Image: Jen Murphy Sketches (@JenJen_Murf)
With everything becalmed over the coming few days on the lads’ side of the house (there’s no further word since, by the way, on the throw-in time for our Round 2B qualifier against Fermanagh tomorrow week) it’s the turn of the ladies to take centre-stage this weekend. They do so in the shape of a Connacht final clash with Galway this coming Sunday at MacHale Park, where throw-in is set for 4.30pm.
The ladies come into this championship campaign with real momentum following an unbeaten run in the league that only ended in the final, a match many observers felt was one that could have been won as well. No more than the lads found out a few weeks back, the challenge that Galway could pose on Sunday should not be underestimated but the Mayo ladies are narrow favourites to do it, with Paddy Power pricing them at 8/11 for the win.
I’m not planning on heading west at the weekend myself, instead I’m off to the south-west where, thanks to a last-minute invitation, I’m joining a group to tackle the famed Ring of Kerry cycle tomorrow. The route is sure to be great, the weather not so but, sure, that’s outdoors in Ireland for you.
Best of luck to the ladies on Sunday. Here’s hoping their positive year continues apace.
Really, genuinely looking forward to this. Anyone else heading? 😀
Yep. Always love to see the green and red running onto the pitch. After a great league run at the very least a Connacht title this year. I hope it is a long summer for them too!!
Good luck to the mayo ladies
Good luck on the Ring tomorrow, WJ. Hope the wind is on your back the whole way round.
As for myself, whether I make it to Castlebar tomorrow [or rather later today] depends very much on the humour in the morning.
Good luck to the Ladies in any case, they deserve it.
Thanks Andy – the cycle was actually on yesterday and it went well. Weather was a bit iffy but that didn’t spoil the experience at all. Unlike yesterday, though, there’s no rain and not a hint of wind this morning in Killarney – fine day for the football here, by the looks of it.
Do we have a throw in time for next Saturday??
Tonyk – according to the season ticket email I got on Friday, the start time for the Fermanagh match will be announced tomorrow.
Ladies seem to be going well so far against Galway.
Mayo 12 Galway 8. Half time. Cora Staunton has got nine or maybe ten for Mayo.
They’re eating them now – 2.17 to 0.12. Cora with both goals.
All over and Mayo ladies deny Galway the five in a row.
Congratulations to the Mayo Ladies beating Galway 3-20 to 0-16. First Connacht title in a few years and putting a stop to Galway’s 5 in a row!
Congratulations to the mayo ladies well done lots more to come from this team
Well done Mayo Ladies. Great win over strong opposition.
Well done Mayo ladies showing us the way Very proud
Delighted for the girls. Well done
Congrats to the ladies team especially for picking up a Connacht title this year where the men have left off.
Cora Staunton bagged 2.14 today. That is just a ridiculous haul in a provincial final.
Cora’s goals here;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZYn_YgLjWE
Congrats, girls, you were just awesome. The humour and weather was good this morning so I headed for MacHale Park and got a really enjoyable game. Ladies football is often far more enjoyable than the tactics ridden men’s game and so it proved today, although the result had a big bearing on the enjoyment. Apart from Cora’s storming performance I really enjoyed Fiona McHale’s showing. She seems to have the stamina of a marathon runner and ball control to go with it as she ran at the Galway, regularly taking the ball out of defence. Hope to see more before summer is out.
Congratulations to the Mayo Ladies! They fought hard for the win. Even if you don’t religiously follow the women’s game, these Connacht finals are excellent games to see, and I would definitely recommend anyone thats between two minds about attending ladies games – try and get to them! Both last years and this years games in Castlebar were played with such pace and skill! These women put their bodies on the line and go all in. (Martha Carter broke a bone in her hand today in the first half and played on!) Serious effort by all the team – everyone challenged the ball, harried, made themselves available, time and time again. Galway came back to within a point shortly after half-time, thanks to some frees, but Mayo just got stuck in and rallied.
To pick a few, I thought Aileen Gilroy had an excellent game, broke the Galway defence many times, running through mid-field, she finished one of her runs with a peach of a point. Yvonne Byrne had a brilliant save in the second half. Some of the points Cora got were absolutely top drawer – awkward angles and under pressure . Fiona McHale is such a smart footballer, used the ball so efficiently today, linking up in attack, don’t think I saw her get overturned at all today.
Can’t wait to see this team in action again!
super women and so proud of them all. Oh how I wish we had a dozen men with the determination and class of Cora…but she’s not the only one…Congrats to our women and hope it’ll be a long summer…