Dual sport star Dayna Finn has signed for Australian Football League Women’s (AFLW) side Carlton for the 2023 season.

The Kiltimagh native last played for Mayo in the 2021 All-Ireland semi-final, but has focused on basketball in recent years, where she represented Ireland against the Netherlands in the FIBA EuroBasket qualifiers.

Dayna Finn in action for the Irish women’s basketball team.

The 23-year-old is on a sports scholarship in Trinity College, Dublin, where she plays for the Trinity Meteors. Her basketball knowledge is set to put her in good stead, following in the footsteps of Kerryn Peterson, Jess Good, and Taylor Ortlepp, who all played professional basketball before making the switch to AFLW.

Finn joins Carlton with Laois star Erone Fitzpatrick, who has experience in a number of sports including Gaelic football, basketball, soccer, and camogie, and will look to transfer some of those skills to the AFLW field.

Carlton Head of Football Brad Lloyd said the Club was excited by the level of transferable experience Finn and Fitzpatrick will bring to IKON Park.

“Dayna and Erone’s skill sets will easily transfer to AFLW and we will invest heavily in their development, to give them the best possible transition into the program,” Lloyd said.

“We have successfully worked with athletes from different codes who have gone on to become strong AFLW players and we look forward to giving Dayna and Erone all the support they need to follow the same path.

“The Club has some of the best facilities in the country, which will assist them in their development, and our football department will work closely with them once they arrive.

“We look forward to welcoming Dayna and Erone to the Club as they make the move from Ireland in the coming months.”