Cora Staunton knows what it takes.
She’s a legend in Mayo. She’s a legend in Gaelic Football. She’s a legend, full stop, and will go down as one of the finest athletes this country has ever seen.
For 22 seasons, she has represented her county and, despite accruing four All-Irelands already, it’s that relentless chase for a fifth which now spans 13 years that drives her on.
You see, for people like Cora Staunton, there’s always another challenge.
At the start of the season, the Carnacon footballer told SportsJOE about growing up with a lack of female role models.
“My role models would’ve been all male,” she said. “Maurice Fitzgerald being the biggest of them.”
But thanks to females like Cora Staunton, thanks to superhumans like Cora Staunton, sportswomen of today don’t face the same issues.
She continues to break boundaries, she continues to defy logic even and, in doing so, she liberates others to believe that it’s possible.
On Friday night, on the eve of Mayo’s senior men’s All-Ireland final replay with Dublin, Staunton made the island sit up and take notice once more. She made everyone reassess the realms of reality and dream world.
Carnacon rock on to meet kilkerin Clonberene after winning County Final tonight 11-20 to 0-7…Cora contributing 5-15 👐🙈💚❤ 🏆 pic.twitter.com/fmCQUlEhL7
— Jen Murphy Design Studio ✏ (@JenJen_Murf) September 30, 2016
Carnacon won the county championship once more with a comprehensive win over Moy Davitt’s in the Mayo senior final. The score finished 11-20 to 0-7.
Cora Staunton? Well she accounted for the beaten finalists herself with 23 points to spare.
Full time from MacHale Park and Carnacon prove they're still at the top with a very comprehensive win
FT: Carnacon 11-20 Moy Davitts 0-7— Mayo LGFA (@Mayo_LGFA) September 30, 2016
Five goals and 15 points were smashed home by the Mayo legend and, naturally – however unnatural her feats might seem – she took all the plaudits.
Freak of nature.
#CoraStaunton is a freak of nature!! Who scores 5-15?? That's ridiculous!! Surely the greatest ever female #GAA star #Ireland has ever seen? https://t.co/FArejF7MLy
— Ciarán Ó Dúghaill ⚡️ (@doylerz88) September 30, 2016
Get her on The Sunday Game.
OMG!! I keep saying she's a legend.. CORA STAUNTON scored 5-15 tonight in #Mayo LGFA Final. 5-feckin'-15 !! https://t.co/hqwBuojubb
— Des Cahill (@sportsdes) September 30, 2016
Way to make us feel insignificant, Cora.
https://twitter.com/FairGameCast/status/781972966259224576
Job done.
Just the 5-15 for Cora Staunton in tonight's Mayo LGFA Senior County final as her side Carnacon win 11-20 to 0-7…. https://t.co/v79PAyBgwg
— Robert Cox (@extratime_sport) September 30, 2016
Decent.
Carnacon won the Mayo ladies senior championship this evening yet again. Cora Staunton finished with a decent 5-15 #StartHerTomorrow
— Brendan Byrne (@bull_byrne) September 30, 2016
She’ll go places, that one.
Will it be Mayo (or the Dubs) 4 Sam? Wooly, Paul Galvin and Conán Doherty preview Saturday’s All-Ireland final replay.
