Carter and ladies bounce back

Carter and Mayo bounce back


Preview
Colin McDonagh

A LOT of water has gone under the bridge since Mayo last won an All-Ireland ladies football title. During the glory days, All-Ireland wins were in plentiful supply. At the turn of the millennium, victories came in 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2003.
Martha Carter was just starting out her inter-county career nine years ago when Mayo last won the Brendan Martin Cup. The Carnacon starlet has seen it all with her beloved county down through the years.
And as Carter and her team-mates prepare for battle against Ulster champions Monaghan on Saturday, the Sligo-based Garda took time out from her busy schedule to speak to The Mayo News about all things football and the season so far.
“We know we’re in for a very tough game on Saturday,” she said. “Monaghan are a very good side. They are an up and coming team and they beat Cork in the League final in May, which is no mean feat. They came through Ulster with relative ease, so it’s going to be a very tough game. It will be a totally different match to the Tyrone game, but we just have to focus on our own game and bring our training methods onto the playing field.”
Mayo have taken the scenic route to the last eight, having lost to Galway in the Connacht final. They recovered to surge past Tyrone in round three of the All-Ireland Qualifiers to book their place in the quarter-final.
Carter believes cockiness was not a factor going into the Connacht decider in McHale Park on July 8 after comfortable disposing of the Tribeswomen in the Division 2 Final earlier this summer.
“We got two players sin-binned at crucial stages in the game and obviously that didn’t help us,” she reflects. “Things just fell apart on the day and it was very disappointing. We didn’t come into the game believing it would be easy, but we were delighted to get another chance, and now the focus is on the quarter-final.”
In terms of preparation for Saturday’s game, the Killawalla native is chomping at the bit to have a crack at last year’s All Ireland runners-up.
“Our training has gone great and we’ve been working on getting the right game-plan. I think it will be a very good game. If we show our true potential, perform as a team and show our ability, we will have a real chance. We must give it all on the pitch.”
Her determination and passion are clear. The 2009 All-Star has been there through good times and bad, and one ambition still drives the 29 years old.
“There would be no point being involved if I didn’t believe this group of players couldn’t win an All-Ireland,” said Carter, who feels the younger players have been a revelation. “A lot of the minor team have been training with us, and there are a lot of girls involved who wouldn’t have played minor too. It’s great because it gives the older players a lift and it keeps us on our toes!”

Fixture
All-Ireland Senior Ladies FC Quarter-final
Mayo v Monaghan
Saturday, August 25
Hyde Park, Roscommon
at 2.30pm
Referee: MJ O’Keeffe (Cork)