Mayo ladies to miss key players in 2025

THE Mayo ladies will be without the services of former All-Star-nominated forward Lisa Cafferky, her sister Sinéad, and long-serving Fiona McHale for 2025.

Announcing their senior squad for the 2025 National Football League, Mayo LGFA confirmed that the experienced trio had opted out of the Mayo senior squad.

The Cafferky sisters have been key attackers for Mayo for many years while Fiona McHale has featured for Mayo on numerous occasions since making her senior intercounty debut in 2004. Laura Brennan, Mayo’s first-choice goalkeeper in 2024, has also opted out for 2025, as has former All-star nominee, Éilis Ronayne. 

Mayo ladies manager Liam McHale has announced a 39-player squad for the upcoming national league campaign, which will see Mayo again test themselves in Division 1. 

Ciara Whyte from Kilmoremoy, who opted out of intercounty duty in 2024, has also been added to the Mayo squad, as has Charlestown’s Ella Brennan, who had been recovering from a cruciate injury. 

Mayo are also bolstered by the inclusion of the experienced Danielle Caldwell, Kathryn Sullivan (both Castlebar Mitchels), Aoife Geraghty and Saoirse Lally from senior county champions, Westport. 

Knockmore’s Clodagh Keane has been added to the Mayo panel along with clubmates Hannah Reape and Ciara Durkin. Former All-Star Shauna Howley has not been included, however, nor has former Mayo senior Sarah Mulvihill, who have won two senior county titles with Knockmore in recent seasons. 

Former Mayo footballers Dayna Finn, Rachel Kearns and Sarah Rowe, who have played in the AFLW in Australia in recent seasons, have not been named in the squad but have not ruled out a return in the future.  

Fellow ex-Mayo footballers Niamh and Grace Kelly and Aileen Gilroy remain contracted to AFLW sides Adelaide, St Kilda and Hawthorn, respectively.

McHale’s squad contains a number of young players who impressed in this year’s club championship, including Mayo News Ladies Team of the Year members Bree Hession (Claremorris) and Lilian Keane (Aghamore). Hession, who played Minor for Mayo in 2024 and has starred for the Claremorris adult team in recent years, is joined by clubmates Síomha McNulty and Alana Fitzpatrick.

“The talent of some of these young players is phenomenal,” said Mayo manager Liam MacHale, who is facing into his second season in charge.

“We are really excited to see what the new season brings and training has been very competitive and positive over the past few weeks.” 

Mayo face a tough away trip to 2023 All-Ireland champions Dublin in Parnell Park on January 26 in their first league match of the year.

Mayo lost to Dublin, Armagh and Meath, drew with Kerry, and defeated Galway, Cork and Waterford en route to a fifth-place finish in last year’s national league. 

McHale’s women lost the Connacht final to Galway and saw their All-Ireland championship campaign ended by Armagh in the quarter-finals.

The full Mayo ladies panel for the 2025 national league campaign is as follows:

Aisling Flanagan (Breaffy), Kayla Doherty (MacHale Rovers), Annie Gough (MacHale Rovers), Sinéad Walsh (MacHale Rovers),  Charlie Benson (MacHale Rovers), Aoife Geraghty (Westport), Fionnuala McLaughlin (Westport), Saoirse Lally (Westport), Sherin El Massry (Westport), Nicola O’Malley (Westport), Saoirse Delaney (Aghamore), Lilian Keane (Aghamore), Niamh Mooney (Aghamore), Allanagh Devereux (The Neale), Bree Hession (Claremorris), Síomha McNulty (Claremorris), Alana Fitzpatrick (Claremorris), Lucy Wallace (Burrishoole), Maria Cannon (Burrishoole), Lynda Hanley (Kilmovee Shamrocks), Milly Sheridan (Kilmoremoy), Mary McHale (Kilmoremoy), Ciara Whyte (Kilmoremoy), Ciara Durkin (Knockmore), Clodagh Keane (Knockmore), Hannah Reape (Knockmore), Riona Jordan (Balla), Róisín Dyar (Louisburgh), Gráinne Gavin (Louisburgh), Danielle Caldwell (Castlebar Mitchels), Suzanne Tuohy (Castlebar Mitchels), Kathryn Sullivan (Castlebar Mitchels), Erin Murray (Ballyhaunis), Sarah Carney (Moy Davitts), Ella Brennan (Charlestown), Chelsea Doherty (Charlestown), Julia Gawalkeiwicz (Charlestown), Jenna Mortimer (Hollymount), Laura Walsh (Parke).