MAYO’S REMARKABLE ALL-IRELAND win dominated conversations across the length and breadth of the country – and much further afield – this week.
And back at the scene of their success in Croke Park, although the ladies football finals were moving into full view, it was still a hot topic.
While Kerry captain Síofra O’Shea spoke about the mood back home, Galway skipper Kate Geraghty was also asked for her two cents.
There are parallels: a Connacht side facing Kerry – favourites in many quarters – looking to end a long wait for glory. 22 years isn’t quite 75, but can Galway take any inspiration from what Mayo did?
“Yeah, they were huge underdogs. Nobody really backed them at all. The work rate they put in was just phenomenal,” says Geraghty.
“Like Andy Moran said, nobody believed that they could do it and they did. People probably think we’re a bit of underdogs as well at the minute. I don’t really read into it too much whether we are or whether we aren’t. I think it’s just about your team and how you work to get there and the work rate you put in on the day.”
It’s put to her that being underdogs is a good thing. (The 42 sees this as fairly evenly matched, for the record.)
“Well, I don’t really care what we’re viewed as really,” Geraghty smiles.
“The pressure is probably on Kerry. They won it two years ago, they bet us. But I think we just have to focus on ourselves, and hopefully we can get over the line.”
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The pain of 2024 is fresh in the memory, when the Kingdom stormed to a 3-14 to 0-11 win on the biggest stage to end a 31-year drought of their own.
“That disappointment, we don’t want to feel that again,” says Geraghty.
“We don’t look back on that day too fondly, but I think you have to park the game as this is a different game and we have a different team. The Kerry team is a bit different compared to what it was two years ago as well, so we just have to focus on how they’ve been playing throughout the year and the consistent performances that we’ve put in.”
Galway left dejected in 2024. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Galway’s one and only All-Ireland success was in 2004, before Cork denied them back-to-back titles and unleashed their reign of terror. The Tribe’s next decider appearance wasn’t until 2019, when Dublin made it three in-a-row in a low-scoring encounter (2-3 to 0-4) in the pouring rain before a record crowd that stands to this day (56,114).
“I suppose in 2019 it was a bit different. It was the first final in a long time so there was probably huge excitement,” Geraghty remembers.
“It was my first year on the panel and it felt like it was going to happen every year after that but I know now that it’s hard come by and the work that you have to put in.
“When we got to playing Kerry two years ago, I think we were probably just a bit underprepared and they were better than us on the day but I don’t think that makes or breaks us this year.”
Galway have had a superb championship campaign to date, putting Armagh – most significantly – Mayo, Meath and Tyrone to the sword in the All-Ireland series after completing a three-peat in Connacht.
Their Division 1 league final defeat to Cork was a blip in an encouraging year to date, but Geraghty sees it as a blessing in disguise.
“I suppose it probably would have been plain sailing, we would have thought we were better than we were if we had won that game. You learn a lot more from a loss sometimes. The last 10 minutes we just didn’t have enough control, got panicky.
“You’d prefer to lose a league final at the end of the day than an All-Ireland final. You don’t want to be losing a league final but I’d prefer it to happen the way it did.”
Eva and Hannah Noone celebrate Kilkerrin-Clonberne's fifth All-Ireland on the spin. Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO
Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO
Galway have long had one of the best panels in the country on paper, backboned by five in-a-row club All-Ireland winners Kilkerrin-Clonberne. Six started against Armagh, seven featured, including three sets of sisters: the Wards, the Divillys and the Noones.
There must be huge desire to replicate their exploits at inter-county level?
“Yeah, I suppose they’ve put in so much work the last couple of years and they’ve gotten their club All-Ireland,” says Geraghty, a native of Killanin who now plays her club football with Ballyboden St Enda’s in Dublin.
“I suppose we’d probably be down to 15 without them! They have a huge impact. Without them we would be a very different team and I think the bond that they have makes a huge difference. They know each other inside out. The fact that we’ve all been playing alongside them now the last couple of years makes a difference because we know how they play now as well.
“Ultimately they’ve won a club All-Ireland and I know that they’ll probably keep going on trying to win more but they don’t have a county All-Ireland and that is probably one of their biggest aims now. Hopefully we’ll be able to get over the line on Sunday.”
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'People probably think we're underdogs as well' - Can Galway take inspiration from Mayo?
MAYO’S REMARKABLE ALL-IRELAND win dominated conversations across the length and breadth of the country – and much further afield – this week.
And back at the scene of their success in Croke Park, although the ladies football finals were moving into full view, it was still a hot topic.
While Kerry captain Síofra O’Shea spoke about the mood back home, Galway skipper Kate Geraghty was also asked for her two cents.
There are parallels: a Connacht side facing Kerry – favourites in many quarters – looking to end a long wait for glory. 22 years isn’t quite 75, but can Galway take any inspiration from what Mayo did?
“Yeah, they were huge underdogs. Nobody really backed them at all. The work rate they put in was just phenomenal,” says Geraghty.
“Like Andy Moran said, nobody believed that they could do it and they did. People probably think we’re a bit of underdogs as well at the minute. I don’t really read into it too much whether we are or whether we aren’t. I think it’s just about your team and how you work to get there and the work rate you put in on the day.”
It’s put to her that being underdogs is a good thing. (The 42 sees this as fairly evenly matched, for the record.)
“Well, I don’t really care what we’re viewed as really,” Geraghty smiles.
“The pressure is probably on Kerry. They won it two years ago, they bet us. But I think we just have to focus on ourselves, and hopefully we can get over the line.”
The pain of 2024 is fresh in the memory, when the Kingdom stormed to a 3-14 to 0-11 win on the biggest stage to end a 31-year drought of their own.
“That disappointment, we don’t want to feel that again,” says Geraghty.
“We don’t look back on that day too fondly, but I think you have to park the game as this is a different game and we have a different team. The Kerry team is a bit different compared to what it was two years ago as well, so we just have to focus on how they’ve been playing throughout the year and the consistent performances that we’ve put in.”
Galway’s one and only All-Ireland success was in 2004, before Cork denied them back-to-back titles and unleashed their reign of terror. The Tribe’s next decider appearance wasn’t until 2019, when Dublin made it three in-a-row in a low-scoring encounter (2-3 to 0-4) in the pouring rain before a record crowd that stands to this day (56,114).
“I suppose in 2019 it was a bit different. It was the first final in a long time so there was probably huge excitement,” Geraghty remembers.
“It was my first year on the panel and it felt like it was going to happen every year after that but I know now that it’s hard come by and the work that you have to put in.
“When we got to playing Kerry two years ago, I think we were probably just a bit underprepared and they were better than us on the day but I don’t think that makes or breaks us this year.”
Galway have had a superb championship campaign to date, putting Armagh – most significantly – Mayo, Meath and Tyrone to the sword in the All-Ireland series after completing a three-peat in Connacht.
Their Division 1 league final defeat to Cork was a blip in an encouraging year to date, but Geraghty sees it as a blessing in disguise.
“I suppose it probably would have been plain sailing, we would have thought we were better than we were if we had won that game. You learn a lot more from a loss sometimes. The last 10 minutes we just didn’t have enough control, got panicky.
“You’d prefer to lose a league final at the end of the day than an All-Ireland final. You don’t want to be losing a league final but I’d prefer it to happen the way it did.”
Galway have long had one of the best panels in the country on paper, backboned by five in-a-row club All-Ireland winners Kilkerrin-Clonberne. Six started against Armagh, seven featured, including three sets of sisters: the Wards, the Divillys and the Noones.
There must be huge desire to replicate their exploits at inter-county level?
“Yeah, I suppose they’ve put in so much work the last couple of years and they’ve gotten their club All-Ireland,” says Geraghty, a native of Killanin who now plays her club football with Ballyboden St Enda’s in Dublin.
“I suppose we’d probably be down to 15 without them! They have a huge impact. Without them we would be a very different team and I think the bond that they have makes a huge difference. They know each other inside out. The fact that we’ve all been playing alongside them now the last couple of years makes a difference because we know how they play now as well.
“Ultimately they’ve won a club All-Ireland and I know that they’ll probably keep going on trying to win more but they don’t have a county All-Ireland and that is probably one of their biggest aims now. Hopefully we’ll be able to get over the line on Sunday.”
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