By Jackie Cahill

When Cora Staunton took possession from Sarah Rowe in the seventh minute of stoppage time in Saturday's gripping Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 1 semi-final, Frank Browne was in no doubt. 

The Mayo boss knew where the ball was heading next - straight over the black spot. 

At training the night before, he'd seen Staunton arc a number of gravity-defying efforts over the crossbar from similar range, right of centre, 30-35 metres out. 

Browne trusts Staunton implicitly but the feeling is mutual. He's a big reason why she decided to stick around for a 22nd season and there's a neat symmetry surrounding the League final clash with Cork on Saturday week. 

Nine years ago, Mayo faced Cork in a semi-final and smashed their 31-game unbeaten streak. 

Now, it's Mayo hoping to deny Cork the four-in-a-row before thoughts turn to summer. 

Browne doesn't need reminding either that while Mayo won the League nine years ago, their All-Ireland final conquerors were Cork. 

But with Staunton scoring heavily again this year, and young forwards around her now capable of coming up with the goods, anything's possible for Mayo. 

Seven points down at half-time against Kerry in Birr on Saturday, Mayo came roaring back and when Staunton kicked her 11th point, a blinding effort, it was the first time all afternoon that her side had led.

Browne smiled: "We were training last night and from that position she was kicking every single one of them.

"I just knew when she got the ball in that position that it was only going one place."

And yet Mayo were in trouble at half-time, big trouble, 1-4 to 2-8 down and looking like suffering another big game defeat against Kerry, their 2015 All-Ireland quarter-final conquerors.

With the brilliant Sarah Houlihan and Laura Rogers tearing it up for Kerry, the Kingdom were moving well but Mayo had a strong breeze at their backs in the second half and clawed their way back. 

Browne added: "All we said in the dressing room at half-time was let's just go out and win our individual battles and the 50-50 balls.

"We did that, got two or three really good interceptions and people stepped up. "We always hear about 'the Cora show' but Niamh Kelly stepped up, Sarah Rowe, Sarah Mulvihill today.

"There was definitely a four or five point breeze there but I thought we put ourselves in jail in the first half an awful lot, turned over stupid ball.

"Their first 1-2 came from our misplaced passes but you can't beat it - it had everything, yellows, reds, greens, all kinds of colours!

"I got a bit purple there at one stage but isn't it a great advertisement for Ladies football?"

It certainly was and right from the start, too, as Rogers and Kelly traded goals within the opening three minutes.

Later in the half, Anna Galvin netted for Kerry and with Clodagh McManamon sin-binned, Mayo were in trouble.

There were more yellow cards to come - one for Kerry's Kate O'Sullivan in the second half and two for Rachel Kearns, which meant red for the Mayo defender. 

Amid the mayhem, Staunton kept her cool to convert seven second half frees that helped reel Kerry in, before she finished them off with that magnificent late point.

Cork next, as it was in 2007 but also as it was for Mayo in more recent League deciders in 2009 and 2013, both won by the sport's dominant force. 

"We'll have the dinner now, jump in the pool and consider Cork," Browne grinned.

"For us to win the semi-final was huge. A couple of players had injuries but we said we'd go gung-ho and when we get to the final, we'll throw the dice and see."

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