Pandemonium in the moment. Confusion and chaos reigned in a maroon and green and gold haze. Both Galway and Kerry players and supporters were celebrating, the hooter blasted and The Saw Doctors’ N17 blared. Galway were All-Ireland champions for the first time since 2004 after winning by the minimum, 2-7 to 0-12. The outpouring of emotion was as expected, but it was a strange scene after a highly-dramatic endgame.
It all boiled down to two big decisions inside the final minute. Advantage and square ball. The 42 was uncertain in real time – and even after a replay or two – but referee Maggie Farrelly was correct on both calls. The Cavan whistler kept her cool and signalled both immediately.
Eva Noone swung over what proved to be the winner in the 58th minute. Kerry went on the hunt for an equaliser, at least. There were calls for a free when Galway substitute Shauna Hynes collided with Caoimhe Evans but play continued, the original foul was for Bronagh Quinn on Roisín Rahilly. Farrelly held her arm out and played advantage for five seconds, until she whistled with Siofra O’Shea in a difficult scoring position. The Galway players surrounding her stopped, O’Shea waltzed in and fired over.
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But the point wouldn’t stand. Back for the free on the edge of the two-point arc. This was it. O’Shea floated the ball in and amidst a barrage of bodies in the square, it went straight in, despite the best efforts of Niamh Divilly’s fingertips. Farrelly had already signalled for a square ball, however, and blown her whistle mid-flight with Kerry substitute Erica McGlynn in the area.
The LGFA rule for square ball from a set play is different from open play and reads, “A player cannot enter the small rectangle before the ball.”
The old cliché rang true. Galway’s two goals, from Leanne Coen in each half, were key as they ended a 22-year wait for glory. The Tribe hadn’t raised a green flag in their impressive semi-final win over Armagh, and the feeling was they needed to if they were to triumph. Kerry, meanwhile, had found the back of the net in every game of the All-Ireland series, twice bar on every occasion bar one, so keeping a clean sheet was another crucial factor.
Coen struck at crucial times, both majors moving Galway in front in a tense, low-scoring game. They took the lead for the first time in the 16th minute after the Corofin star danced through the Kerry defence and despatched with the outside of her right boot, 1-2 to 0-3. The instep did the damage in the 54th minute, as Coen linked up with the marauding Nicola Ward on the loop and riled home to move Galway back in front, 2-6 to 0-11.
Other goal chances went a-begging. Kerry had the first, as corner back Roisín Rahilly shot wide in the sixth minute after a weaving run. There were big opportunities at either end towards the end of a third quarter that finished 0-1 apiece: Kerry’s Caoimhe Evans flashed across the face of goal, before a Galway double chance saw Louise Ward blocked down by Emma Costello and Kate Slevin denied by Mary Ellen Bolger. Clinical Coen was the difference.
3. New rules
O'Shea reacts to a decision. Grace Halton / INPHO
Grace Halton / INPHO / INPHO
This was the first All-Ireland senior ladies football final played under the new rules, so they were always going to be under the microscope. It was a strange game, as two high-scoring teams opted to try to nullify each other with cautious approaches for the most part. It wasn’t a great advertisement for the new rules – six which mirror the men’s game – but the passive nature of the contest made it that way.
One source of debate in the aftermath is the two-pointer. It’s not something Galway or Kerry appeared to go after, though both often set up around the arc to add to the defensive disposition. The same 40m arc is used as the men’s game, a huge kick for women.
Could moving it closer to goal spark more attacking football? The Sunday Game panel of Brid Stack and Hannah Tyrrell think so. “The two-point threat isn’t a threat at the moment in the ladies game,” said Stack. “I’d say we seen maybe six or seven throughout the championship, so it’s not a massive threat.
“We need to move that (arc) in a little bit closer, then it becomes a real threat. Then you have a real defensive effort in your mind, are you pushing out, there’s that pocket of space. There are such fantastic kickers in our game that would be very capable if it was just moved in closer to the D.”
The 42 has argued so too throughout the year, but adding more lines to pitches may be an issue.
4. What next?
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Galway's Kate Geraghty lifting the Brendan Martin Cup. Inpho
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Sticking with the new rules momentarily, they’re set to be reviewed in the coming months – and 11-time All-Ireland winner Stack believes the two-pointer will be in particular focus.
Galway manager Daniel Moynihan challenged his side to push on for more All-Ireland glory after this breakthrough. That’s certainly possible given their age profile – just three of the panel are over 30 – underage success, and large Kilkerrin-Clonberne contingent, who are targeting their sixth All-Ireland senior club title on the bounce this winter.
Kerry, meanwhile, must dust themselves off after their third All-Ireland defeat in four seasons. The Kingdom ended a 31-year wait for the Brendan Martin Cup in 2024, but Galway turned the tables and bridged their own significant gap here. The mood in the county will be sombre after the last two weekends, and the hurt could be greater than ever, given how they lost.
Galway are another new champion in the 2020s following the Cork-Dublin duopoly, but an underwhelming showpiece bookended a disappointing senior championship. The attendance of 26,471, which was not announced in the stadium, was the lowest since 2013 – and a far cry from the record of 56,114 set in 2019. The Ireland v Australia AFLW match on Saturday morning was a reminder of the player drain. This feels like a critical juncture for ladies football.
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LGFA All-Ireland final talking points: Drama at the death, goals win games, what next?
1. Drama at the death
Pandemonium in the moment. Confusion and chaos reigned in a maroon and green and gold haze. Both Galway and Kerry players and supporters were celebrating, the hooter blasted and The Saw Doctors’ N17 blared. Galway were All-Ireland champions for the first time since 2004 after winning by the minimum, 2-7 to 0-12. The outpouring of emotion was as expected, but it was a strange scene after a highly-dramatic endgame.
It all boiled down to two big decisions inside the final minute. Advantage and square ball. The 42 was uncertain in real time – and even after a replay or two – but referee Maggie Farrelly was correct on both calls. The Cavan whistler kept her cool and signalled both immediately.
Eva Noone swung over what proved to be the winner in the 58th minute. Kerry went on the hunt for an equaliser, at least. There were calls for a free when Galway substitute Shauna Hynes collided with Caoimhe Evans but play continued, the original foul was for Bronagh Quinn on Roisín Rahilly. Farrelly held her arm out and played advantage for five seconds, until she whistled with Siofra O’Shea in a difficult scoring position. The Galway players surrounding her stopped, O’Shea waltzed in and fired over.
But the point wouldn’t stand. Back for the free on the edge of the two-point arc. This was it. O’Shea floated the ball in and amidst a barrage of bodies in the square, it went straight in, despite the best efforts of Niamh Divilly’s fingertips. Farrelly had already signalled for a square ball, however, and blown her whistle mid-flight with Kerry substitute Erica McGlynn in the area.
The LGFA rule for square ball from a set play is different from open play and reads, “A player cannot enter the small rectangle before the ball.”
2. Goals win games
The old cliché rang true. Galway’s two goals, from Leanne Coen in each half, were key as they ended a 22-year wait for glory. The Tribe hadn’t raised a green flag in their impressive semi-final win over Armagh, and the feeling was they needed to if they were to triumph. Kerry, meanwhile, had found the back of the net in every game of the All-Ireland series, twice bar on every occasion bar one, so keeping a clean sheet was another crucial factor.
Coen struck at crucial times, both majors moving Galway in front in a tense, low-scoring game. They took the lead for the first time in the 16th minute after the Corofin star danced through the Kerry defence and despatched with the outside of her right boot, 1-2 to 0-3. The instep did the damage in the 54th minute, as Coen linked up with the marauding Nicola Ward on the loop and riled home to move Galway back in front, 2-6 to 0-11.
Other goal chances went a-begging. Kerry had the first, as corner back Roisín Rahilly shot wide in the sixth minute after a weaving run. There were big opportunities at either end towards the end of a third quarter that finished 0-1 apiece: Kerry’s Caoimhe Evans flashed across the face of goal, before a Galway double chance saw Louise Ward blocked down by Emma Costello and Kate Slevin denied by Mary Ellen Bolger. Clinical Coen was the difference.
3. New rules
This was the first All-Ireland senior ladies football final played under the new rules, so they were always going to be under the microscope. It was a strange game, as two high-scoring teams opted to try to nullify each other with cautious approaches for the most part. It wasn’t a great advertisement for the new rules – six which mirror the men’s game – but the passive nature of the contest made it that way.
One source of debate in the aftermath is the two-pointer. It’s not something Galway or Kerry appeared to go after, though both often set up around the arc to add to the defensive disposition. The same 40m arc is used as the men’s game, a huge kick for women.
Could moving it closer to goal spark more attacking football? The Sunday Game panel of Brid Stack and Hannah Tyrrell think so. “The two-point threat isn’t a threat at the moment in the ladies game,” said Stack. “I’d say we seen maybe six or seven throughout the championship, so it’s not a massive threat.
“We need to move that (arc) in a little bit closer, then it becomes a real threat. Then you have a real defensive effort in your mind, are you pushing out, there’s that pocket of space. There are such fantastic kickers in our game that would be very capable if it was just moved in closer to the D.”
The 42 has argued so too throughout the year, but adding more lines to pitches may be an issue.
4. What next?
Sticking with the new rules momentarily, they’re set to be reviewed in the coming months – and 11-time All-Ireland winner Stack believes the two-pointer will be in particular focus.
Galway manager Daniel Moynihan challenged his side to push on for more All-Ireland glory after this breakthrough. That’s certainly possible given their age profile – just three of the panel are over 30 – underage success, and large Kilkerrin-Clonberne contingent, who are targeting their sixth All-Ireland senior club title on the bounce this winter.
Kerry, meanwhile, must dust themselves off after their third All-Ireland defeat in four seasons. The Kingdom ended a 31-year wait for the Brendan Martin Cup in 2024, but Galway turned the tables and bridged their own significant gap here. The mood in the county will be sombre after the last two weekends, and the hurt could be greater than ever, given how they lost.
Galway are another new champion in the 2020s following the Cork-Dublin duopoly, but an underwhelming showpiece bookended a disappointing senior championship. The attendance of 26,471, which was not announced in the stadium, was the lowest since 2013 – and a far cry from the record of 56,114 set in 2019. The Ireland v Australia AFLW match on Saturday morning was a reminder of the player drain. This feels like a critical juncture for ladies football.
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Ladies Football LGFA Talking Points