Make no Bones about it, this is major for ladies game in Mayo
Former Ireland international and Mayo coach Marie Bones says her team is well up to the challenge facing them.
Getting the opportunity to play for your county is something that resonates with Mayo coach Marie Bones. Everyone, she says, regardless of what sport, wants to pull on the county jersey.
“This is a big occasion,” she said ahead of the Mayo Women's League debut game in the Angela Hearst Cup next weekend. “Getting to represent your county and your club on the national stage is a huge honour.”
The former Ireland international, now coaching at Kiltimagh/Knock United, has plenty big match day experience herself, at club, county and country level.
As the Mayo Women's League has enjoyed phenomenal growth in recent years, she welcomes this latest progression that allows club players compete at national level.
Competitions such as this help raise standards, she noted. “Every player wants to be pushing themselves to improve their game and now this opportunity is there for them to really try and push on to the next level.”
Mayo has a proud tradition at underage level, having enjoyed success at the Gaynor Cup and in the inter-leagues, and it's proof of the positive leadership of Joe King that players can now continue that journey at senior level. It's an inspiration too for young footballers, she said, that they can set their eyes on achieving the ambition of representing the county at adult level too.
A native of Donegal, Marie has fond memories herself of the Gaynor Cup's precursor, the Bracken Cup, which was similarly played down in Limerick.
On Mayo's opponents, she's well aware of the strong footballing heritage that Donegal boasts, while the Eastern Women's League come into the tournament as title holders.
“It will be a big test but we're well up to the challenge,” she said.
These may be uncharted waters for Mayo but the backroom team has the experience to navigate their way through, with real leaders in the game.
Their squad is a blend of youth and experience, with some having featured in the international set-up at underage level, including Jess Nolan, Stacey Freyne and Hana Ueno. Marie herself, in her year playing with Manulla, was a teammate of Aoife and Stacey Freyne, Tracey Hall and Jess Nolan.
Joe King was coach in the season she spent with the club, while Marie's playing days also saw her togging out for UCD, DLR Waves, Shamrock Rovers and Castlebar Celtic.
Her Ireland career started at Under 16 level, with regular trips from Donegal to Dublin for training with a few other youngsters from the county, and she played up to senior level.
“Soccer is very competitive in Donegal,” she said, at underage and schools level, and it feeds right up the food chain.
So will her loyalties be split come match day later this month when Mayo welcome her home county?
“No way,” we're told. “Mayo all the way!”
