O'Hora had hoped for better showing from Lilies against Mayo
Kildare were beaten by Mayo 2-15 to 0-5 in Ballina
Diane O’Hora travels back home to Ballina from the East coast roughly every week or ten days.
This latest trip at the front of the Kildare ladies team bus was always going to be unique. But it didn’t end the way she wanted.
“It’s great to come home obviously but I’d have liked if we had a better show of ourselves today,” O’Hora explained after the game.
The former All-Ireland winning Mayo player-turned manager was about the only thing familiar to the current Mayo ladies team — many of whom weren’t born when O’Hora, Staunton, Stagg and Co were winning all before them.
“We knew they’d be gunning for us again today because they weren’t familiar with us at all,” Mayo captain Saoirse Lally told the Leinster Leader.
The admiration and mutual respect between the Mayo ladies and O’Hora was still very apparent, even in the aftermath of a defeat. Even after back-to-back league titles and an All-Ireland win, O’Hora all but admitted that competing at senior level remains a bridge too far for the reigning intermediate champions.
“We thought we put in enough work, but I have to give credit to Mayo today. They were absolutely superb,” the Ballina woman said.
They are a highly organised attack, and it’s an absolute credit, what they pulled off here today, because we felt we were in a position that we could at least make it difficult for them or hamper them.
“It just shows the benefit of having a Division 1 league. It shows the value that it has been for Mayo. Look at us. We’re coming in here having played Division 2, and I know it’s great that we won it but there’s a huge difference in the top teams and what’s in Division 2.”
Saoirse Lally had nothing but praise for the former Mayo footballer, who is now arguably the most high- profile intercounty manager in the country.