“When I look back I’m like, ‘Yeah, it was the right thing to do, maybe!’ but there was that moment when I ran out (after scoring) of, ‘Oh my God, why did I just do that? If it went wrong, I was in trouble a lot.”
She celebrated with the provider of the assist, Orlagh Nolan, a former Women’s National League player. Rowe never played much soccer, but the pair often kick about in training.
“I think that’s why after my smile was kind of like, ‘Holy God, did I just do that?’ Orlagh came over and was pushing me and kind of saying, ‘What were you at?’”
It gave them a good laugh, as did the online reaction as the extra-time stunner helped Dublin to a 3-14 to 2-14 semi-final win over Galway.
“One of the girls sent me a screenshot of Twitter and I was trending number one in Ireland ahead of Rashford and Coldplay!
“These things happen in sport and I always think you have to just take them in and enjoy them. They don’t happen too often.”
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The enjoyment really only came the following day, that last-four victory throwing up mixed emotions.
Rowe recalls a quiet bus home and a “funny feeling”; the team pleased to win and return to the showpiece after last year’s quarter-final defeat to Galway, but disappointed in their performance.
“I think it was probably just those moments of realisation that that could have been the season, but you can’t spend too long on that. You sit with it for a little while, you take your learnings from it and then you have to move on because this keeps rolling.”
Rowe on the ball for Dublin. Leah Scholes / INPHO
Leah Scholes / INPHO / INPHO
Rowe is a five-time All-Ireland champion, Dublin having won four on the bounce before Meath broke the chain in 2021, while they returned to the summit in 2023.
2022 and 2024 brought quarter-final exits, watching the biggest day in ladies football from afar a painful experience. The Dublin team gathered for the ’22 final — when Meath went back to back — in Rowe’s house, and while the star forward wasn’t present last year, they convened again.
Due to a winter of change, the mission statements and rallying cries came later, the hurt used to drive them on.
“We were in the gym and it was that collective, ‘This is us now, head down and get back, follow the process game by game, but the goal is to get back to Croke Park.’”
Here they are. With new faces at the helm, Paul Casey and Derek Murray having succeeded Mick Bohan, who delivered those five All-Irelands in eight years.
“Look, obviously there’s differences, but the two lads are brilliant,” says Rowe. “They’re open to players coming to them, they’re open to learning whatever they can.
“It’s a hard task to take on a Dublin senior inter-county team in your first year, but to say it was nearly seamless and the work they’ve put in over this year has been phenomenal.
“I enjoy the two (voices). You get some messages from Paul, some messages from Derek, and they both have different ways of going about that. They break up into backs and forwards and stuff like that as well. It’s really good having their united voice, but they’re actually able to split themselves. It helps with cohesion and training.”
Bohan watched from the terrace in Tullamore as Rowe back-heeled home, his presence still felt and the connection between manager and players maintained forevermore.
“I do have lovely long voice notes from Mick,” she laughs. “That’s what you want. I’m sure the lads are the same.
“He gives me little pieces of information here and there. Mick wears Dublin on his chest, he’ll never be gone. My ears and phone will always be open to him, little bits of information are crucial.”
Rowe and Bohan celebrate Dublin's All-Ireland win in 2020. Tommy Dickson / INPHO
Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO
Side note, but could the Clontarf club man swap over to the Dublin men’s hot-seat? The hunt for Dessie Farrell’s successor is underway, with Ger Brennan heavily linked, but Bohan — who previously worked under Jim Gavin — has also been mentioned.
“In terms of ability, absolutely he could. Will he? I don’t know. That’s up to Mick and look, whatever he does, we’d support him in his roles. We wouldn’t be chatting to him about that kind of thing, but he’s a phenomenal manager. We know that. We’ve seen the success he’s brought us, so he could do.”
Keeping with the theme of paying tribute, Rowe also hails two of Dublin’s most experienced stars — and accomplished sportswomen.
Hannah Tyrrell’s sporting career is remarkable, having played at the top level in Gaelic football, rugby and soccer. She has won FAI Cup, Six Nations, and All-Ireland medals.
The 34-year-old is hoping to bow out with a second Celtic cross, having confirmed her plans to retire. But Tyrrell has been in stunning form, leading the championship scoring with 8-33.
“We see that week in week out with Hannah. She obviously is in great form and I just keep thinking of the point she scored to level that (Galway) game like, that’s just her. That is just ice-cold blood in her veins, and they’re the moments that we needed.
“To be able to actually kick that in that moment, it’s it’s a huge, huge moment that for her as a team-mate, I’d be saying, ‘Unbelievable’ and I’m delighted she’s on our side.”
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Hannah Tyrrell. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Sinéad Goldrick’s return has been “huge” too, the four-time All-Ireland winner and eight-time All-Star leading the charge as she balances football and AFLW commitments. The 35-year-old has been similarly impressive in defence.
“If you see Goldie coming out of the backs with the ball, that’s what everyone on our team wants to see and everyone on the other team doesn’t want to see.
“She’s a brilliant footballer, obviously an unbelievable force and as a defender, I don’t think there’s anyone in the country who wants who wants to see Goldie lining up beside them — no more than I do!”
Rowe has been going well herself, while managing calf problems, but the four-time All-Star assures she is fit and firing for Sunday.
Dublin have beaten Meath three times this year, once in the league and twice in the Leinster championship, but the Clann Mhuire ace won’t read too far into that — or settling old scores.
“2021 is obviously a hard one to take considering there was so much going on. It was a different team and there was changes, but you have to forget about that. Years have passed and Meath are a completely different team, as are we. Even from our games this year, we know they’re going to be a different team on the day.”
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'I was trending number one in Ireland on Twitter ahead of Rashford and Coldplay!'
WHERE BETTER TO start than The Back Heel?
“I knew it was coming,” Dublin captain Carla Rowe laughs ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland final against Meath.
“Definitely not a training ground move! I suppose a little bit of instinct knocked in there . . . just thank God it went in!”
“When I look back I’m like, ‘Yeah, it was the right thing to do, maybe!’ but there was that moment when I ran out (after scoring) of, ‘Oh my God, why did I just do that? If it went wrong, I was in trouble a lot.”
She celebrated with the provider of the assist, Orlagh Nolan, a former Women’s National League player. Rowe never played much soccer, but the pair often kick about in training.
“I think that’s why after my smile was kind of like, ‘Holy God, did I just do that?’ Orlagh came over and was pushing me and kind of saying, ‘What were you at?’”
It gave them a good laugh, as did the online reaction as the extra-time stunner helped Dublin to a 3-14 to 2-14 semi-final win over Galway.
“These things happen in sport and I always think you have to just take them in and enjoy them. They don’t happen too often.”
The enjoyment really only came the following day, that last-four victory throwing up mixed emotions.
Rowe recalls a quiet bus home and a “funny feeling”; the team pleased to win and return to the showpiece after last year’s quarter-final defeat to Galway, but disappointed in their performance.
“I think it was probably just those moments of realisation that that could have been the season, but you can’t spend too long on that. You sit with it for a little while, you take your learnings from it and then you have to move on because this keeps rolling.”
Rowe is a five-time All-Ireland champion, Dublin having won four on the bounce before Meath broke the chain in 2021, while they returned to the summit in 2023.
2022 and 2024 brought quarter-final exits, watching the biggest day in ladies football from afar a painful experience. The Dublin team gathered for the ’22 final — when Meath went back to back — in Rowe’s house, and while the star forward wasn’t present last year, they convened again.
Due to a winter of change, the mission statements and rallying cries came later, the hurt used to drive them on.
Here they are. With new faces at the helm, Paul Casey and Derek Murray having succeeded Mick Bohan, who delivered those five All-Irelands in eight years.
“Look, obviously there’s differences, but the two lads are brilliant,” says Rowe. “They’re open to players coming to them, they’re open to learning whatever they can.
“It’s a hard task to take on a Dublin senior inter-county team in your first year, but to say it was nearly seamless and the work they’ve put in over this year has been phenomenal.
“I enjoy the two (voices). You get some messages from Paul, some messages from Derek, and they both have different ways of going about that. They break up into backs and forwards and stuff like that as well. It’s really good having their united voice, but they’re actually able to split themselves. It helps with cohesion and training.”
Bohan watched from the terrace in Tullamore as Rowe back-heeled home, his presence still felt and the connection between manager and players maintained forevermore.
“I do have lovely long voice notes from Mick,” she laughs. “That’s what you want. I’m sure the lads are the same.
“He gives me little pieces of information here and there. Mick wears Dublin on his chest, he’ll never be gone. My ears and phone will always be open to him, little bits of information are crucial.”
Side note, but could the Clontarf club man swap over to the Dublin men’s hot-seat? The hunt for Dessie Farrell’s successor is underway, with Ger Brennan heavily linked, but Bohan — who previously worked under Jim Gavin — has also been mentioned.
“In terms of ability, absolutely he could. Will he? I don’t know. That’s up to Mick and look, whatever he does, we’d support him in his roles. We wouldn’t be chatting to him about that kind of thing, but he’s a phenomenal manager. We know that. We’ve seen the success he’s brought us, so he could do.”
Keeping with the theme of paying tribute, Rowe also hails two of Dublin’s most experienced stars — and accomplished sportswomen.
Hannah Tyrrell’s sporting career is remarkable, having played at the top level in Gaelic football, rugby and soccer. She has won FAI Cup, Six Nations, and All-Ireland medals.
The 34-year-old is hoping to bow out with a second Celtic cross, having confirmed her plans to retire. But Tyrrell has been in stunning form, leading the championship scoring with 8-33.
“We see that week in week out with Hannah. She obviously is in great form and I just keep thinking of the point she scored to level that (Galway) game like, that’s just her. That is just ice-cold blood in her veins, and they’re the moments that we needed.
“To be able to actually kick that in that moment, it’s it’s a huge, huge moment that for her as a team-mate, I’d be saying, ‘Unbelievable’ and I’m delighted she’s on our side.”
Sinéad Goldrick’s return has been “huge” too, the four-time All-Ireland winner and eight-time All-Star leading the charge as she balances football and AFLW commitments. The 35-year-old has been similarly impressive in defence.
“If you see Goldie coming out of the backs with the ball, that’s what everyone on our team wants to see and everyone on the other team doesn’t want to see.
“She’s a brilliant footballer, obviously an unbelievable force and as a defender, I don’t think there’s anyone in the country who wants who wants to see Goldie lining up beside them — no more than I do!”
Rowe has been going well herself, while managing calf problems, but the four-time All-Star assures she is fit and firing for Sunday.
Dublin have beaten Meath three times this year, once in the league and twice in the Leinster championship, but the Clann Mhuire ace won’t read too far into that — or settling old scores.
“2021 is obviously a hard one to take considering there was so much going on. It was a different team and there was changes, but you have to forget about that. Years have passed and Meath are a completely different team, as are we. Even from our games this year, we know they’re going to be a different team on the day.”
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