Rowe and Kelly sisters unavailable to Mayo due to early AFLW season

by Aiden Henry

MAYO ladies senior manager Michael Moyles confirmed at a press evening on Friday evening that as his team prepares for next Sunday’s Connacht LGFA senior final against Galway in Tuam Stadium, three players who played in the Australian Football League Women’s (AFLW) last season will not be available for their county this year.

Sarah Rowe and Niamh and Grace Kelly will not be playing inter-county football for Mayo in 2022, but a fourth player, 2021 All-Star Rachel Kearns, who also played in the AFLW last season, will be available and is included in next Sunday’s panel.

Said Moyles: "I can confirm that Sarah Rowe and the two Kelly sisters, Niamh and Grace, who were part of the Mayo forward line last year, will not be with us this year as the three can’t commit to Mayo for the full championship due to the earlier start of the AFLW season this year.

"However, Rachel Kearns will be available to us for as long as we are involved in the All-Ireland championship, which is welcome news.

"We have tried hard to see if there was anyway Sarah, Niamh and Grace could stay with us for as long as we were in the championship. However, they could not commit beyond July.

"There was no option in the end but not to include them in the panel. You just could not have players in a championship panel and having them to leave it before our championship was over.

"However, we have brought in three minor players who have certainly raised the standards and are pushing hard for starting places. There is a wealth of young talent in the county at present and many of them are more than capable at playing at the top level.

"As things now stand, we are in the happy position of having a very talented bunch of girls to choose from. It certainly all goes very well for the future of Mayo ladies senior football," said Moyles.