Having had to come through two titanic encounters with Galway champions Kilkerrin/Clonberne - Carnacon's attentions turn north this Sunday when they take on Tyrone and Ulster champions St MacCartans in the All Ireland semi-final in the Red Hand side's home patch at 2pm. The Carnacon girls are looking to make it back to the final of the competition for the first time since 2013 as they go looking to claim their sixth All Ireland title. Since they first claimed an All Ireland title in 2002, the Mayo side have reached the final on eight occasions winning five and losing three times.
On Sunday they face and up and coming outfit - who dethroned the defending All Ireland and Ulster champions Donaghmoyne from Monaghan thanks to a getting off to a brilliant start in the provincial decider going in leading 3-3 to 0-1 at the short whistle, thanks to a brace of goals from Paula Donnelly and the third goal from Cathy Maguire - in the second half St MacCartans only added a solitary point, but they were able to withstand a second half fight back from the defending All Ireland champions to win out 3-4 to 1-8. The Tyrone side will have a very familiar face on the sideline with former Tyrone player and three time All Star - Ryan McMenamin - whose in his third year in charge of the side.
As for Carnacon they showed all their quality and fighting spirit in abundance in both Connacht finals, having been involved in a epic encounter in the first game they were put to the pin of their collar once more in the replay edging that one by three points thanks to rapid-fire late goals from Cora Staunton and Amy Dowling as Carnacon came from behind in amazing fashion to retain their Connacht ladies senior club football title at the end of a epic two game affair. They were trailing by three points with time almost up, before Staunton found the back of the net from a close range free to level it up - and then Dowling held her nerve to lash home the winner just before the full-time whistle. Staunton finished with 1-6 to her name, but it was far from a one-woman show on the scoreboard with Dolwing, Emma Cosgrave and Briana Bruton all finding the net too in the game.
Having to go all the way to their opponents home ground isn't the ideal venue for Carnacon, but their management team of Jimmy Corbett and Beatrice Casey will know that their side knows what it takes to win games like this with experienced players like Staunton, Fiona McHale, Martha Carter, Sharon McGing and Marie Corbett to drive them on. The Ulster girls also showed they know what they are about by turning over the defending All Ireland champions in their provincial final having lost out to them at the same stage last year.
