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Kerry manager Declan Quill celebrates at the final whistle. Ben Brady/INPHO

'We thought we had run our race - It's going to be the greatest day of my life'

Kerry defeated Galway 3-14 to 0-11 in Croke Park yestrday.

NIAMH CARMODY SAYS lifting the Brendan Martin Cup on behalf of Kerry was the greatest moment of her life โ€“ and will probably remain so.

The wing-forward became the first Kerry captain since the great Eileen Lawlor in 1993 to get her hands on the precious silverware.

Aside from achieving success at the third attempt following final defeats in 2022 and 2023, Kerryโ€™s win over Galway has also nudged them ahead of neighbours Cork into top spot in the Championshipโ€™s roll of honour with a dozen titles.

A good afternoonโ€™s work then.

โ€œItโ€™s going to be the greatest day of my life โ€“ Iโ€™d say maybe forever!โ€ said Carmody. โ€œItโ€™s just fantastic. I canโ€™t put it into words what it means to us.

โ€œWe always knew what this team was capable of. The display the backs put in today was absolutely phenomenal and you could see why Kayleigh Cronin got Player of the Match. The tackles that she put in, youโ€™d go far and wide to see a better display of defending and I think thatโ€™s what the overall performance was built on.

โ€œAnd the players who came in off the bench, Hannah Oโ€™Donoghue like, she kicked 1-2, we just have a phenomenal group of girls. So yeah, I think we just really showed what weโ€™re capable of.โ€

Full-back Cronin was immense for Kerry in their semi-final win over Armagh in Tullamore but turned in an even more impressive display in the 3-14 to 0-11 final defeat of Galway.

โ€œThe one thing I remember from last year was when we were on the pitch after the final whistle went, after losing to Dublin, and Kayleigh went around to all of us and said, โ€˜Weโ€™re going to go againโ€™,โ€ said Carmody. โ€œWe knew that we were going to lose one or two people but I think I knew in my heart that a lot of us would come back. We knew we werenโ€™t finished last year.

โ€œAt least thatโ€™s what I felt, and once we found that the managers were staying on, I donโ€™t think anyone was going to step away.โ€

niamh-carmody-is-hugged-by-family-and-supporters-after-winning-the-game Niamh Carmody is hugged by family and supporters after Kerry's win. Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO

Joint managers Declan Quill and Darragh Long werenโ€™t initially planning on staying on though. In fact, they privately called it quits when chatting immediately after last yearโ€™s final loss to Dublin.

โ€œWe were in the middle of the field last year looking up at Carla (Rowe) getting the Cup for Dublin and blue everywhere,โ€ said Quill. โ€œI remember we shook hands and he (Long) said, โ€˜Thatโ€™s itโ€™. And I said, โ€˜Thatโ€™s it for me tooโ€™. He has kids at home, I have three kids at home as well. It is hard to keep everything going.โ€

The following morning, during a chat at the team hotel before returning home, they started to talk about the tweaks and alterations that might possibly make the difference in 2024. And just like that, they were up and running again.

The journey from there to here, to the summit of the 2024 Championship, via a first Munster championship success since 2017, has been a thrilling one.

โ€œPerseverance is some trait to have and we have got it in absolute abundance,โ€ said Long.

โ€œWe wrote down four items five and a half years ago when we took this job. We have ticked every box as of today. And yet last year we could have thrown in the towel, and we were super close to doing that. We thought we had run our race. We thought we had asked as much of the girls as we could ask of them. But we sounded girls out and they wanted us back. Unfinished business.

โ€œIt was tough losing against Meath two years ago but we probably werenโ€™t expected to win. A lot of people maybe thought weโ€™d win last year so that one hurt. And last year still hurts even though we have won today. But today is also going to make up for every bit of sacrifice we have asked of them and that they have asked of us over the last couple of years.โ€

Against that background of final failures โ€“ they lost another one earlier this year too, to Armagh in the Division 1 league decider โ€“ it was particularly sweet for the management watching Kerry streak to victory at Galwayโ€™s expense. The game was as good as up at half-time when they led by eight points.

โ€œIt was a dream scenario to be in that position a couple of minutes out,โ€ agreed Long.

For Galway, it was another All-Ireland senior football final defeat, following on from the menโ€™s defeat to Armagh. Both Galway managers reflected on missed opportunities after the respective defeats too.

โ€œWe got our shots away, we were still breaking lines and getting opportunities to put the ball over the bar but our accuracy wasnโ€™t where it needed to be,โ€ said Galway boss Daniel Moynihan.

โ€œThe Kerry defence did really well against us, particularly where we like to probe and create opportunities. But I still think we made a lot of opportunities in the first-half and we just didnโ€™t convert, even goal chances as well, and thatโ€™s going to cost you in an All-Ireland final.โ€

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    Mute Billy Carroll
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    Aug 5th 2024, 9:59 AM

    Well done to both teams. Great play and excitement during the match. Congratulations Kerry

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    Mute Ray Ridge
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    Aug 5th 2024, 8:51 AM

    I canโ€™t recall the last time a team won an all Ireland final by more than double scores, in any code at any grade. Iโ€™m sure some smart boy out there will know the answer.

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    Mute Square
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    Aug 5th 2024, 8:59 AM

    @Ray Ridge: 2008 killkenny v waterford

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    Mute Ray Ridge
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    Aug 5th 2024, 9:04 AM

    @Square: Dublin ladies in 2017, 2011 and Cork ladies 2008.

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    Mute Square
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    Aug 5th 2024, 9:09 AM

    @Ray Ridge: looks like you can recall lol im going for the mens all ireland before 2008 there was tipp v antrim as well not sure the yesr

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    Mute Ray Ridge
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    Aug 5th 2024, 9:17 AM

    @Square: I had to Google. Probably Cork destroyed a few teams in camogie finals too but canโ€™t be bothered googling that.

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    Mute Ray Ridge
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    Aug 5th 2024, 9:26 AM

    @Square: That was 1990 Tipp v Antrim . The year the gaa conspired to deny Galway the 3 in a row.

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    Mute Square
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    Aug 5th 2024, 9:33 AM

    @Ray Ridge: think your googel is wrong it was 1989

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    Mute Ray Ridge
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    Aug 5th 2024, 9:35 AM

    @Square: Correct, 1989. Just checking if your switched on or not!!

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    Mute Square
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    Aug 5th 2024, 9:42 AM

    @Ray Ridge: allways on dear god rte olympics is an ad feast

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    Mute WqM9AAv3
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    Aug 5th 2024, 10:52 AM

    @Square: I remember that hammering Waterford received from Kilkenny. It was probable the best 70 minutes of pure hurling Iโ€™ve ever seen by any team. I was in the lower cusack stand and wasnโ€™t the biggest fan of Kilkenny. About 10 mins into the game that changed. All I could do was sit back in complete admiration of every play from Kilkenny for the rest of the game, my mouth wide open in awe at the beauty of their skill, work rate and tenacity. It was one of those prolonged wow moments. Pretty orgasmic if the truth be told

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    Mute Square
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    Aug 5th 2024, 11:32 AM

    @WqM9AAv3: Nice one and who do u support

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    Mute WqM9AAv3
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    Aug 5th 2024, 11:37 AM

    @Square: I support hurling Square. Thereโ€™s a bit of me embedded in a lot of counties. No true allegiance, just a huge fan of hurling in general

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