Carra U-12 girls ready for All-Ireland Community Games finals

THEY were once the most feared teams in the Community Games.

With a little-known player called Cora Staunton in their ranks, Carra conquered all around them throughout the 90s.  

Nearly two decades on, the Carra Under-12 girls are back on the brink of Community Games glory.

Tomorrow (Sunday), the girls from the barony will make the trip to SETU Carlow where they will take on the Ulster champions in the semi-final at 3.00pm.

Should they succeed, they will then meet either the Munster or Leinster champions in the final at 5.00pm.

Each game consists of four ten-minute quarters, with eleven-a-side from a panel of 15 competing on a smaller-sized pitch.

Picking the 15 to represent Carra was a ‘very difficult’ task, according to their manager Orla Donavan, who’s also over an ‘extremely talented’ Carnacon Under-12 team who have supplied all but one of the Carra panel.

“It’s their first time in it and they’ve gone this far, so it’s a great achievement,” Orla told The Mayo News.

Coming into this weekend on the back of a league title and county and provincial silverware, Orla said their overriding feeling is one of ‘determination’.

Yesterday (Friday) the girls received training and words of encouragement from local football legend Cora Staunton, who tasted a rare defeat with Carra when she lost the 1993 Community Games Final by a point to Kerry side Beauford. 

This group of Carra girls, who hail from an area that stretches from Ballyglass, to Errew, to Partry, are determined to avoid that outcome on Friday.

“They hate to lose. It’s very seldom they’ve experienced losing,” said Orla.

“[There is] very much a winning mentality amongst the 15. They are determined. They know that they’re good, but they work hard. That’s their big trait, they work hard for each other and for us. They do what we ask them.”

Since taking the Connacht title, well-wishes and good will has come flowing in from across the area.

The Carra girls will even be sporting gear generously sponsored by Ballintubber GAA Club, Electric Skyline, Brian Ivor Roofing, Kieran Nally Roofing, Barry Cryan and Carra Sports.

All going well, the team that binds several parishes under one banner will have Lough Carra glowing with bonfires of victory on Sunday evening.

They’re wary of the opposition, but you can be sure that Carra will play their own game on Sunday.

That word again: determination.

“We like to play the wings and the high press and it’s all about the attacking for us. It’s all about the goals.”

You don’t get more determined than that.