Laois All-Ireland winner Carroll passes away

Former All-Ireland Ladies SFC winner Lulu Carroll passed away early on Sunday morning after losing her battle with cancer.

The 35-year-old sales manager from Timahoe had been bravely battling the disease for a number of years and was a current selector to the Laois senior team, who lost yesterday's All-Ireland semi-final to Cork at Portlaoise.

Just last March, Carroll was honoured by GAA President Nickey Brennan at the President's Awards at Croke Park for her outstanding commitment to Ladies football over a number of years.

Carroll had a decorated playing career and along with winning the 2001 All-Ireland title with Laois, she also claimed eight Leinster senior championship and three National League winners' medals. On the debit side, there were six All-Ireland final defeats to Kerry, Waterford and Monaghan to contend with between 1988 and 1996.

Although noted as an outfield player, Carroll first came to prominence as a goalkeeper and won an All-Star in that position in 1991 alongside fellow Laois players Amanda Donohue and Margaret Brennan.

She also had a glittering club career, winning eight Laois senior championships and one Leinster club title, while also losing the 2000 All-Ireland decider to Monaghan Harps.

Ladies Football Association President Geraldine Giles said that the Ladies football community were deeply saddened by Lulu's passing.

"It's a sad day for both her family and Ladies football in general and we extend our deepest sympathies to all who knew her," Giles said.

"I remember her training underage teams with Laois also over the years and more recently as a senior selector with the county."

The Westmeath native first came across Carroll in challenge matches between their respective clubs.

"We used to arrange challenge games between my own club (Coralstown/Kinnegad) and Lulu's club back in the early 1990s and it was at that stage that I got to know her."