Kerry's shining star carries the load for missing captain
SHINING BRIGHT: Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh of Kerry celebrates after her side's victory in the TG4 LGFA All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final match between Kerry and Mayo at Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh must have thought she’d never reach the dressing-room.
There was an element of David Clifford-mania to the scenes at the throat of the Kinane Stand, the star turn of the Kerry ladies team mobbed by green and gold-clad supporters as she tried to make her way off the field.
Hugs, handshakes, photo requests, and the odd peck on the cheek were all proffered in the direction of a marquee forward who had just kicked an All-Ireland semi-final 1-10 - 1-6 of it from play - from 12 shots.
After acknowledging and attending to each well-wisher, Ní Mhuircheartaigh eventually stepped away from the masses and made for the tunnel. Vying next for her attention were a handful of reporters. The interview requests arrived in two different tongues.
As she fielded questions with the same ease as she kicked almost a dozen scores, Ní Mhuircheartaigh spotted injured captain Siofra O’Shea strolling past on her way back to the Kingdom bunker.
“Today was 100% for Siofra,” she said. “It was absolutely tragic and heartbreaking to hear the news last Monday that she had done the ACL.
“She is only 21 and she is an absolutely inspirational captain. And she still is our captain. She may not be on the field playing with us, but she is still there. This was for her.”
In the absence of full-forward O’Shea, Kerry were pushed but not panicked in securing back-to-back All-Ireland semi-final wins over Mayo and back-to-back All-Ireland final appearances.
In the absence of O’Shea, Ní Mhuircheartaigh, save for three Hannah O’Donoghue points in the opening quarter, took full responsibility for the scoring load. Indeed, she was the county’s sole contributor for the opening 27 minutes of the second period.
After sub Deirdre Doherty goaled on 45 minutes to bring wind-assisted Mayo back within five, it was Ní Mhuircheartaigh who stemmed Mayo’s comeback march and momentum with a converted free. The free was won by another Kerry totem, half-back Cáit Lynch.
On the two occasions during the final quarter where the Connacht champions closed to within four, it was Ní Mhuircheartaigh who ensured healthy separation was kept.
As stand-in captain, she more than did her bit.
“Everyone rows in together. It is not really a big, huge job when we have a panel like that,” she modestly offered.
“The character, resilience, and heart that the team showed at the end was unbelievable. We have a lot of work to do over the next two weeks, but very happy to be heading for Croke Park.”
While incisive and impressive in building a 1-10 to 0-4 interval lead, which included a stunning seven-minute 1-7 burst midway through the half, the League champions will have learned far more from when the wind was in their face and they were having to withstand a Mayo fightback led by Doherty, Aoife Geraghty, Ciara Needham and Sinéad Cafferky.
Tackles and turnovers to contain Michael Moyles' side came from Lynch, centre-back and first-half point scorer Emma Costello, and Louise Galvin. And although Mayo never got nearer than four, the ability of this Kerry team to manage sizeable leads was again underwhelming.
Joint-manager Darragh Long, mind, observed it differently.
“It was a bit similar to the Meath quarter-final; great first half and we had to dig in in the second half. In the second, we kept answering everything they threw at us.
“We played with the wind against Meath, and so we were used to getting a fast start. Then we showed all those battling qualities that some in the media questioned, they questioned our mental frailties. By God in the last two games have they got their answer. And I hope they are watching.”
We are all watching now to see if the county can end their 30-year wait for Brendan Martin.
L Ní Mhuircheartaigh (1-10, 0-4 frees); H O’Donoghue (0-3); E Costello, N Ní Chonchúir, D O’Leary (0-1 each).
S Howley (0-3, 0-2 frees); D Doherty (1-0); C Needham, S Cafferky (0-2 each); A Geraghty, R Kearns, S Walsh, L Cafferky (0-1 each).
C Butler; E Lynch, K Cronin, C Murphy; A O’Connell, E Costello, C Lynch; L Scanlon, L Galvin; N Carmody, N Ní Chonchúir, A Galvin; H O’Donoghue, D O’Leary, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh.
A Harrington for O’Donoghue (HT, inj); M O’Connell for A Galvin (46); C Evans for Ní Chonchúir (51); E McGlynn for Carmody (60).
L Brennan; C McManamon, D Caldwell, S Lally; T O’Connor, E Ronayne, K Sullivan; A Geraghty, C Needham; S Cafferky, S Howley, S Mulvihill; T Needham, R Kearns, L Cafferky.
S Walsh for Mulvihill (26); D Doherty for Kearns, L Wallace for O’Connor (both 44); M Cannon for T Needham (49); F McHale for Howley (54).
G Chapman (Sligo).
