The Mayo senior camogie side will face their stiffest test since rejoining the senior ranks of the game tomorrow afternoon.
Jimmy Lyons' charges will take on last year's Nancy Murray Cup winners, Cavan, in the division four National Camogie League semi-finals at 3pm in Markievicz Park in Sligo.
The Ulster outfit booked their place in the last four of the competition, finishing top of group one in division four, winning three from three - seeing off Wicklow and Antrim at their ease, before being pushed all the way by Tyrone in their final group game on the road a fortnight ago.
In their group Cavan saw off Wicklow 5-28 to 0-2 in round one, then followed that up with a 5-22 to 3-4 win over Antrim on the road and then edging Tyrone on a score of 0-12 to 0-8 also away from home.
The high scoring Breffni side have racked up 10-62 in their three games so far this season, while conceding only 3-14 along the way. Mayo have recorded big scores themselves, finishing up the group stages with 10-30 to their name, with 3-16 going against them.
Saturday's game will be another step up in class for Mayo - having seen off both Kildare and Louth handily enough in their last two outings, winning 1-14 to 0-4 against the Lillywhites, before putting 7-14 on the board against the Wee county in their last game - they bounced back to win those two games after being beaten by Roscommon on their first day out.
Mayo will be looking to the likes of Lisa Scahill to keep up her scoring returns from their first three games when they take to the field. The Westport full forward has hit 5-3 for Mayo so far, including 4-2 in their last game against Louth - she showed a real eye for goal when the chance arose that day and Mayo will be hoping she gets the chance to have a few more goes at the target on Saturday.
In the middle of the park they will be hoping that Na Brideoga's Meabh Delaney will be able to influence the game, both from play and dead balls. She's tallied up 1-13 so far as the teams free-taker, bagging 1-2 against Roscommon, following that up with 0-7 in the Kildare game and another four points against Louth.
There was a welcome first appearance for the season for Mayo captain Helen O'Malley in that Louth game. The Islandeady native who plays her club Camogie with St Judes in Dublin, made her return to the fore after breaking a bone in her hand in the lead-up to their opener against Roscommon - coming on against Louth and chipping in with two points from the bench.
Ciara Delaney is another who got in on the scoring act in that Louth game, finishing up with 2-1, while Orna Hession bagged 1-1 to go with the three points she got against Kildare in round two.
It is going to be a big task for Mayo on Saturday afternoon, but they have shown already they are well able to mix it with counties who are a lot further down the track in their progress so far this season – and they are just an hour away from a national final in their first year back in the senior ranks.
