n Banagher on Sunday, weather permitting, Carnacon and old foes Inch Rovers will come face to face with the All Ireland senior title at stake. Sunday’s meeting in Offaly will be the third meeting of these sides in the final in four years, with Carnacon winning both finals and now looking to make it three out of three against the Cork club. The 2007 meeting in the final saw Carnacon win out by 11 points on a score of 2-14 to 1-6, while in 2008 putting back to back titles together Carnacon won by five points to seal their double.
Carnacon are coming into the final on the back of a very impressive run in the Connacht championship and in the All Ireland semi final. In the All Ireland semi final, the Mayo women saw off the challenge of Laois and Leinster champions Timahoe by 10 points on a score of 2-16 to 2-6, with Cora Staunton once again the star of the show scoring 1-14 of Carnacon’s total. While Staunton will once again be the one to watch for the Inch Rovers defence, Carnacon have quality throughout the field with the likes of Claire Egan, Sharon McGing, Fiona McHale, Martha Carter, and team captain Aoife Loftus all stand out stars in their own right.
The Inch Rovers side will be looking for revenge for their defeats in the finals previously against Carnacon. In their semi-final they were made to work hard for their victory with Termon of Donegal putting it up to them right to the end, with Inch Rovers just getting over the line in the end by three points on a scoreline of 2-12 to 2-9. In a game that was touch and go throughout, goals from Sarah Harrington and Jill Horan were decisive in their victory. While Carnacon will be packed with star names, so too will the Inch Rovers side with a number of players who have excelled for the Cork inter county side over the past half a decade lining out for them. Players like Amy O’Shea, Mary O’Connor, Ciara Walsh, Angela Walsh, and Ann Marie Walsh all more than capable of stepping up to the mark and causing Carnacon plenty of problems all over the park.
Sunday’s game looks to be a well balanced affair with each side more than capable of taking the crown, but as Carnacon have proved over the past few years in the final against the team from Leeside, they have what it takes when it comes down to the crunch.
Parke get frozen out
The meeting of Mayo and Connacht junior champions Parke and St Michael’s of Manchester has been put on hold as the current cold snap has seen the game called off. Frank McHale’s side were supposed to fly out to Manchester to take on the UK champions on Sunday, but the game fell victim to the weather.
Mayo GAA seeks young people for focus group
Young GAA members between the ages of 10 and 16 are needed for a forthcoming focus group in conjunction with the Mayo GAA Strategic Action Plan. The focus group get-together will take place in An Sportlann, McHale Park, Castlebar, on Monday, December 6, at 7pm, and will last for an hour. It will be facilitated by Robert Grealis (Kilmeena GAA Club ), Maria Staunton (Ballintubber ), and Eamon Kennedy (Castlebar Mitchels ). Approximately 24 young GAA members are required for the group, where they will be asked for their opinions on various aspects of Gaelic games in the county. Any young person who would like to take part should contact Liam Horan (Ballinrobe GAA Club ), chairperson, Mayo GAA Strategic Action Steering Committee, on 087 9185 867, or email [email protected]
Meanwhile, former St Colman’s College principal Danny McHugh has been named as the final appointment to the steering committee, where his primary responsibility is as chairperson of the secondary schools’ sub-committee. The steering committee is inviting submissions from GAA units, members, and the public. Full details of how to make submissions electronically can be found on www.MayoGAA.com Submissions can also be posted to Liam Horan (Ballinrobe GAA Club ), The Farmyard, Liskillen, Ballinrobe. The committee’s findings will then go before the February meeting of the Mayo GAA Board for ratification as the county’s official action plan.
