Big day on the Mayo LGFA club scene
Today is finals day for Mayo LGFA clubs, with the junior, intermediate and senior deciders all taking place.
In the senior final, Carnacon are going for a 23rd title in a row. “There's such a good buzz in the team,” said Emma Cosgrove. “Every year gets better and we're really looking forward to the game.”
Emma said it is difficult to maintain the level of excellence each year as the other teams are improving greatly. “We just have to try and get better and better too. We're so lucky with some of the younger players who have come through; they're making such a difference to us. It's great to have them as well.”
Knockmore captain Shauna Howley said every other club has huge respect for Carnacon's excellence over 24 years, but their challenge now is to try and topple them.
“We're a young team. We'll show no fear. I think a lot of people wrote us off this year. We were definitely the underdogs in our group but we came out.”
Shauna said a change of management helped this year, but she couldn't reveal what plan the managers might have in place for the final! “Whatever the managerment say we just try and follow as best we can.”
Carnacon and Knockmore have avoided each other in the championship since playing in the final three years ago, but Shauna said it's a different Knockmore team now. We'll find out today if they've bridged the gap and are capable of beating the champions.
Meanwhile, Lisa McManamon of intermediate finalists Castlebar Mitchels said today's game is extra exciting because they have been in a decider in a while. “It's the same for us,” said Rachel Reed of opponents Louisburgh.
“There's no easy way to a final,” added Lisa, “but we won all our games and topped our group. We just kept our heads down and are working hard in training. Girls are fighting for positions, which is always a good sign.”
Louisburgh had tough group games too but managed to come out on top. “Since then we've been working hard and everyone is raring to go now. The goal was to get to game five and we've made it to game five, so hopefully we'll go all the way now.”
Davitts and St. Brigid's contest the junior final and they're familiar with each other, having played in the group stages of the championship – so have that history ahead of today's game.
“We lost by three points,” said Becky Kearns of Davitts. “It was a tight enough game so I hope the final will be a great game because I think we're very equally matched.”
“I'd say we were in the stronger group,” agreed Megan Bilbow of St. Brigid's, “but even if we were in different groups I'd say we would have met at some stage (in the knockout phase) anyway.”
The junior final starts at 12 noon in Bonniconlon, with the intermediate final at 2 p.m. and the senior final at 4 p.m., both at James Stephens Park, Ballina.