A Cork woman who is one of Ireland's most successful basketball players and a top coach features in new TV documentary

AMATEUR sport plays such a huge role in Irish life.

Every weekend, and on many evenings, coaches give up their time and make a big contribution to the life and health of our communities.

The documentary Secrets From The Sidelines on RTÉ1 on Monday at 9.35pm provides an insight into some of these coaches.

Among them is Niamh Dwyer, the coach of Fr Mathews Basketball Club in Cork.

We meet her as Fr Mathews are playing their final match of the season against Killester. The Cork side have had a poor season and, going into the last game, they must win to guarantee their survival in the super league - a loss could mean relegation.

Niamh is one of Ireland’s most successful basketball players, and also one of the few female coaches in top level Irish sport.

The programme also introduces us to Paul Carley, manager of Buffers Alley Senior hurling team in Wexford, as he attempts to bring back some parish pride.

A postman by day, he’s hoping to deliver some success back to the town, but first up, he must overcome local rivals Blackwater GAA.

Paul played six years at county level, winning a Leinster medal. He played club level till 2015 when he was forced to suddenly stop due to back injury.

We see the work of Amanda Spencer and James Gray, coaches at Jobstown Boxing Club, Dublin. They have been working hard in Tallaght, training their boys and girls for the National Boxing Championship. Also fighting will be Amanda’s daughter Tiffany.

Amanda and James train kids from the age of six up to adult and have their fair share of Irish and European Champions.

On the soccer front, we meet Francis Kendron, coach of Cambridge Football Club in Ringsend, Dublin.

Across Ireland there are hundreds of schoolboy and girl football leagues. Cambridge’s season is off to a great start and the team is pushing hard for a promotion or even a league title.

Francis is committed to the team, training them twice a week as well as matches at the weekend.

He also sees his role at the team as more important than just being a football coach. He makes sure they do their homework and talks about the importance of education.

At the age of 30, Francis resat his leaving cert and since got a master’s in science to become the chief technical officer of the Geology department in Trinity College, Dublin.

Experts featured in this documentary include Brian Kerr, former Republic of Ireland manager, Kenneth Egan – Olympic silver medallist in boxing, and Dr Aoife Quinn, sports psychologist.