Galway are All-Ireland Champions 2026

Galway 2-7
Kerry 0-12
At Croke Park

Galway brought a 22-year wait to an end at Croke Park on Sunday, producing a display of strong resolve to defeat Kerry by a single point in a tense TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final.

Two goals from Corofin forward Leanne Coen proved decisive in an encounter dominated by fine margins, with a late point from substitute Eva Noone finally tilting the contest in the Tribeswomen’s favour.

Playing into a stiff breeze in the opening half, Kerry looked to control the tempo through sustained possession, but Galway’s defence—anchored by an inspirational performance from team captain and Player of the Match Kate Geraghty (Laoch na hImeartha) by TG4)—refused to yield.

The game’s opening goal arrived in the 16th minute. Intercepting a loose transition in midfield, Ward released Coen, who evaded two defenders before finding the top corner with a brilliant outside-of-the-boot finish. Kerry responded with typical poise, as Síofra O’Shea and Niamh Ní Chonchúir struck points from distance to leave the sides level at 1-4 to 0-7 at the interval.

The second half was a tactical battle of attrition. With pressure mounting and scoring opportunities at a premium, Kerry nudged ahead through points from Louise McMahon and Caoimhe Evans, threatening to take control as the match entered its final ten minutes.

However, Galway showed the strength of character that defined their championship campaign. In the 54th minute, a sweeping team move originating in the full-back line found Olivia Divilly, whose high ball into the square was broken down into the path of Coen to net her second goal of the afternoon.

Kerry equalised almost immediately through O’Shea’s fifth point of the game, but with two minutes of regulation time remaining, Noone carved out a pocket of space on the right flank to curl over the winning point off her left foot.

A heroic final defensive stand saw Galway hold off a late barrage in six minutes of injury time, securing the Brendan Martin Cup for only the second time in our county’s history.

Scorers
L. Coen (2-0), O. Divilly (0-3, 1f), E. Noone (0-1), R. Leonard (0-1), K. Slevin (0-1), K. Thompson (0-1)
S. O’Shea (0-5, 3f), N. Ní Chonchúir (0-3), E. Costello (0-1), N. Carmody (0-1), C. Evans (0-1), L. McMahon (0-1)

GALWAY: L. O’Halloran; B. Quinn, S. Ní Loingsigh, K. Geraghty (C); H. Noone, N. Ward, N. Divilly; L. Ward, S. Divilly; O. Divilly, K. Slevin, K. Thompson; E. Noone, L. Coen, R. Leonard.

Subs: S. Hynes for Thompson (52), E. Power for S. Divilly (56), A. Trill for Leonard (59).

KERRY: M.E. Bolger; R. Rahilly, D. Kearney, E. Lynch; A. O’Connell, E. Costello, A. Dillane; M. Mulvihill, M. O’Connell; N. Carmody, N. Ní Chonchúir, C. Evans; J. Lucey, D. O’Leary, S. O’Shea.

Subs: L. McMahon for Mulvihill (43), E. McGlynn for Lucey (52), R. Dwyer for O’Leary (59).

Referee: Maggie Farrelly (Cavan).