Mitchels must be wary of lethal Louisburgh

Louisburgh love this. They’re underdogs. They’re not expected to win by many. They’re playing the team that was marked out for victory before a ball was kicked in the championship – it couldn’t be better really.

The opposite can be said for Castlebar Mitchels. They’re in a dangerous place. They’re expected to win this final and were hot favourites to win the competition long before it began. Of course, the women in red and yellow had absolutely no influence on that thought-process – all they could do was play football in the best way possible.

They did that very impressively for the most part and will certainly have to do so again if they want to get their hands on the cup at the end of Saturday’s big game.

Louisburgh will arrive in the capital brimming with confidence. They knocked out Claremorris in the semi-final. Many expected the women in blue to have a real cut at winning the title, but the Louisburgh women got the better of them in a thrilling encounter.

The women from the shores of Clew Bay have smart, talented, seasoned footballers all over the field. The Needham sisters, Ciara and Tara, are among the finest inter-county players in the country, while Dee McNally certainly knows where the posts are. Throw in exciting defender Kate Morrison, team captain Áine O’Reilly, tireless midfielder Gráinne Gavin and their equally-talented colleagues, one begins to see the task facing the Mitchels women.

Castlebar’s team manager Russell Gibbons has a squad packed with experience, youth and potential. Kathryn Sullivan, Orla Conlon, Belinda Patterson and Danielle Caldwell have seen it all before. Gráinne Flynn leads a lethal forward line and Sinead O’Boyle is as good a full-back as there is in the county while teenagers such as wing-tipped wing-forward Lucy Molloy have already lit up the championship.

It promises to be a thrilling final between two fine teams and it will keep the supporters richly entertained. It could go either way, but Mitchels are favourites – just about!

VERDICT: CASTLEBAR MITCHELS