Cora Staunton not ruling out another year with Carnacon

FORMER Mayo footballer Cora Staunton has not ruled out lining out with her club for yet another season.

Speaking to The Mayo News, the eleven-time All-Star refused to rule out a return to the Carnacon jersey in 2024 when asked about her plans for the season.

The 42-year-old has been playing with Carnacon since the age of ten, with whom she has won 22 senior county titles, sixteen Connacht titles and six All-Ireland titles.

As well as media commitments, Staunton has recently joined the Ballina Stephenites senior footballers’ backroom team as a forwards coach.

Staunton was asked to join up with the senior county champions prior to Christmas by their manager Niall Heffernan, who worked with her during his time in the Mayo senior ladies backroom team in 2017.

Last year, she worked with the Galway senior camogie team as a performance coach. Staunton has also previously coached the Mayo Minor ladies and Carnacon underage teams.

“I’ll try to keep myself ticking over and fit for these early parts of the winter but I’ll see as time goes on,” said Staunton.

“With my age and priorities moving to coaching and stuff I’ll always dig them out and give as much as I can to them, and they know that. If time allows me, I’ll certainly tip away with them and do a bit. But as I said, priority is probably to take – I’ve been playing with them since I was ten years [old]. I have 30 plus years given service to them but certainly I’ll be always around the club, whether it’s helping out with the underage or throwing on my boots whenever they need it.

“There won’t be any retirement statements or anything like that,” she added.

“Don’t be surprised if you see me in a league game down in Knockmore or in a championship game. I’ll see in a couple of months where I need to worry about. Now I’ll just keep fit and that. They certainly don’t need me for league games and that. They’ve enough young talent coming through.”

Twenty-two time county champions Carnacon won their last Mayo senior championship title in 2020.

The club made their last county final appearance in 2021 where they were beaten by Knockmore – who also defeated them in the following year’s semi-final.

Carnacon reached the semi-finals of the 2023 senior club championship where they were toppled by Westport in a 22-point defeat.