By Nollaig Cleary

THIS Sunday, April 22, will see the launch of the 2007 playing season for New York Ladies GAA. Over the winter the Ladies have been busy preparing for the new season, and the growth in their underage program is sustaining the clubs at the senior level.

This year’s Gaelic 4 Girls training program will begin on Saturday, April 21 in Paddy’s Field at 9 a.m. for under-eights and under-10s, and all new registrants. Under-12s and under-14’s will train from 10-11 a.m., and with a record number of registrants this year a busy season is planned, with competitions between Rockland, Philadelphia and New York.

A full slate of games will take place on Sunday. In Rockland at 11 a.m., last year’s finalists Kerry/Donegal will play Rockland, who struggled through most of last year to file a team.

They are under new management with Davy Fitzgerald and Emmett Woods at the reins and will sport a young team boasting many from their youth teams. Kerry/Donegal added to their home-based squad over the winter with Tyrone native Angela Stevenson and Donegal native Niamh Britton joining the ranks. Overall a strong team, but they will need greater accuracy in front of goals if they are to go a step further this year.

At 2 p.m. in Paddy’s Field there will be an under-14 challenge game when members of the New York Feile panel will play. The Feile team have been training hard for over a month, and this is a chance for manager Kieran Traynor and selectors Rosie O’Reilly and Anne Holland to see how they are shaping up.

At 2: 45 p.m. it will be the turn of defending champions Cavan, who will play Fermanagh, last year’s Peter Connaughton Cup winners. Cavan have lost a few players from last year, however, they still have goal scoring ace Emma Clarke, midfielder Linda McKeon and two new transfers, Ciara Moore, who makes the move from Philadelphia to New York, and Tracey Leonard from Mon-aghan.

Cavan have a lot of experienced players with a mix of youth. With Alison Traynor, Kelly McArdle, Steph-anie Tierney and Roisin Clarke all playing this year they are still the team to beat.

Fermanagh were very busy in the off season and have a plethora of new signings, with Tyrone Claire McElroy, Tracey-Ann McCullagh, Caitlin McGuigan and Majella Woods, Cavan’s Nicola King and Melissa McCabe and Derry’s Orla Groogan all signing up, with a few players joining from the youth program.

Added to Caroline Murphy, Aisling Boyle, Pamela McNally, Donna Quinn and Annmarie Kelly, they will be looking to move up the ranks this year.

The final game of the day at 4:15 p.m. sees Mayo play Na Fianna. Mayo almost yielded to declining numbers in the off-season but stuck together and will be strong again this year.

They signed the two Roche sisters, Ger and Kelly, from Kilkenny, as well as numerous players from last year’s under-16 panel, with Ashley Brophy, Brighid Bennett and Katie Kilkenny joining experienced campaigners like Joanne Monaghan, Louise McMahon and Joanne McKenna.

Na Fianna lost Mary O’Rourke this year, and she was the backbone to their team over the past year. However, they have stuck together and have Mary Melly back playing with them for 2007.

They will introduce many new faces this year, but they too have many experienced campaigners who will provide tough opposition in the months ahead. A great slate of game mixing youth with experience to get the season started.

Sunday fixture list: 11 a.m. at Rockland, Kerry/Donegal vs. Rockland; Paddy’s Field, 2 p.m., under-14 challenge; 2:45 p.m., Cavan vs. Fermanagh; 4:15 p.m., Mayo vs. Na Fianna.