All-Ireland women’s football finals: Kerry and Galway in senior decider, Roscommon beat Fermanagh to intermediate title

Fixtures

All-Ireland Junior Final: Antrim 1-13 Carlow 2-9 (FT, report)

All-Ireland Intermediate Final: Roscommon 2-12 Fermanagh 0-6 (FT)

All-Ireland Senior Final: Kerry v Galway, 4.15pm

Danger in front of the Kerry goal is well managed by Mary O’Connell, winning the free out. Galway go again, but a long-range effort from Kate Thompson pulls right of the uprights.

28 MINS: Galway 1-4 Kerry 0-6

The Kerry defence parts in front of Nicola Ward but she opts for the pass to Olivia Divilly.

Divilly didn’t look to be expecting the pass and her shot is rushed and wide.

25 MINS: Galway 1-4 Kerry 0-6

Good play from Caoimhe Evans, drawing play out to the wing before cutting back inside to feed Niamh Ní Chonchúir in space, and she takes her point.

The Kingdom follow it up with a point from Emma Costello.

23 MINS: Galway 1-4 Kerry 0-6

Galway into a nice rhythm now, Olivia Divilly adding to their tally with a 13-metre free.

Kerry slow it down as they try to edge in on the Galway goal. O’Leary makes a burst but she’s dispossessed and Eva Noone wins the free out, and the move ends in a point from play for Divilly.

20 MINS: Galway 1-4 Kerry 0-4

GOAL FOR GALWAY! Leanne Coen puts Galway ahead for the first time.

Kerry reply with a point from Jadyn Lucy.

16 MINS: Galway 1-2 Kerry 0-4

Galway look so dangerous when they go at Kerry with pace. After one attack stalls, they play it back out to Kate Thompson, who manages a beautiful point, inch-perfect from just inside the 40-metre arc.

14 MINS: Galway 0-2 Kerry 0-3

Caoimhe Evans works her way through the Galway backs and spots a quick pass to the oncoming Niamh Carmody, who has an easy pop-over point.

12 MINS: Galway 0-1 Kerry 0-3

O’Shea gets an accidental step on the back of the ankle, a right sore looking one.

She’s soon good to go through, and from the free restores Kerry’s one-point lead.

Galway again launch a quick attack, but this time Slevin’s effort is short and slightly left, Mary Ellen Bolger managing it well in the Kerry goal.

10 MINS: Galway 0-1 Kerry 0-2

Galway are all too aware of Kerry’s shooting threat. The Tribeswomen are pushing right out on Kerry, trying to force them into long-range efforts. But Niamh Carmody breaks through and drills a shot low but it streaks to the left of the post.

On the counterattack, Galway go with pace and Kate Slevin claims their opening point.

7 MINS: Galway 0-1 Kerry 0-1

Kerry with the early attacks but they retreat, struggling to cut through the Galway half-back line. Aishling O’Connell sends in a shot from just inside the arc but it drops short for Leah O’Halloran to collect with ease.

4 MINS: Galway 0-0 Kerry 0-1

Kerry win a free in the opening play and it gives captain Síofra O’Shea a chance to get them on the board.

She slots it over the bar.

1 MIN: Galway 0-0 Kerry 0-1

And the All-Ireland women’s senior football final is off.

Maggie Farrelly from Cavan is on the whistle.

O MINS: Galway 0-0 Kerry 0-0

Parade done, we’re almost ready to go here.

The teams face the flag for the anthem.

Ten minutes to kick-off in the senior final.

Here’s how the two teams line out.

GALWAY: Leah O’Halloran; Brónagh Quinn, Sarah Ní Loingsigh, Kate Geraghty (capt); Hannah Noone, Nicola Ward, Niamh Divilly; Louise Ward, Siobhan Divilly; Oilivia Divilly, Kate Slevin, Kate Thompson; Eva Noone, Leanna Coen, Róisín Leonard.

KERRY: Mary Ellen Bolger; Róisín Rahilly, Deirdre Kearney, Eilís Lynch; Aishling O’Connell, Emma Costello, Aoife Dillane; Mikala Mulvihill, Mary O’Connell; Niamh Carmody, Niamh Ní Chonchúir, Caoimhe Evans; Jadyn Lucey, Danielle O’Leary, Síofra O’Shea (capt).

One change to the Kerry side named earlier in the week, Anna Galvin out with Mikala Mulvihill slotting in at midfield in her place.

Galway also missed out on last year’s senior final having been beaten by eventual champions Dublin in the semis.

Tribes captain Kate Geraghty spoke to Paul Keane about the lessons they’ve learnt as they look to end a 22-year wait for the Brendan Martin Cup.

[ Galway’s Kate Geraghty aiming to cash in on lessons learned in All-Ireland finalOpens in new window ]

Ahead of today’s final, Gordon Manning spoke to Kerry captain Síofra O’Shea about the disappointment of missing out on last year’s final following a defeat in the semi-final.

“I think a lot of people made their decision nearly straight after the semi-final last year that they weren’t going to go out like that and weren’t going to leave the Kerry ladies jersey after a performance like that,” O’Shea says of the squad’s thinking after losing to Meath.

It’s been a difficult week in the county after Mayo’s heroics last Sunday, “but if the mood has been low in the Kingdom since last weekend, at least Kerry folk don’t have long to wait for another chance to see the county try to land silverware at Croke Park,” Gordon writes.

[ Bond is strong as Kerry women chase All-Ireland glory against GalwayOpens in new window ]

“Maria O’Neill was the match-winner at Croke Park as her last-gasp point earned Antrim a record-equalling fourth All-Ireland Junior Football Championship title at the end of a dramatic battle with Carlow,” Daire Walsh writes of today’s first decider.

“Returning to GAA HQ after losing out to Louth in last year’s junior final, Antrim enjoyed a dream start when wing forward Theresa Mellon intercepted a handpass from Carlow netminder Nicole Hanley with just over a minute gone and proceeded to hammer the ball home for a breakthrough goal.”

Read Daire’s report in full below:

[ Maria O’Neill breaks Carlow hearts with late point to win All-Ireland for AntrimOpens in new window ]

Attention now turns to the senior decider, in what will be a repeat of 2024 final between Kerry and Galway.

That day went the way of the Kingdom, ending their 31-year wait for senior honours.

Today, Kerry are led by Síofra O’Shea, and keeping her quiet will be top of Galway’s agenda.

Gordon Manning previews the clash, backing the Tribeswomen for the win:

[ Containing Kerry talisman Síofra O’Shea is key for Galway in All-Ireland women’s showdownOpens in new window ]

Goalkeeper Helena Cummins collects the Mary Quinn Memorial Cup on behalf of Roscommon.

Intermediate final – FT: Roscommon 2-12 Fermanagh 0-6

And it’s all over! Roscommon are All-Ireland intermediate champions for 2026!

Fermanagh simply hadn’t enough to kill Roscommon’s supply, the Connacht side commanding in the kickouts, with stellar performances from Aisling Feely and player of the match Saoirse Wynn.

Intermediate final – FT: Roscommon 2-12 Fermanagh 0-6

We’re into the final five minutes in the intermediate decider. Roscommon just keeping the scoreboard ticking over through Caoimhe Lennon, Ella Thompson and Laura Mannion, the bulk of their damage having already been done in the opening half.

Eimear Smyth has added two points for Fermanagh in the closing 10 minutes before Cliodhna Martin slotted over their third of the half.

Intermediate final: Roscommon 2-11 Fermanagh 0-5

Midway through the second half in the intermediate final now, Roscommon pushing their lead out to 12 points.

Intermediate final: Roscommon 2-8 Fermanagh 0-2

The second half is under way in the intermediate final.

Roscommon will be delighted with how their day is going so far, with a 11-point advantage over Fermanagh with 30 minutes left in their season. Finbar Egan’s side are looking to earn the county’s first intermediate title since 2005.

But despite their current deficit, Fermanagh have more recent Croke Park experience, winning the intermediate title in 2024 and finishing as runners-up in 2009 and 2014.

Intermediate final: Roscommon 2-7 Fermanagh 0-2

Maria O’Neill showed nerves of steel to slot over the winning point for Antrim in the junior final.

Here’s her thoughts on the vital score:

Intermediate final – HT: Roscommon 2-7 Fermanagh 0-2

The half-time hooter has just sounded in the intermediate final, Roscommon leading Fermanagh 2-7 to 0-2.

Aisling Feely netted twice in a six-minute spell to help the Rossies to that comfortable lead, while Eimear Smyth has been the only one to manage to get on the scoresheet for Fermanagh.

Hello! Welcome along to a busy day of football at Croke Park and the penultimate weekend of intercounty action in what has been an electric season.

Croke Park hosts today’s three All-Ireland women’s football finals across junior, intermediate and senior.

Earlier, Antrim had a dramatic win over Carlow in the junior final, Maria O’Neill supplying the last-minute winning point to claim the West County Hotel Cup.

The intermediate final between Fermanagh and Roscommon got under way at 1.45pm, we’ll keep you posted on that one, and later, Kerry take on Galway in the senior decider at 4.15pm.

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