Sport at all levels in Northern Ireland returned on Monday, in a huge boost for local clubs.

After an extended hiatus of five months, the Northern Ireland Executive announced that, in line with regulations set out in the roadmap, training can resume for sporting clubs in groups of fifteen.

Although there has been no mention of when competitive action will be allowed, it has been the good news that clubs such as Carnmoney Ladies had been hoping for. Finally, they can plan for the upcoming season and get back to doing what they love.

Carnmoney are an all-womens club based in Newtonabbey, with teams from under sevens to senior level. Their chairman, Steven Lowry, said with a grin on his face that “it will be great to get back on the training pitch, albeit in smaller numbers and with stricter protocols.”

“When we resume, we will have renewed ambition to drive forward, to progress, develop and improve our club.”

Carnmoney Ladies endured a frustrating wait to get back to action, after all activity, including league campaigns, was curtailed in November. Lowry cites, “the buzz” around the club as one of the things he has missed most during lockdown. “At Carnmoney we pride ourselves on being a family-orientated club and for the girls” adding that “we all want to see people, catch up about matches, have the fun, craic and banter when coaching as well as the excitement of watching players progress and improve.”

Lily Noble-Owen is desperate to get back on the pitch — Lily Noble-Owen, desparate to get back on the pitch

Lily Noble-Owen, a defender at the club, said: “With all club activity being cancelled I lost an outlet to forget about everything else going on in life and just focus on doing something I really enjoy with my friends that I wouldn’t usually see. It is hard mentally not having that outlet to block everything else out for an hour in the evenings.”

But it’s not just the players who are itching for the return of the local game. Michelle McAlister, a parent of one of the girls at the club, and one of Carnmoney Ladies’ biggest fans, highlighted the toll that the ceasing of all club activity has had on the physical and mental wellbeing on those who cheer from the side-lines.

“I think the worst thing for me was the break in my routine”, she said. “I was used to being out twice a week at training through all weather and while training was in session… I miss the social interaction at matches with other likeminded parents and of course the craic with the team. I can’t wait to get back to the weekly training to get back to some sort of normality again.”

Carnmoney, which was founded in 2011, will be celebrating its tenth anniversary this year – just in time for restrictions to ease – and plans to commemorate the milestone, along with securing new bespoke home kits for the new campaign, are already in the works.

Lockdown has offered Lowry and the club the chance to reassess Carnmoney’s aims going forward.

“Over this period I have been busy preparing for our future – planning for the next six to nine months and then one to two years.

“The lockdown has, unfortunately, paused our development on the field, but this has given us the opportunity to be proactive off it. Our development aims have been revised and we look forward to sharing our new goals with our members in the coming weeks and months.”

And with the return of grassroots football over the next weeks, it won’t just be Noble-Owen who “can’t wait to be back with everyone laughing.”

Lauren McCann is is an English and Spanish student at QUB. Listen to her on The Sporty Scoop every Wednesday.

SPORT - Return of Grassroots Sport A Welcome Relief for Local Club, Carnmoney Ladies