PREVIEW: Mayo ladies club championship

The age of empires in Mayo Ladies club football has come to an end. While Knockmore sit pretty at the summit, there is absolutely no guarantee that they’ll be there come county final weekend.

The days of Carnacon ruling by decree are past now. And because of the amount of clubs that have mushroomed around them in recent years, in the past they shall remain.

Their championship group will be a dogfight with ponytails and sports bras instead of Spitfires and Stukas.

Danny O’Toole’s stewardship has brought a changing of the guard to a team that were hammered by Westport in last year’s county semi-final.

The Inishturk man came on board relatively late in the season, but is understood to have instilled a high level of organisation in a team that unwittingly found themselves in a league relegation play-off against Moy Davitts.

Cora Staunton is still trekking, Fiona McHale is flying, and former Mayo seniors Doireann Hughes and Saoirse Walshe are back on board for the twenty-two time county champions.

However, even with the experience of Michelle McGing, Staunton and McHale, O’Toole’s women still face a very tricky task in getting out of the group.

The Cafferkys from Kilmovee are a class apart at club level and could ask serious questions of Carnacon.

Hollymount, who’ve had former Mayo captain Sarah Tierney all year but are eagerly awaiting the return of Ava Keane and the previously injured Nicola Hession, will also put it up to the Green and Red.

Then there’s Westport, who are essentially half a county team when they’ve everyone available.

Saoirse Lally, Fionnuala McLaughlin and Aoife Geraghty do it day-in, day-out for Mayo and are the beating heart of a team featuring intercounty panelists like Aoife Staunton, Nicola O’Malley, ex-Mayo defender Noirin Moran and sharp-shooting Mayo Minor Christina McEvilly.

Padraic ‘Pop’ Geraghty will be without talented forward Saoirse Ludden, but McLaughlin, Staunton and local boxing star Laura Moran will provide more than enough firepower.

The Covies - who are still in search of a first senior county title - are impressive, but far from impregnable.

Even with the retirement of ex-Mayo footballer Emma Lowther and with Emily Reape carrying an injury, county champions Knockmore are arguably stronger than they were last year.

Unlike other years, the two-time senior champions have enjoyed the year-round services of former All-Star Shauna Howley, Katie Munnelly, Róisín Flynn and Nina McVann, who all stepped back from the Mayo setup last year.

“It’s very hard to keep the body peaking at the right time, so I suppose it does give us an extra bit of time to rest up and give it our all later in the year for the club. It’s very hard to do it throughout the whole year with Mayo and Knockmore,” Sarah Mulvhill, a Mayo starter in 2023, told The Mayo News after the league final.

With half-back Ciara Durkan a nailed-on starter for Mayo and Lara Sweeney as good as any forward in the county, Knockmore have every right to be considered favourites for this year’s senior title.

They should progress undefeated from a Group B that contains Burrishoole who, once again, were too dependent on Mayo forward Maria Cannon for scores in their recent Division 1 final defeat to Knockmore.

Even with Mayo underage footballers Hannah Sheehy, Ava Palasz and the McDonnell sisters blossoming and the McManamon twins providing almost twelve feet of defensive steel, Cannon will need help if Burrish’ are to make it beyond the last four. Therefore, the return of injured (shoulder) ex-Mayo forward Rachel Baynes and Aisling Sheridan (knee) can’t come quick enough for Colm McManamon.

Coming off the back of an Intermediate county title, a MacHale Rovers side starring Mayo seniors Sinéad Walsh, Annie Gough and county Minor star Kayla Doherty could prove tricky for the barony women. So too will a Charlestown side with Deirdre Doherty still clocking up massive scores.

Knockmore and Westport will top their groups and will most likely see each other in the final - which will most likely be on Saturday, October 12.

Unlike last year, the respective league finalists will be afforded a two-week break before the big throw-in.

Even with the extra week’s preparation and a free weekend before the finals, getting to a semi-final will mean four games in four weeks. Therefore, even minor knocks and niggles could once again prove fatal.

Expect plenty of drama and some cracking football along the way.

Senior Group A

Carnacon, Westport A, Kilmovee Shamrocks, Hollymount

Senior Group B

Burrishoole, MacHale Rovers, Charlestown, Knockmore