close neighbours, ROI Emeralds, who have been putting out some incredible performances over the last 12months.” 

Warriors Squad: 

Name  Club/Franchise   Court Area 
Niamh Cooper  Leeds Rhinos/Eagles NC  Mid Court 
Ciara Crosbie  Oldham NC  Circle Attack 
Frances Keenan  Belfast Ladies NC  Mid Court 
Emma Magee  Leeds Rhinos/The Downs NC  Circle Attack 
Michelle Magee  Leeds Rhinos/Grangetown NC  Circle Defence 
Evelyn McCagherty  Central Warriors/Weston Park Blades NC  Mid Court 
Georgie McGrath  Kingsway NC  Circle Attack 
Caroline O’Hanlon (C)   Leeds Rhinos/Larkfield NC  Mid Court 
Orlaith Rogers  Sirens Development/Northumbria University  Circle Attack 
Fionnuala Toner  Belfast Ladies NC  Circle Defence 
Lauren Walshe  Belfast Ladies NC  Circle Defence 
Maria McCann*  Belfast Ladies NC  Circle Defence 
Lisa Carlin**  Northeast Pheonix/Northumbria University  Circle Defence 
Reserve: Olivia McCloskey  Kingsway NC  Circle Attack 
Reserve: Orla McGeough  University of Liverpool  Mid Court 

*Maria McCann will be selected for the 12 in Test 1 and reserve for Test 2 

**Lisa Carlin will be selected for the 12 in Test 2 and reserve for Test 1 

Management

Head Coach: Sheonah Forbes 

Assistant Coach: Debbie Bleakley 

Team Manager: Beth Healy 

Northern Ireland Netball Warriors Long Squad & Emerging Warriors Announced!

Northern Ireland is thrilled to announce the athletes selected for the new cycle of NI Warriors Long Squad.

After a period of uncertainty while completion of the recruitment process for the new Head Coach was completed, (Read more about Sheonah Forbes, new Warriors Head Coach here) we were delighted with the response to trials. A significant number of athletes registered and left an indelible mark on the court.

The trials were designed to assess the athletes’ skills and potential thoroughly. A full day of movement, skills, and match play allowed the selection panel to evaluate the candidates’ abilities in a variety of scenarios. After careful consideration, 15 talented individuals were selected to form the core of the Northern Ireland Netball Warriors Squad. Furthermore, the opportunity to expand the squad to 18 remains open, as there are still nine registered athletes who are yet to be evaluated.

In addition to the Long Squad, a group of seven outstanding athletes has been chosen as the ‘Emerging Warriors.’ These individuals demonstrated exceptional potential during the trials and will receive specialised support through focused training sessions. The Emerging Warriors will have the opportunity to train alongside the full Warrior group, providing them with valuable experience and exposure to the highest level of play.

Northern Ireland Netball is excited about the future and the potential this talented group of athletes brings to the team as we build into a new cycle of netball and aim to perform on the world stage. With the Long Squad finalised and the possibility of expanding it in the near future, the coaching staff is optimistic about the success that lies ahead. Congratulations once again to all the athletes who have been selected, and we look forward to witnessing your growth and accomplishments on and off the court.

Warriors Head Coach Appointed

Warriors Head Coach Appointed

Netball NI are excited to announce, we have completed our recruitment process for the Warriors Head Coach and are thrilled to have appointed Sheonah Forbes to the role.

As we move forward with the recommendations from the Performance Review and build our High Performance and Performance Pathway programmes, Sheonah is perfect Head Coach to lead our performance team.

‘Sheonah really impressed at interview; she has excellent experience most recently as England Netball Pathways Head Coach, fulfilling both Head Coaching roles and developing the Future Roses programme.

Her professional, experienced background imbedded in High Performance will be invaluable to the Warriors with the ability to lead on culture and style of play of the group as a whole and individuals.’

Helen Stirling, Chair

‘We have taken our time to appoint our new Head Coach as this appointment will be instrumental in the next phase of our work in performance. On connecting with Sheonah it has been clear from the start her passion for developing athletes and supporting their drive for success is second to none. Her experience and knowledge speak for itself.  Add to that her integrity, personal values and dedication to her sport, she is the ideal fit for the Warriors and the wider Netball NI staff team and I am really looking forward to seeing her take us forward.’

Karen Rollo-Stewart, Executive Manager

‘I am delighted to have been appointed into this key role for Netball Northern Ireland and a role that I am excited to step into. I can’t wait to contribute to the next phase in developing the Warriors both on and off the court, the systems supporting this, to ensure we are in the best place possible for future success. I look forward to meeting the team as well as using my knowledge and experiences to drive the Warriors through this next cycle.’

Sheonah Forbes, NI Warriors Head Coach

We know our members have been keen to see the Warriors back and will wish Sheonah well in her role.