Regan praises Mayo U-16s after impressive All-Ireland semi-final win over Kerry

“It’s hard to sum it up,” were the first words Mayo U-16 girls manager, Francis Regan, uttered after the All-Ireland U-16 A semi-final.

Indeed, we’re not all that used to seeing Mayo teams get ahead, and stay ahead, against good teams.

However, this Mayo team is different. They entertain for all the right reasons. Quite rightly - they are now the first Mayo side to contest an All-Ireland final at this grade since Martha O’Malley, Emma Mullin, Helena Lohan and Co took on Waterford back in 1996.

“Some of the management team weren’t even born the last time we were in it,” says Regan (neither was he).

“Everything I asked them to do today they pulled it off. I’m just so so proud of them.”

How did they do it?

“We decided on the way up that we’re going to play against the wind in the first half, keep it tight, not concede a goal and luckily, thank God, it paid off. We ended up picking off a goal in the first half ourselves, then in the second half we went at them. We played ball.”

The certainly did.

“When you’ve the likes of Emma Stagg and Kate Byrne in the full-forward line, why not play the ball into them,” continued Regan. “That was huge. We couldn’t ask for much more from them.”

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Francis Regan takes little credit for getting this Mayo team to a first U-16 final in 28 years.

Then again, there are no individuals, solo-runners or blowhards in this Mayo side. Just 35 girls who are willing to die for each other and the sacred green and red cloth that adorns their back.

“Every one of them played for the team, they seen the bigger prize ahead. That’s all I can ask for. All the subs that came on, it was just huge,” the 25-year-old Regan added.

“There was four or five girls I could have easily brought on, I know they’ll be disappointed. They are going to have a massive part to play in the final. That’s the joys of having a competitive squad. We had options there to bring on.”

Bar a scatter of club matches, two challenge games and endless amounts of training, Mayo hadn’t had a true gauge of themselves since the Connacht final 74 days previously.

“When you have 12 weeks it’s hard to know how to judge it,” said Regan.

“We didn’t know where we were. The Waterford [challenge] game wasn’t a great reading, they were in the B semi-final, so we didn’t know where we were. That was the biggest worry, that was where the nerves were coming from this morning that we didn’t know were they going to perform, had we done enough with them. Thankfully they did great today, so roll on Cavan.”

What can’t go unremarked upon is the journey this group of girls have had. From the All-Ireland U-14 glory of yesteryear, to a wet and windy Bekan, to a slightly less wet and windy Rathkeale, this Mayo team has gone all the way before, and intend to do so again.

“We’re in bonus territory now. We could have been out back in April if we lost the Connacht final so we see this as bonus territory so why not enjoy it,” said Regan

And they’re having a lot of fun doing it.

“The bus journey up, they never stopped singing. That’s what we want,” the Mayo Gaels footballer added.

“We have 35 girls, not all of them are going to get game time, so we have to make it as memorable as possible and as enjoyable as possible. These are the moments we’re going to savour, enjoy the bus journey home and back to work on Saturday.”