Best moment, star and match: The42 GAA writers review the 2025 hurling and football year

The 42

2 days ago

Moment of the Year…
Declan Bogue:
Hurling – For sheer drama and the giant-killing effect, you'd go a long way to better Dublin's incredible quarter-final win over Limerick. John Hetherton and Cian O'Sullivan's goals came like a one-two to Limerick's jaw in a game they were in total control of, especially as Dublin were a man down after Chris Crummey's 15th-minute red card. A result that rocked hurling, and shouldn't be diminished by their defeat in the semi-final to Cork
Football – It was a play that this time last year you could not have comprehended. A player holding the ball uncontested in the middle of the park, all the while taking long glances at the time on the scoreboard. A hooter, bejaysus. And then David Clifford coming on the loop to kick outside of a brand new scoring arc. Clifford's first half 'Hooter-Beater' was novel in the All-Ireland final, but also quite incredible.
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Emma Duffy:
Hurling - Dublin's great upset against Limerick. The quickfire John Hetherton and Cian O'Sullivan second-half goals which propelled the 14-man Dubs to victory, ignited the game and occasion in Croke Park.
Football - David Clifford's two-pointer after the half-time buzzer in the All-Ireland final against Donegal. A strike that captured how I'll remember the 2025 football season.
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Sinead Farrell:
Hurling - Oisín O'Donoghue's goal for Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny shortly after Darragh McCarthy's red card. The product of a brilliant team move which started with a turnover by Alan Tynan and ended with O'Donoghue's powerful strike under severe pressure.
Tipperary's Oisin O'Donoghue celebrates scoring his sides fourth goal. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Football - It has to be THAT David Clifford two-pointer after the half-time buzzer in the All-Ireland final. I have watched the fan footage of Clifford's movement in the build-up his score at least 20 times and still cannot figure out how he wrangles free from the close watch of Brendan McCole.
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Fintan O'Toole:
Hurling - The biggest shock in years in the hurling championship contained a mind-blowing save when Sean Brennan diverted Aaron Gillane's shot over the bar. A goal then would have shifted the course of the quarter-final, but Dublin's save enabled them to hold out Limerick and clinch a famous success.
Football - Louth trailed by four points approaching half-time of the Leinster final and needed something to inspire them against Meath. Step forward Craig Lennon. The handy option of tapping over a point was passed on, instead he unleashed a stunning drive to the net. It was the type of defiance mixed with skill that propelled the county to their first Leinster title in 68 years, the centrepice of a memorable Croke Park day.
Louth's Craig Lennon celebrates scoring his side's third goal in the Leinster final. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
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Star of the Year…
Declan Bogue:
Hurling – Any manager pleading with his own county supporters to come out and support their team can often smack of desperation. When Tipperary failed to turn up in the Gaelic Grounds and Semple Stadium last year it appeared the support had lost faith in their side.
Liam Cahill kept the faith. He ran the race. He never gave up and somehow, improbably, impressively, he is the All-Ireland hurling winning manager.
Football – Similarly to Cahill, David Clifford himself made his appeals for the Kerry support to come out. With the benefit of hindsight, it felt like a bit of a turning point in their season. After the defeat to Meath in Tullamore, everything felt amplified about Kerry; their scoring rate, their scoring celebrations, Jack O'Connor's stirring riposte to the critics within. But it all starts and ends with David Clifford. No surprise.
Kerry's David Clifford celebrates after the All-Ireland final. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
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Emma Duffy:
Hurling – Ronan Maher. His nod to the late Dillon Quirke on the steps of the Hogan Stand was special as he delivered his All-Ireland winning speech. It wrapped up a huge final performance and superb season from the Thurles Sarsfields man.
Football - David Clifford. 8-62. Enough said.
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Sinead Farrell:
Hurling - Tipperary's John McGrath. Consistent throughout the championship but really came to life in the All-Ireland final with 2-2 from play, including that brilliant flicked effort in the air to help the ball past Patrick Collins.
Tipperary's John McGrath celebrates scoring a goal against Cork. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
Football - Kerry's David Clifford. Nailed on for his third Footballer of The Year after an incredible championship in which he scored 8-48 from play and 8-62 in total.
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Fintan O'Toole:
Hurling - John McGrath had enjoyed a brilliant Tipperary career before 2025 even commenced. All-Irelands, an All-Star and general acclaim. Now this year is set to match his previous accomplishments. A renaissance three years after rupturing his Achilles, he adorned his displays with seven goals from play across the summer at key stages for his side.
Football - David Clifford. No need to complicate matters by having a debate. 1-25 across his last three appearances in Croke Park, while his overall tally from play this year was 8-48. The best footballer in the country produced the best year of performances.
*****
Game of the Year…
Declan Bogue:
Hurling – You may well complain about a competition as august as the Munster hurling championship coming down to a penalty shootout. And you'd get a sympathetic ear here too. But for entertainment and drama, there was nothing to match Cork's eventual penalty shootout win over Limerick.
After winning the group game by 16 points, Limerick believed they had the Mackey Cup won with Aaron Gillane's late free, before Darragh Fitzgibbon's last-gasp '65' to take it to penalties. Still should have been a replay though.
Cork's Robert Downey lifts the trophy after the Munster final. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Football – Forgive us for romanticising it a little, but a combination of fine weather and high-quality has brought some brilliant Ulster finals in recent years.
That, and the constant spectre of some day these games going to a revamped Casement Park, leaves the feeling that everyone is embracing these crazy Clones days.
On the pitch, the quality of football and shooting in particular was off the charts. Eventually, Ciaran Moore's goal brought Donegal into winning territory at the death.
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Emma Duffy:
Hurling - It had to be the Munster final. Incredible drama served by Cork and Limerick across an absorbing night that stretched from normal time to extra time to the penalty shootout conclusion. Not the easiest game to liveblog!
Football - The second half of the Meath-Galway quarter-final was brilliant viewing. Jordan Morris excelled as Meath clinched a first All-Ireland semi-final spot in 16 years.
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Sinead Farrell:
Hurling - The Dublin-Limerick clash in the All-Ireland quarter-final stands out. To take down an All-Ireland contender without their captain Chris Crummey for most of the game is an exceptional feat. Honourable mention for the Munster final which saw Cork crowned champions, and the opening Munster day that produced dramatic draws in Clare v Cork and Tipperary v Limerick.
Football - The Leinster final between Louth and Meath. 15 years after the pain of losing the provincial decider in controversial circumstances, it was heartening to see Louth win their first Leinster title in 68 years. Meath were involved in some other standout ties against Dublin and Galway, while Donegal going back-to-back in Ulster after a thriller against Armagh should be noted too.
Donegal's Patrick McBrearty and Michael Murphy celebrate in the dressing room. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
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Fintan O'Toole:
Hurling - The Munster final produced remarkable tension and drama, while Kildare's Joe McDonagh victory was wonderful to see. But perhaps the most consequential game was the May six-goal thriller in Ennis as Clare's All-Ireland defence was ended and Tipperary found something in the finale that transformed their outlook, paving the way for ultimate glory.
Football - As an eyewitness, the Kerry-Cork Munster tie in April was a classic as the action ebbed and flowed, sealed by an extra-time thunderbolt to the net from Joe O'Connor. Watching from afar, the Derry-Galway group game in June served up gripping fare with Matthew Tierney's goal replied by Conor Doherty's point to generate a draw.
Derry's Conor Doherty and Galway's Matthew Tierney. Lorcan Doherty / INPHO Lorcan Doherty / INPHO / INPHO
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One wish for GAA in 2026…
Declan Bogue:
Hurling – We can only hope for a resurgent Cork, and for Pat Ryan to be in charge. Talk of change is rampant right now on Leeside, but it would feel like a huge pity if Ryan's enormous dignity displayed this year did not have the cinematic sweep of an eventual Liam MacCarthy win. Selling out every game they went to from the league final on, you could only wish the best for them.
Football – Rules-related. Personally, I would be in favour of the hooter and final play arrangement as it is. I might also be in favour of four points for a goal. One thing that would be a regressive step is the potential to restrict the handpass. Overall, the 'enhancements' have helped the game. But we are into delicate territory now before the whole thing is tied down for the next few years.
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Emma Duffy:
Hurling - One more year for TJ Reid, Patrick Horgan, and Noel McGrath, the latter fittingly fired over the last point that sealed Tipperary's All-Ireland title win. Three undisputed hurling greats.
Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO
Football - A Cavan upturn. More results like the win in the All-Ireland group stage against Mayo in Castlebar. No bias here.
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Sinead Farrell:
Hurling - I would love to see Waterford finally unpick the lock and break out of the Munster round-robin series. Their frustration with the format was very clear after another early exit in 2025 and it will be interesting to see if they can keep the group together to give it another push in 2026.
Football - This has been a brilliant year for football and the new rules are clearly having a positive impact. But I would love to see more goals and I think a four-point award would be a great incentive for teams to hunt down more green flags.
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Fintan O'Toole:
Hurling - Remove the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final stage. Dublin thrashing Kildare by 21 points this year and Tipperary hammering Laois by 23, reinforced the belief there is nothing to be gained from these games. Give extra room to the Liam MacCarthy Cup race and crucially stretch out the Joe McDonagh Cup, playing the final before an All-Ireland semi-final or final.
Football - A move closer to the wider realisation that the provinces in their current guise are a barrier to the overall football structure, but perhaps a more realistic target is to scrap two-pointers from frees. The proficiency of players with those kicks is skewing contests.
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