The man behind the Carnacon miracle

THROUGH Carnacon’s good, bad and indifferent days over the last 25 years one name has remained constant.

Jimmy Corbett.

The founder of the club, senior team manager, and the man responsible for spreading the ladies football gospel around a tiny west Mayo village that has become synonymous with success in the last ten years.

Along with his trusted comrade, Beatrice Casey, Corbett has helped to shape the careers of Mayo stalwarts like Cora Staunton, Martha Carter, Claire Egan and Fiona McHale.

He also fashioned Carnacon into one of the most consistent club teams in the country, and the results speak for themselves.

Tomorrow’s All-Ireland Club SFC final will be their fifth in six years while a win would deliver a fourth title, a third in five seasons.

The fact that Carnacon are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year would make a win over Dublin’s Na Fianna all the more special; it would also be the perfect way to make amends for last year’s narrow defeat to Cork’s Inch Rovers.

Corbett is no doubt about who deserves the credit for Carnacon’s remarkable record that also includes 12 successive Mayo titles and six consecutive Connacht championships.

“I honestly don’t know how the girls do it,” he said.

“It’s phenomenal. As every year goes by they amaze me more and more. Their willingness to work hard for one another is something else. They put absolutely everything they have into every game and they have got their reward.”

Carnacon’s march back to this stage of the competition again has followed fairly predictable lines. With the Mayo landscape becoming increasingly barren, they maintained their vice-like grip on the county title with a 27-point victory over Kilmovee in the final.

Connacht was then secured on the back of three straightforward wins over St Brendan’s (Galway), Dromahair (Leitrim) and St Brigid’s (Roscommon).

The hard questions were only asked by Monaghan’s Donaghmoyne in the All-Ireland semi-final; Carnacon snatching a one-point win after a fierce battle.

“We needed a game like that,” explained Jimmy Corbett.

“It wasn’t looking good when we went five points down but these girls have great character. They dug so deep and even when we were reduced to 14 players at one stage, it didn’t bother them. They have the experience now, which was a huge help.

I think that game will bring us on in leaps and bounds. It was our first test this season.”

Unsurprisingly, when the going got tough against Donaghmoyne earlier this month, Cora Staunton got going.

The multiple All Star winner, who has become the face of ladies football over the last ten years, has been in sparkling form again this season.

“She is just incredible,” remarked Corbett, who first coached her for an U12 Community Games competition back in the mid 90s.

“She takes so many knocks in games but she just keeps coming back for more. Whether it’s an All-Ireland final, a challenge match or a training session, it doesn’t matter to Cora, she just wants to win everything that she takes part in.”

The veteran Carnacon coach is the first to admit he has changed very little in terms of preparations ahead of this latest shot at the All-Ireland title.

However, he is well aware of Na Fianna’s strengths and weaknesses and the presence of two former Mayo players (Claire O’Hara and Ciara McDermott) in their ranks has helped to focus the minds.

“We know they are a top side,” said Corbett.

“They have two or three players on the Dublin team and players from all over the country. It’s almost as if we are playing an international selection. And the girls that played with Mayo will add another bit of spice into it.”

CARNACON: M Higgins, N Hurst, N Tierney, S McGing, M Corbett, A Loftus, C McGing, C Egan, M Carter, M McGing, F McHale (c), D Hughes, N Beegan, C Staunton, A Brennan, C Brennan

NA FIANNA: S Turnbull, E Cassidy, L O’Sullivan, S Quinn, A Cushen, B O’Donnell, C O’Hara, A O’Donnell, C McDermott, M Nevin, N Doherty, L Walsh, M O’Gorman, B Finlay, O Egan