Mayos magnificent seven go for four

Starting position in previous finals: Goalkeeper
Player you most admire: Helena Lohan
Most difficult opponent: Kasey O’Driscoll (Kerry)

Strengths as a player: Reliable last line of
defence, with good reflexes.
Outstanding performance: Rarely called into action,
due to the hard work of the six backs, but has made
important saves on occasions and also made a vital interception
at the end of last year’s final, with Monaghan forwards
charging in on goal.
Most memorable moment: “The final whistle in
last year’s final. The relief was incredible.”
Worst moment of the last five years: “The final
whistle in 2001.”
Comment on team: “A wonderful group to play with.
All talented, all committed and all willing to die for
each other on the pitch.”
What does future hold: “It depends on Sunday’s
result. I think this team has a very bright future and
the possibility of further All-Irelands is very real,
if the players stick together.”

Name:

Player you most admire: Mary O’Donnell, Waterford

Most difficult opponent: Angie McNally (Dublin)

Strengths as a player: Physical strength, power
and determination are her defining characteristics.
Though not particularly tall, she is an excellent fielder
of the ball and her ability to win the ball in seemingly
impossible situations is incredible.
Outstanding performance: She has been a key factor
in all of Mayo’s successes, but perhaps her greatest
game was the All-Ireland final in 1999 when, at the
age of just 16, she broke Waterford hearts with a powerful
performance. Also excelled in the 2002 championship.

Most memorable moment: “Last year’s final, for
lots of reasons.”
Worst moment of the last five years: “All-Ireland
2001, for obvious reasons.”

Comment on team: “It’s a group of very different characters
but it’s a great group to be part of.”
What does future hold: “Not wishing to be melodramatic,
but ask me after Sunday, October 5th! It does come down
to that at this stage.”

Name:

Strengths as a player: The best man-marker in
the country by some distance. Her speed and ability
to read the game make her a thorn in the side of every
attacker, and she has curbed the best of them on a regular
basis. One of the best exponents of the art of blocking
the ball.
Outstanding performance: Picking out a poor performance
over the five years is difficult, such is her consistency.
Keeping the mighty Aine Wall scoreless in the 1999 final
was probably her greatest achievement, but her marking
in all other games has been equally effective.
Most memorable moment: “Winning in 1999.”
Worst moment of the last five years: “Losing
in 2001.”
Comment on team: “A team full of different personalities
but we all seem to gel on the pitch.” What does future
hold: “It all depends on what happens this year. That
will tell a lot.”

Name:

Age: 20 Club: The Neale

Occupation: Student

Made Mayo senior debut: 1998
Honours won: 3 All-Irelands; 1 National League;
2 All-Stars; Irish Examiner National Junior Sports Star
2000.

Starting position in previous finals: Full-back

Player you most admire: Denise Horan

Most difficult opponent: Hard to call between Christina
Heffernan and Kasey O’Driscoll (Kerry).

Strengths as a player: Her hands! Her fielding is
exceptional, in crowded goalmouths, on the run, at full-stretch,
off-balance – it doesn’t seem to matter. An excellent
reader of the game, she positions herself perfectly
to pick up loose ball and break up attacks.

Outstanding performance: Another flawless performer
over the five years. Player of the match in Mayo’s most
recent semi-final win over Galway, when she used her
hands of glue to mop up everything. Also excelled in
the 2001 semi-final, making life impossible for the
imposing Eithne Morrissey.

Most memorable moment: “Winning in 1999.”

Worst moment of the last five years: “Losing in
2001.”

Comment on team: “Everyone is pretty unique in their
own way. We all get on really well together and the
craic is good.”

What does future hold: “Not sure. A lot will depend
on next Sunday.”

Name:

Age: 21 Club: Carnacon

Occupation: Student
Made Mayo senior debut: 1995

Honours won: 3 All-Irelands; 3 All-Stars; 1 club
all-Ireland; Player of the Year 2000; 2 Western People
Sports Stars of the Year awards.

Starting position in previous finals: Corner-forward;
wing forward.

Player you most admire: Edel Byrne (Monaghan)

Most difficult opponent: Any of our Mayo backs in
training.

Strengths as a player: Where does one begin? Probably
the best player in the country over the last five years,
Cora’s strengths are many. Powerfully-built and exceptionally
strong, she drives through people with the greatest
of ease – and absolutely no fear. An accurate free-taker
and the most free-scoring forward in the game.

Outstanding performance: She has had several, but
2000 was undoubtedly her best year, when she scored
3-6 in the semi-final against Tyrone and 2-2 in the
final.
Most memorable moment: “Last year’s All-Ireland
final.”

Worst moment of the last five years: “Losing in
2001.”

Comment on team: “It’s a great team. We all get
on very well. A good bunch to work with. Been around
a long time and the young ones mix in well. Good craic
as well.”

What does future hold: “Hopeully, there’s another
few years in us, but we take every year as it comes.
We’re still very young.”

Name:

Age: 27

Club: Hollymount

Occupation: Acting Staff Officer with North-Western
Health Board Made Mayo debut: 1992 Honours won: 3 All-Irelands;
1 N.F.L.; 2 inter-provincials; 6 All-Stars; 2 Western
People Sports Stars; 1 Player of the Year; 5 schools
All-Irelands.

Starting position in previous finals: Midfield and
half-forward

Player you most admire: Mary Joe Curran (Kerry)

Most difficult opponent: Claire Egan

Strengths as a player: Her determination, commitment
and skill have made her one of the best players ever
to grace the game of ladies football. When all around
her are losing their heads – or dropping them – she
continues to lead and inspire. Outstanding performance:
In the semi-final win over Galway two weeks ago, she
was brilliant. It was one of those days when leadership
was needed – and she provided it, making herself available
for the ball all day and making sure she won it. Didn’t
put a foot wrong. Her best year was 1999, when she was
named player of the year, for her starring role in Mayo’s
semi-final and final victories.

Most memorable moment: “Winning last year’s All-Ireland.
I thought we showed great character.”

Worst moment of the last five years: “Losing in
2001.”

Comment on team: They’re a great group. “The commitment
is huge and we’ve been on the go for five years and
it’s not easy to keep it going all the time. But it
helps when you see so many people making the commitment.”

What does the future hold: “We can go on for
another few years. It’s still a very young team, there
are so many players not yet twenty-one, and with the
minor team coming through we can continue to be successful.”

Name:

Age: 25

Club: Hollymount

Occupation: Insurance broker (Murray & Spelman,
Galway)

Made Mayo debut: 1993

Honours won: 3 All-Irelands; 1 N.F.L.; 3 All-Stars;
1 Player of the Year; 2 inter-provincials.

Starting position in previous finals: Full-back,
corner-back, midfield and full-forward. Player you
most admire: Mary O’Donnell (Waterford)

Most difficult opponent: Noelle Comyns (Clare)
Strengths as a player: Determination is her greatest
asset. No matter how badly things are going, she goes
for everything, never relenting. Her fielding and strength
made her an excellent back, and now she is using thosesame
qualities equally well in attack.

Outstanding performance: Who can forget last year’s
final and the way she ran at the Monaghan defence. Her
contribution of two points scarcely did justice to the
hard work she did, but was the difference between winning
and losing. Rightly named player of the match in last
year’s final and footballer of the year last season.

Most memorable moment of the last five years: Last
years All-Ireland.

Worst moment of the last five years: Losing in 2001
View on the team: It’s a great group. We’ve been through
a lot in the last five years together and we’re like
a big family in lots of ways.

What does future hold? There’s a lot of young talent
coming through. If we come through on Sunday anything
can happen but I think there’s a good future. It was
great to see the minor team getting to the All-Ireland
final.