MAYO MULTI-SPORT STAR Rachel Kearns scored her first Australian Football League Women’s [AFLW] goal, while Cavan’s Aishling Sheridan was on the double in Saturday’s Round Two matches.

Kearns impressed for Geelong once again, having made her debut last weekend, though her side lost out to Carlton.

Also a talented Gaelic football and soccer player and boxer, the 24-year-old is already making her mark on the Australian game.

She scored the first of Geelong’s two goals in the 14-point loss, with a set-shot from a slight angle 40 metres out, which levelled matters in the second quarter.

And @Raachkearns has just kicked her FIRST EVER AFLW GOAL for @catswomens in a brilliant 1st half display by the IRISH Woman against @carltonfc_w in their Round 2 clash💚#AWholeNewBallGame pic.twitter.com/LsaM2l1OR8

— AFLW Ireland (@aflw_ireland) January 15, 2022

Rachel Kearns gets her first goal and her team mates love it🙌 #AFLW | #AFLWCatsBlues pic.twitter.com/JrLhIh4oTr

— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) January 15, 2022

Kearns again put in a massive shift throughout, accounting for five tackles in the first quarter alone. But it was Carlton — led by Maddy Prespakis, with her younger sister, Georgie, among the opposition — who took their first win of the season, while the wait for the Cats’ goes on.

Cavan star Sheridan, meanwhile, opened her 2022 goal-scoring account with a brilliant brace, as Collingwood made it two wins from two against the struggling St Kilda.

Sheridan was joined by Mayo team-mate Sarah Rowe among Collingwood’s best on the ground through the 27-point victory at Victoria Park; the Irish contingent well and truly flying the flag.

The Breffni woman, in particular, was a handful; her first goal a close-range snap and her second finishing off an excellent team move. 

Sheridan snaps to extend the Pies' lead ⚫⚪#AFLW | #AFLWPiesSaints pic.twitter.com/F4JMcnKtTy

— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) January 15, 2022

Ya kidding! Two for Sherro. pic.twitter.com/6ZDeeTGE3o

— Collingwood AFLW (@CollingwoodAFLW) January 15, 2022

"She slams it through!!!" @AishlingSherdo ag fáil scór do @CollingwoodAFLW le cabhair ó @SarahRowe

Sneak peek from this afternoon's #AFLW game on @TG4TV ☘

⏰ 17:15
🏈 Collingwood v St Kilda pic.twitter.com/8cjvfnpEP8

— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) January 15, 2022

It came as another statement of Premiership intent from the Pies, who were depleted due to Covid protocols and injury though still flexed their considerable muscle.

There’s full deferred coverage of that game on TG4 at 5.15pm.

While Dublin duo Sinéad Goldrick and Lauren Magee helped Melbourne to back-to-back wins against Richmond yesterday, there’s three more games with plenty of Irish involvement set in stone for tomorrow.

Aishling McCarthy and Niamh and Grace Kelly all start for West Coast against Gold Coast, while Aileen Gilroy lines out among the North Melbourne half-backs as they face Adelaide. The Crows are unchanged from last weekend’s convincing win over Brisbane Lions in the 2021 Grand Final rematch, meaning there’s no room for Ailish Considine once again.

Cora Staunton and Bríd Stack, meanwhile, are both in from the start for GWS Giants, as they go head-to-head with Áine Tighe’s Fremantle. The Leitrim woman will feature too.

Uncertainty still reigns over the meeting of Orla O’Dwyer’s Brisbane and Western Bulldogs, though it is unlikely to be played this weekend at this stage.

AFLW Round Two

*all in Irish time

Friday

• Richmond 6.2 (38) Melbourne 8.6 (54)

Saturday

• Collingwood 6.5 (41) St Kilda 2.2 (14) – full deferred coverage on TG4 at 5.15pm
• Geelong Cats 2.5 (17) Carlton 4.7 (31)

Sunday

• West Coast v Gold Coast, 1.40am
• Adelaide Crows v North Melbourne, 4.10am
• Fremantle v Greater Western Sydney Giants, 6.10am – full deferred coverage on TG4 at 11.45am

Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs, TBD

Irish players involved in the 2022 AFLW season

• Orla O’Dwyer (Brisbane Lions / Tipperary)
• Aisling McCarthy (West Coast Eagles / Tipperary)
• Grace Kelly (West Coast Eagles / Mayo)
• Niamh Kelly (West Coast Eagles / Mayo)
• Aileen Gilroy (North Melbourne / Mayo)
• Rachel Kearns (Geelong Cats / Mayo)
• Sarah Rowe (Collingwood / Mayo)
• Aishling Sheridan (Collingwood / Cavan)
• Cora Staunton (GWS Giants / Mayo)
• Bríd Stack (GWS Giants / Cork)
• Áine Tighe (Fremantle / Leitrim)
• Sinéad Goldrick (Melbourne / Dublin)
• Lauren Magee (Melbourne / Dublin)
• Ailish Considine (Clare / Adelaide Crows)

Alongside TG4′s coverage on Saturday (5.15pm) and Sunday (11.15am), you can stream every game live on the AFL Women’s official app and the AFL Live app.