Kerry and Galway have advanced to the TG4 All-Ireland final, setting the stage for an exciting showdown in Croke Park.
Galway overcame Cork on Saturday, 20 July, to secure a spot in the finals. Galway forward Róisín Leonard expressed her excitement as both the ladies’ and men’s teams reached the All-Ireland finals for the first time in the same year.
Galway will be making their fifth appearance in the TG4 All-Ireland final, seeking their first title since 2004. Leonard's impressive 1-5 tally, including a crucial penalty, was pivotal in Galway's 2-7 to 0-10 win over Cork.
Playing with the wind in the first half, Galway capitalized with goals from Leonard and captain Ailbhe Davoren, leading 2-4 to 0-5 at the break. Cork's Katie Quirke fought valiantly, scoring 0-7, but Galway's experience and clinical finishing secured their victory. Cork manager Shane Ronayne acknowledged the progress made by his young team but admitted that Galway’s experience was a deciding factor.
Scorers:
Galway: R Leonard 1-5 (1-0 pen, 0-3f), A Davoren 1-0, O Divilly 0-2 (2f).
Cork: K Quirke 0-7 (4f), E Cleary, L O’Mahony, A McAuliffe 0-1 each.
Kerry’s joint manager, Declan Quill, praised his team’s experience as the decisive factor in their 1-8 to 0-8 victory over Armagh. This will be Kerry’s third consecutive final appearance, as they aim to lift the Brendan Martin Cup for the first time since 1993.
“I think we just used all our experience. This is a very experienced bunch, it’s their third All-Ireland final in-a-row going to now. We’ve been in Croke Park a few times with Division 2 and Division 1 titles. They used all their experience in the second half. Just cool heads and bringing on the likes of Lorraine Scanlon there and Hannah O’Donoghue, it just really drove it home,” Quill said.
Niamh Ní Chonchúir’s 16th-minute goal at Glenisk O’Connor Park shifted the momentum in Kerry’s favour. Despite a strong start from Armagh, with points from Eva Lavery, Blaithin Mackin, and Dearbhla Coleman, Kerry’s defense and strategic substitutions helped them maintain their lead. At halftime, Kerry led 1-7 to 0-5 and held off Armagh’s rally in the second half.
Scorers:
Kerry: N Ní Chonchúir 1-0, D O’Leary 0-2 (1f), N Carmody 0-2, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh 0-2 (2f), A O’Connell, S O’Shea 0-1 each.
Armagh: E Lavery 0-2, B Mackin 0-2 (1f), D Coleman, N Coleman, N Henderson 0-1 each.
As Kerry and Galway prepare to face each other in the final on 4 August, both teams bring their unique strengths and experiences to what promises to be an enthralling contest for the coveted Brendan Martin Cup.
