‘It's the pinnacle of the year' – Dublin fans celebrate All-Ireland Ladies victory over Meath

Irish Independent

3 days ago

It was the Dubs who emerged victorious from the LGFA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final to claim their seventh such title with a 12-point win over Meath.
A crowd of over 45,000 fans descended on Croke Park to cheer on their teams.
After the match, loud cheers and horns could be heard on all sides of the stadium.
Celebrating the win, Dublin fan Ken Fitzsimons (57), who lives across the road from Croke Park, said 'the ladies were outstanding'.
'Today's game was a great game. The ladies were unbelievable. There's no team in the country that will touch the ladies today, they're outstanding,' Mr Fitzsimons said.
'The atmosphere was great. It was brilliant. And with the greatest respect to the men footballers, Kerry and Donegal last week, the atmosphere for the ladies' final for today was outstanding.
'That was absolutely brilliant, compared to last week [where] there were parts there where it was very quiet, but it was great all throughout today.'
He paid tribute to his late brother at the match after creating a special flag for him, which he takes to every All-Ireland final. 'The flag is a memory of our brother, Robbie Fitz,' he said.
'He passed away there a couple of years back, unfortunately, at a very young age, and his famous saying was on match days when Dublin were playing: 'Mind the Luas'. So, in memory of him, we got the flag done on 'Mind the Luas' as our slogan on the flag. So it goes to every Dublin game – women's or men's.'
As the saying goes, We're proud to be Irish, but we're honoured to be Dubs
He said 'there's nothing like' being at Croke Park for an All-Ireland final.
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'As the saying goes, 'We're proud to be Irish, but we're honoured to be Dubs'. It's a great tradition in Dublin and in every county to get watching your team or your county playing in the All-Ireland finals,' Mr Fitzsimons added.
'It's fantastic and it's the pinnacle of the year, you want to be there on All-Ireland final. There is nothing like it. It's brilliant, fantastic.'
Adam Cullen-Fitzsimons (26) said it means 'everything and more' to see their team lift the trophy.
Former Dublin All-Ireland footballer Paul Flynn (39) was also cheering on the Dubs at Croke Park, alongside his wife Fiona (35) and their children.
'Delighted for Dublin, especially for Niamh Crowley, our club-mate, so delighted for her to win. And also Sinéad Goldrick, who'd be Fiona's friend,' he said.
Dublin fan Sadie Cremens, who came to Croke Park from Maynooth, Co ­Kildare, described the match as 'spectacular'.
'That was amazing. The atmosphere was like out of this world. So good. I've supported that team since I was born. It was just unbelievable,' she said.
'The whole team played amazing. And there's a few bad injuries there, hope everyone's all right.'
Despite Meath's loss, it was a 'great day out' for father and daughter Orla and Jim Quinn, from Ballyboughal, Co Meath. Orla (13) said the match was 'very one-sided' but she's 'still proud of both teams'.
'There's really good atmosphere, but both of our teams lost,' she said.
Her father Jim (59) said they were cheering on Laois and Meath.
'Both teams played their best, but it just wasn't their day. But still, it was a great day out. It's nice to get out,' he said.
Meath fans Damien Dylan and his daughter Leah Dylan, who live in Barcelona, were visiting their family.
'We've had a weekend of GAA double-header club match yesterday and Croke Park for the final,' Mr Dylan said.
After the final, Mr Dylan said, it did not 'feel as good as three years ago'.
'It was a great atmosphere. It's very special. I've been coming here since I was a kid,' he said. 'The ladies' [game] is especially nice.'
However, he was 'very proud' of the team despite the result.
'They made a good shot of it. They could do with bringing in the tap and go from the men's rules. The game was very stop-start today, with fouls being a bit tactical, but the better team won,' he said. 'The tactics worked in their favour. But it'd be nice to cut them out, too.
'Watching the men's games, the new rules are working great now. They should take a couple of them in for the ladies, especially that one – the tap and go would have really helped a lot.'