'They're a great bunch of girls' - Gorman

“Delighted. “Brilliant. “Fantastic.”

Those were the first three words uttered by Ballinrobe Community School joint-managers Eimear Gorman and Ruth Donnellan when asked to sum up their feelings after a win that was 29 years in the making. 

After watching one of the greatest performances from any Mayo team in an All-Ireland final, they had every right to feel that way. 

“I think the girls were just really up for it themselves. We kept them calm all the way down to Limerick today. They knew what they had to do,” Gorman told The Mayo News. 

“We were well up at half-time but we kind of warned them that it wasn’t time to be lying down and they needed to keep at it. We’ve said all along that they always seem to know themselves what needs to be done and they stuck to the simple things and did them right.”

This final was certainly an easier watch than the All-Ireland semi-final, where they came from behind to secure their dance with history. 

“It just started very well for us today and from there we just took off. That’s it really,” said Donnellan.

“We still didn’t relax until the final whistle,” added Gorman. 

This all-female management duo have always sought to play down their own input into Ballinrobe Community School’s first All-Ireland ladies title since 1995 and the two teachers never imagined they’d be the ones to end that 29-year wait. 

“No, definitely not,” said Gorman.

“We knew we had a great bunch of girls and we knew they were capable of great things but I don’t think we thought this was on.”

They knew they had a good bunch of footballers, and an even better bunch of young women. 

“Well I think there isn’t an awful lot of managing to these girls. They’re a very mature, very sensible bunch and we’ve been relatively hands off with them,” Gorman added.

With senior football in store for this panel over the next two years, who’s to say that they’ll have to wait another 29 years to light the bonfires on The Neale Road?

“They are a great bunch of girls,” said Gorman.

“It’s great that they’re junior and we’ll know that they’ll be around for the senior competition as well. It’s heading in the right direction.”

You can be sure of that. And you can be sure it’s going to inspire the younger students to replicate their heroics. 

“I think it’s exactly what we needed if I’m honest,” added Gorman.