Power chair football is going from strength to strength in Ireland. We spoke to one of its leading stars, who is determined not to let her disability stop her from playing sport on the world stage.
Aoife McNicholl was selected for the Irish power chair football team 18 months ago. She will soon be on her way to Florida for the World Cup as part of a squad of nine.
Aoife, who has a condition called spinal muscular dystrophy, started playing power chair football in 2003, when the sport was still in its infancy in Ireland. Most of the same rules you would find in soccer apply, except that it is a four-a-side game with 20 minutes each half.
It's clear that Aoife has a huge passion for her sport, and it also gives her the opportunity to travel and meet new people.
In addition to her sporting prowess, Aoife is a final year student at DCU, and is currently balancing exams and assignments with her preparations for the World Cup.
But there have been high costs to overcome. The specialist chair Aoife uses for the game cost €10,000, and she received fundraising help for this from Rory McIlroy's Foundation. More funds now need to be raised in order to get the Irish squad to Florida for the tournament. Their target is €50,000.
Listen to the full interview with Aoife below:
For full details of fundraising efforts for Florida and how you can help, please see the Pledge Sports page.
