02 October 2003 The triumphs and tribulations of Mayo Share this Article 0 0 0 Shares! 0 Shares! Having reported on Mayo’s four-successive All-Ireland final appearances, Ivan Neill looks back and relives some memorable moments from those games at Croke Park 1999 – History MAYO 0-12 WATERFORD 1-8 Memories from this chapter in the history of Mayo ladies football are endless. According to the form book, Mayo had no chance of applying the brakes to Waterford’s bid to capture its second-successive title, particularly as chief gunner Cora Staunton had sustained a fractured collarbone in the build-up to the game. Cora did line out at corner-forward for the throw-in but was replaced by Orla Casby within two minutes. Mayo’s victory was something special, but what really brought the tears to my eyes sitting on the upper Hogan Stand was the sheer grit, determination and courage displayed by the Mayo heroines. I still have visual memories of the magnificent fielding by centre-back Yvonne Byrne and the tormenting run by left-half forward, Sinead Costello towards the Waterford posts to land a point at a critical stage of the game. Was it any wonder, then, that the Mayo heroines won the admiration of the 25,000 people in Croke Park and of the live tv viewing audience for serving up such a memorable performance against all the odds. Mayo: Denise Horan; Nuala O’Shea, Helena Lohan, Imelda Mullarkey (0-1); Marcella Heffernan, Yvonne Byrne, Niamh Lally; Claire Egan, Christina Heffernan (0-3); Maria Staunton, Cora Staunton, Sinead Costello (0-1); Diane O’Hora (0-6), Sabrina Bailey (0-1), Martha O’Malley. Subs used: Orla Casby and Shelly Gibbons. Referee: Finbar O’Driscoll (Dublin) . 2000 – Affirmation MAYO 3-6 WATERFORD 0-14 Having defeated Waterford the previous year, many had looked on the 2000 final clash between the same two counties as a real opportunity for the Waterford ladies to take their revenge. But, like the true champions they proved themselves to be, the Mayo heroines’ tremendous battling qualities shone through in the closing, exciting minutes. It was a real roller-coaster affair with the lead alternating several times with the counties locked in combat on four occasions. Cora Staunton, compensating for her previous year’s mishap, produced a player of the match performance. There were many others who would have deserved Oscars as well and some of those who come to mind include Christina Heffernan, Claire Egan, Rachel Barrett, Helena Lohan, Denise Horan, Maria Staunton, Yvonne Byrne and Rachel Barrett, whose last few seconds blockdown in the middle of the field denied the Waterford ladies of a possible equalising point. One of the abiding memories from this final was the coolness and confident manner in which Yvonne Byrne drilled home Mayo’s penalty twelve minutes into the second half. Mayo: Denise Horan; Nuala O’Shea, Helena Lohan, Niamh Lally; Orla Casby, Assumpta Bohan (0-1) Yvonne Byrne (1-0); Marcella Heffernan (0-1), Rachel Barrett; Maria Staunton (capt), Christina Heffernan (0-1), Claire Egan; Diane O’Hora (0-1), Cora Staunton (2-2), Sabrina Bailey. Subs used: Denise McDonagh (for Bailey); Martha O’Malley (for Maria Staunton), Imelda Mullarkey (for Casby). Referee: Christy Haughney (Carlow). 2001 – Heartbreak LAOIS 2-14 MAYO 1-16 The memories I hold from this particular final will probably never fade from my mind or, for that matter, from the memory banks of the Mayo players who had performed out of their skins to bring the Brendan Martin Cup to Mayo for a third successive year, only to see their dreams shattered in a cruel fashion in the final ten seconds. The game was tied at 2-13 to 1-16 and a replay looked almost certain. The final twenty seconds on the clock was winding down as Mayo goalkeeper and team skipper Denise Horan prepared to kick the ball out. She opted to kick short to Cora Staunton to ensure retaining possession, however Cora stepped inside her own twenty metre line to collect the ball – the first fatal mistake Mayo had made in six championship games, including three All-Ireland finals. The gods must have decided that an error was overdue. The Mayo support among the 21,000 attendance could not believe their eyes when Sligo referee Marty Duffy awarded a 14-metre free to the Leinster champions. Mayo’s hat-trick dreams had been in bits before Mary Kirwin converted the free to leave Laois celebrating. But, according to the old adage, good fortune for some and misfortune for others will always play some role in major contests. So it proved at the new-look Croke Park on September 30, 2001. Mayo: Denise Horan (capt); Assumpta Bohan, Helena Lohan, Edel Biggins; Orla Casby, Nuala O’Shea, Maria Staunton; Claire Egan (1-0), Christina Heffernan (0-2); Jackie Moran, Emma Mullin, Denise McDonagh; Diane O’Hora (0-3), Marcella Heffernan, Cora Staunton (0-11). Subs: Ciara McDermott, Imelda Mullarkey and Mary T. Garvey. Referee: Marty Duffy (Sligo). 2002 – Back at the top MAYO 0-12 MONAGHAN 1-8 Teenager Triona McNicholas’ last-minute title-winning point for Mayo and the subsequent match-winning save by Mayo goalkeeper, Denise Horan, are the two big moments that are locked in my memory bank. Both needed to happen, first at the Railway End and then at the Canal End to ensure a Mayo victory. The scenes around the grounds following the final whistle were completely against the wishes of the stewards, as no one was to be allowed onto the playing area after the game But no one from Mayo was listening to the announcements. The flag-waving scenes following the game are still visually clear as Christina Heffernan, applauded by An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, made the short trip onto the new Hogan Stand to accept the Brendan Martin Cup on behalf of Mayo for a third time in four years. It was a delighted Mayo supporter who remarked coming out of Croke Park that it was Mayo ladies captain, Diane O’Hora, who accepted the cup for the last time on the old Hogan Stand in ’99, and it was a Mayo ladies captain who first accepted The Brendan Martin cup on the new Hogan Stand in 2002. Mayo: Denise Horan; Nuala O’Shea, Helena Lohan, Mary T. Garvey; Claire O’Hara, Yvonne Byrne, Edel Biggins; Claire Egan, Edel Reilly; Jackie Moran, Emma Mullin, Christina Heffernan (0-1); Ciara McDermott, Marcella Heffernan (0-2), Cora Staunton (0-8). Subs used: Triona McNicholas (0-1), Rachel Barrett, Sharon McGing, Michelle McGing. Referee: Marty Duffy (Sligo). Share this Article 0 0