Jackie Moran: Playing for Mayo in the All-Ireland ladies' football final
The ladies' football final takes place tomorrow, almost as an after-thought to a frenetic GAA summer, and while 175,000 viewers tuned in to coverage of last year's final on TG4, getting fans to travel to Croke Park has traditionally proved problematic.
It's an issue that Jackie Moran, who lines out for Mayo against reigning champions Cork in tomorrow's final, is all too aware of. "We played a game earlier in the championship and there were 80 people at it," she says. "That's very tough on the players. Generally speaking there isn't much understanding out there of the commitment involved from the players. We're fortunate in Mayo in that there is huge support for us, especially around the final. I suppose because the men went out of the championship so early, people in the county are happy for another chance to get up to Croke Park."
Moran will shortly start her fourth year in Sligo IT where she is studying social science. For the past year she has been on a sabbatical, working as a social care worker with 12-18 year-olds in residential care in Galway city. "I love the work but it's very, very tough because you are dealing with really troubled kids. You do have success stories though - we have a young girl who passed her Junior Cert a few weeks back."
From Glencorrib in Co Mayo, Moran has played in three senior All-Ireland finals and was on the team that won back-to-back championships in 2002 and 2003. "My first ever game for Mayo was an All-Ireland final which we lost, so I was raging. I was so excited that time I wasn't even thinking about nerves but the second year I was really nervous because I knew what to expect. Croke Park is so intimidating - it's so huge and such an honour to walk out there. We haven't been in a final for four years now and last year was our worst year ever."
The Rebelettes from Cork are favourites and will be vying for the elusive three-in-a-row. "We were there a few years ago so we know the sort of pressure that brings to a team. We are quite happy to be going in as underdogs." Throughout the championship season, Moran has been travelling from Galway to Mayo for training four nights a week. "You have no social life whatsoever, which is grand when you're winning but not so great when you're not. It's a huge commitment. I think it's a testament to the game that counties can still turn out ladies' teams in an environment where we don't even get travel expenses. The girls are just doing it for the love of football."
In conversation with Michael Kelly.
Cork play Mayo in the All-Ireland Senior Ladies football final in Croke Park tomorrow at 4pm