Westport gear up for All-Ireland Champions' visit to Mayo

Two weeks ago, MacHale Park was the scene of joy and jubilation when Pop Geraghty’s sky-blue heroes produced a magnificent comeback to win the Mayo Senior title.

However, the Jimmy Corbett Perpetual Cup hadn’t even been hoisted aloft before the words ‘Kilkerrin-Clonberne’ were on the lips of some of the Clew Bay contingent.

“We respect Kilkerrin-Clonberne so much,” Sherin El Masry told The Mayo News immediately after the county final.

“Last year, we played them when we were fresh out of Mayo, having only won the championship for the first time. This year, we’ll be better prepared to have a crack at it.”

Kilkerrin-Clonberne are rightly viewed as the benchmark of Ladies' football, and rightly so, given their success.

However, in 2024, they came up against the stiffest test of their crown when the women from the ‘Port went toe-to-toe with the East Galway juggernaut.

The Mayo champions put it up to the Tribeswomen for long periods, and were within two points after Ava Lambert teed up Laura Moran for a thunderous goal at the start of the second half.

However, the All-Ireland champions were spurred into life by that net-shaker, and scored 1-3 without reply from there on in.

Eva Noone was on fire that day and is still a major threat for Wille Ward’s women, as evidenced when they swept Claregalway aside by 16 points in this year's county final.

That’s far from the only weapon in a stacked arsenal. Nicola Ward is a regular fixture in the half-backs, and won All-Stars in both 2019 and 2024, and was joined by Olivia Divilly last season.

However, Westport will be waiting for them in the shadow of the Reek on Sunday afternoon.

Laura Moran showed last year she can make life difficult for the likes of Sarah Gormley and Lisa Finnegan, while Chloe Miskell and Noone will have their fill of it when the O’Malleys and Saoirse Lally are looking to snuff out threats as is their want within the Mayo borders.

Time will tell if Westport can steal a march on the All-Ireland champions.

If they bring their ‘A’ game, though, there’s every chance the Mayo women can send a message out to the rest of the country: watch out for Westport.

VERDICT: Westport