Mayo Under 13 girls on their travels for Gaynor Plate final

THE Mayo Under 13 Gaynor Cup squad make the long trip south this Sunday, December 19, to the grounds of University Limerick to face Louth in the 2021 Gaynor Plate final (kick-off 2 p.m.)

This group have been together since early August and have grown together as a very cohesive bunch.

In the proverbial 'group of death' they emerged unbeaten and tied with two other teams on both points and goal difference, but ended third in the group by virtue of goals scored.

In the knock-out stages since they have beaten Longford 3-2 and in the Plate semi-final saw off the challenge of Galway 3-1.

The side is one of the teams under overall control of Mayo Emerging Girls Talent Head Coach John Flanagan. The vastly experienced Kevin Sheeran manages the group with coaches Michael Collins, Emma Gibbons, Emma Sheeran and Jessica Lambe.

Louth were in Group E with MGL North, Midlands and NECSL and also had their own issues with goal difference. In their case they were denied second spot by one goal and they accounted for Carlow 3-2 in their semi-final.

The excellent work being done in Mayo by the clubs is reflected in the fact that 13 clubs have players in this squad - Ballinrobe Town, Castlebar Celtic, Castlebar Town, Charlestown Athletic, Claremorris, Conn Rangers, Erris, Kiltimagh Knock United, Killala, Kilmurry, Partry Athletic, Swinford and Westport.

And the most important of all the components - the players - are: Roise Burke, Kate Byrne, Melissa Clarke, Kayleigh Coggins, Aoife Collins, Cara Culkin, Amy Doherty, Cliodhna Dowling, Emma Dowling, Niamh Gillespie, Brooke Grimes, Emma Higgins, Alana Kelly, Sarah-Jane Kilgawley, Aoibhin McGarry, Siofra McGuinness, Ella McLoughlin, Aoife Meaney, Aine Monaghan, Amy Murphy, Sadhbh O'Donnell, Kasey Ruane and Ursula Shaughnessy.