Two Mayo women honoured at Irish Times / Sport Ireland Sportswoman Awards

Legendary Mayo Gaelic football forward Cora Staunton, who won four All-Irelands and three National League titles Mayo, has been honoured with the Irish Times / Sport Ireland Outstanding Contribution to Sport Award.

In addition to her county medals, Staunton, who made her debut for the county team in 1995 aged just 13, won six All-Ireland ladies club football championships with her club Carnacon. Speaking at the Irish Times / Sport Ireland Sportswoman Awards she said she was honoured to receive the award. And she outlined the role of football in her life.

“When you look at the list of people who have won this award, it’s a huge honour for me and one I’m very privileged to get…Football has given me everything, my job, I work with Mayo Sports Partnership, I coach with Ballina Stephenites and I’m involved in coaching my own club Carnacon. It consumes every day, I do a bit of work in the media as well. I love it, it has given me huge opportunities.”

She also talked about the importance of giving back to the sport. “I think it’s right to give back. You mightn’t have the time, but you make the time. I’m very conscious of that in my own club where I’ve been coaching underage for the last number of years. I’m very busy with what I do in work and the other aspects of coaching but it’s really important.”

“I was that young girl at one stage that needed people to coach me and they did that. I didn’t get to where I was on my own, it’s your family, your coaches. So, it’s hugely important to give back. But I really enjoy it, everything in sport I really enjoy.”

In a senior career which spanned 24 years in total in the red and green of Mayo, she amassed a total of 11 All Star Awards. She retired from intercounty football in 2019.

Despite her retirement from football, Staunton continued to play Aussie Rules, having become the first overseas player to be drafted in the fledgling Women’s Australian Football League when she was selected by Great Western Sydney Giants for the 2017 season. She went on to score over 50 goals in her Aussie Rules career before retiring in 2023. She also played soccer, winning an FAI cup medal in 2006 and captained Castlebar to a first Connacht Rugby Women’s League title back in 2013.

Staunton is now a respected football analyst and commentator with RTE. Her autobiography, called Game Changer, was named the 2018 Bord Gáis Energy Sports Book of the Year. Several years ago she was asked by The Irish Times what advice she had for young people looking to get into sport.

“The biggest piece of advice I could give to young people, whether you’re male or female, is it can take you a long time to find the sport that you love or have a passion for. You don’t have to play sports at an elite level or very competitive level and sometimes I don’t even like to use the word sport, I like to say interest because it doesn’t always have to be sport. You might be involved in dance, or you could be involved in music, or be involved in drama….. It can take a long time to find your interest and what you need to do is keep trying and trying out things and finding out what you like.”

“I’m often asked at school talks what my favourite thing is about sport, is it winning in Croke Park? Travelling to Australia? They’re all great things but it’s the people that you meet within sport that are without a shadow of a doubt the biggest reason that we keep continuing to play sport. It’s the team-mates, the friends, the coaches, all of these people, they become lifelong friends.”

Hazel Finn – Sportswoman of the Month for January ‘25

Mayo woman Hazel Finn received the Irish Times / Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Month award for January for her superb performance in the Paudie O’Connor National Cup final triumph with Liffey Celtics.

Speaking afterwards Finn said; "It was a real honour to receive Sportswoman of the Month in January in recognition of coming off the bench to help seal Liffey Celtics' National Cup Final win over Killester. To be presented with the award in person today at the Irish Times and Sport Ireland ceremony in front of my parents, sister and brother was an incredibly proud and special moment and one I will always remember and cherish.  This is an award that’s gone to so many people I admire, so I'm delighted and honoured to be counted among them."

As well as producing a typical tigerish defensive display in that final win over Killester, the 21-year-old from Kiltimagh, scored 13 points and chipped in with eight rebounds. Not surprisingly she was named MVP, her first time to win MVP as a senior player. But Finn who is now a student in Trinity College and playing with Trinity Meteors, highlighted the contribution of all her teammates.

“I’m not just being nice saying this, but all the team were MVPs that day. Everyone did their job and that’s how we won the game. The young girls coming on too, they put everything on the court, this is just a really talented team. Days like that don’t come around very often, so you have to take it all in and celebrate them as much as you can.”

That win capped a hectic couple of months for Finn, as she had only made her senior international debut a couple of months before in an away defeat to Latvia in Riga. That day she was Ireland’s joint top scorer with 13 points. A bright future undoubtedly beckons for this rising basketball star.