Minor All Ireland final- Cork do battle with Mayo

Minor All Ireland final- Cork do battle with Mayo

On this Saturday at Birr Co Offaly, Cork take on Mayo in
the final of the All-Ireland Minor Championship. The game
is fixed for 3pm. Cork will start favourites despite the
fact they could be missing 2 players, members of the senior
camogie panel for the All-Ireland on Sunday and who will
not be released to play on Saturday. It is a pity that common
sense cannot prevail and the girls be given a chance to
play in their own age group in an All-Ireland which they
have set their hearts on since they came came together for
their first training camp last December in Tralee. Neither
are on the Camogie starting 15. Also missing will be influential
forward Kareina Richards who will be heading to Dublin airport
to fly out to Macedonia to play for the Irish under 19 Soccer
team as her teammates will be taking the field T

his Cork team showed tremendous form in defeating a fancied
Kerry team in the Munster final. They were much too strong
for Laois in the All-Ireland Semi-final. They will have
to be at their very best to overcome Mayo who include 7
members of their Seniors on their squad. They had a very
tough game in the Semi against Monaghan whom they defeated
in extra time and that will stand them in good stead. They
defeated reigning champions Galway in the Connaught final
and that was quite unexpected.

Mayo who have not won the Minor title for 15 years will
be well prepared by Mayo Senior legends Cora Staunton and
Yvonne Byrne, with Senior manger Finbarr Egan keeping a
watching brief. Triona McNicholas, Emma Mullin and Anette
Gallagher have plenty of experience in the forward line
and they have strong defenders inn Paula Fitzgerald, Patricia
Moran and Caroline McGing. On of the highlights of the game
should the the midfield clash of Cork pairing Norita Kelly
and Geraldine O’Flynn and Mayo’s Edel Colleran and Rachel
Nolan. Cork have a strong defence with Brid Stack an inspiring
capt at fullback, Claire o’Donoghue is a very reliable keeper
and up front in the absence of the regular trio a lot will
fall on the shoulders of Marie O’Neill, Sile Burns and Aisling
Barrett.

As Manager of the Cork team and with huge respect for Mayo,
I am not going to predict the outcome but hope that the
game will be a classic worthy of both counties and may the
best team win.

Fr. Liam Kelleher 087-8516984