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INTERVIEW 22 | SUMMER 2022 | www.ladiesgaelic.ie By Daire Walsh F ollowing a five-year wait, Castleisland Desmonds ace Lorraine Scanlon will once again get a chance to grace the TG4 All- Ireland senior championship semi-final stage when Kerry take on Mayo at Croke Park this Saturday. Back in 2017, Scanlon lined up in midfield alongside Emma Sherwood as the Kingdom lost out to a Sinéad Aherne and Noelle Healy- inspired Dublin in the penultimate phase of the competition at Semple Stadium in Thurles. Later that summer, the Jackies went on to win the first of four Brendan Martin Cup crowns under the guidance of Mick Bohan, with a comprehensive 4-11 to 0-11 triumph over Mayo. From there, Kerry went on to suffer back-to- back quarter-final exits in 2018 and 2019 before failing to advance from the group stages of the senior championship in 2020 and 2021. 2022 has been a much more productive year for Kerry, however, with a Lidl Division 2 League final success at the expense of Armagh being backed up by an All-Ireland quarter-final victory against the same opposition at O'Connor Park, Tullamore last weekend. This represents major progress from the Kingdom and Scanlon believes it stands as testament to the work joint-managers Declan Quill and Darragh Long have done since assuming the reins in the winter of 2019. SOARING SCANLON READY TO RULE THE CROKER SKIES "I think the last few years, since the lads have come in, they've done massive work with us. This is a culmination of the work they've done with us over the last three years. Hopefully everything will go our way on the day, but there's a great bond in the group," Scanlon remarked in the aftermath of their 4-12 to 2-14 victory over Armagh. "There's a lot of togetherness in the group. Everybody plays for each other. I think that's one of the big things with our team and as I said, we've a great management team behind us. We get everything we want from them." After losing out to them by five points in the Munster senior final back on May 28, Kerry were anticipating another meeting with Cork in the last-four of the Brendan Martin Cup. It didn't turn out this way, however, as Sinéad Walsh and Lisa Cafferky goals propelled Mayo towards a surprise 2-13 to 0-17 win at the expense of the Rebelettes. While there would have been a greater sense of familiarity with Cork, the result produced by the Westerners at Cusack Park in Ennis will be reason enough for Kerry to be on high alert ahead of their battle at GAA HQ. "We played Cork in the Munster final and they're a savage team, great talent there. For Mayo to turn around and beat them, it says a lot about Mayo. It says more about Mayo. I didn't get to see the game obviously, we didn't get a chance. "I'm sure what Mayo have is savage as well. We're going to have to be really prepared coming into a semi-final now facing them. We'll have to put in a good bit of work and analysis just to get ourselves ready for that challenge." Like Michael Moyles' green and red outfit - who trailed Cork by a single point - Kerry were in a losing position at the midway stage of their pulsating quarter-final clash with Armagh. Despite Niamh Carmody and Louise Ní Above: 28 May 2022; Lorraine Scanlon of Kerry in action against Maire O'Callaghan of Cork during the TG4 Munster Senior Ladies Football Championship Final match between Kerry and Cork at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney. Far left: 24 July 2021; Katy Herron of Donegal in action against Lorraine Scanlon of Kerry during the TG4 All- Ireland Senior Ladies Football Championship Group 4 Round 3 match between Donegal and Kerry at Tuam Stadium in Galway. Left: 9 July 2021; Lorraine Scanlon of Kerry during the TG4 Ladies Football All-Ireland Championship Group 4 Round 1 match between Galway and Kerry at Cusack Park in Ennis, Clare.