Rachel Kearns
Rachel Kearns | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 15 June 1997 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rachel Kearns (born 15 June 1997) is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for Geelong in the AFL Women's (AFLW).[1]
During the AFLW off-seasons, Kearns returns to her home country of Ireland where she is a dual-code athlete of association football and Gaelic football.[2] She represents County Mayo in the Ladies' Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) and Galway United in the League of Ireland Women's Premier Division.
Kearns also pursued an Olympic path through boxing.[3]
Association football career
Following 27 appearances for Castlebar Celtic from the age of 16, Kearns was capped by the Republic of Ireland women's national under-19 football team. She played three games representing her country at youth level. She would later play for Galway in the teams last years, and she was named as the Women's National League player of the month for April of 2021 following a hat-trick against Cork City.[4]
Gaelic football career
As well as representing her county in the LGFA, Kearns also plays for MacHale Rovers, also known as Carnacon contingent in Mayo GAA.
Playing for County Mayo in the LGFA, Kearns won her second All-Star award, being selected in the 2021 TG4 All Star Team,[3] following her selection in 2019.
Australian rules career
Signed as a rookie ahead of the 2022 AFL Women's season,[5] Kearns made her debut in round one against North Melbourne at Arden Street Oval.
She finished in the top five of Geelong's best and fairest award in 2024.[1]
References
- ^ a b "Rachel Kearns | AFL". geelongcats.com.au. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ^ Brosnan, Maurice (27 December 2022). "All-Star set to play for Mayo in 2023 as Irish AFLW players face uncertainty". The Irish Examiner.
- ^ a b Walsh, Daire (20 May 2023). "Rachel Kearns has Mayo mission before going Down Under".
- ^ O'Callaghan, Will. "Mayo's Rachel Kearns signs for Geelong". Off the Ball.
- ^ Black, Sarah (22 July 2021). "Cats sign Irish rookie, two mature-agers ahead of draft". afl.com.au.
External links
- Rachel Kearns's profile on the official website of the Geelong Football Club
- Rachel Kearns at AustralianFootball.com