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The 42
5 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Who were the best players in the 2025 ladies football championship?
Hannah Tyrrell Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO In the closing minutes of Dublin's All-Ireland final win over Meath, Tyrrell limped off the pitch to a standing ovation. The three-sport legend had flagged her retirement in the build-up to the game: An ACL injury — as confirmed on the RTÉ GAA Podcast this week — was a disappointment in an otherwise fairytale finish. Turning 35 today, Tyrrell bows out a two-time All-Ireland winner and as the top scorer in the 2025 championship. She hit 6-28 in the All-Ireland series – 8-39 (5 penalties, 20 frees) including the Leinster championship — to land the ZuCar Golden Boot award. Advertisement The goalkeeper-turned-forward produced a big final performance, with five points, three from play. Her semi-final showing was special too, the Player of the Match forcing extra time with a nerveless free kick. Scoring aside, her work-rate, experience and leadership has been key for Dublin. A third All-Star is nailed on, could a first Player of the Year award follow? Kate Sullivan Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO While Tyrrell took most of the headlines, Kate Sullivan was another of Dublin's leading scorers in the championship. She finished with 5-15, all from play — the eighth highest overall, and second from play to Waterford's Lauren McGregor. Sullivan was one of Dublin's standout stars in the final, clipping 0-4 and causing serious problems for the Meath defence. The St Sylvester's speedster had other big moments en route to her fifth All-Ireland medal, none more so than her last-second equaliser against Waterford. The 25-year-old surely has her first All-Star sewn up after an impressive season in which she has matured and assumed greater responsibility. An all-round top forward, Sullivan will be many people's pick for Player of the Year. Defensive stalwarts Leah Caffrey and Sinéad Goldrick, and midfield powerhouse Éilish O'Dowd, are among other Dublin players you could make a case for. Carla Rowe was excellent when available, but the captain missed a chunk of action due to injury. Vikki Wall Leah Scholes / INPHO Leah Scholes / INPHO / INPHO While the 2025 Player of the Year should come from Dublin, the award has gone to a non All-Ireland champion in the last three years. 2022 winner Niamh McLaughlin hailed from semi-finalists Donegal, while 2023 and 2024 victors, Kerry great Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh and Nicola Ward of Galway, were from the beaten finalists. Wall was one of Meath's best players this year, her season-long availability key as the Royals returned to their first final since 2022. The team's undoubted spiritual leader, her versatility, power and pace was instrumental, while she chipped in with 2-11 (4 frees) as their second highest scorer behind Emma Duggan. Related Reads Dublin's first-half storm, Meath regret, and what next after one-sided All-Ireland final? 'She's given everything. This is a cherry on the top' - Dublin's retiring multi-sport star Dublin dominate Meath to win second All-Ireland in three years Duggan and young goalkeeper Robyn Murray were other bright sparks for Meath, but Wall was their difference maker. The 2021 Footballer of the Year is now set to resume her AFLW career with Premiership champions North Melbourne, having also had a stint with the Irish rugby sevens team in recent years. Who else caught your eye during the 2025 ladies football championship? Let us know in the comments section below. *****
RTÉ News
28-07-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Enda McGinley: Zonal defence will win you 80-90% of games
And so the curtain has come down on a championship season where the new playing rules have certainly enriched the game of Gaelic football. In last year's All-Ireland final, Armagh scored 1-11 as they won a second title. On Sunday, with the opportunity now there to enhance your score via two-pointers, Kerry registered 1-26 in overcoming Donegal, so delivering a 39th Sam Maguire success for the aristocrats of the code. The zonal defence deployed by Jim McGuinness's side did not result in the frustration of a Kerry side who signalled their forward-thinking approach right from the off. By the 20th minute, the Kingdom were nine points to the good. The game was effectively over. The last play of the opening half saw Kerry with possession, while Donegal stuck rigidly to their defensive structure. In a split second. Paudie Clifford played the ball to his brother David, who just as quick had broken free from his marker Brendan McCole. A two-pointer from the latter was the outcome. Kerry tails were up as they headed for the dressing room; Donegal, quite simply, deflated. Speaking on the latest edition of the RTÉ GAA Podcast, Enda McGinley had his say on the approach deployed by Jim McGuinness's men. "The zonal defensive approach certainly had its limitations exposed on a huge stage yesterday," he said. In essence, football's new world is making it harder for defenders, with the Tyrone All-Ireland winner adding: "Equally, the man-to-man defence can be torn apart with these new rules probably even quicker than the zonal defence. "The quality of football that Kerry played in that first 19 minutes would tear apart pretty much whatever defensive strategy you want to do. The only way of trying to defeat that, when a team has that form and that artillery, is to win primary possession in midfield and not give it away. "If you're out there competing in midfield, you're limiting the attacking options of your opponents." "You can't not park the bus and I think we're all the better for it" A case then of best-laid plans getting you so far, with McGinley stating: "Against the vast majority of club teams and county teams for that matter, the zonal defence as Donegal and Armagh have shown is highly effective and will win you 80-90% of games. Does it have its problems? Yes. And so does the man-to-man. There is no easy solution. "Jim McGuinness said in Killarney (for league game against Kerry) at the start of the year 'you can't defend with these new rules'. I think that's the key. There is no full-proof way, you can't park the bus and I think we're all the better for it. We're all now admiring the skills of players and we're all the better for it." The lack of a defined interpretation as to what is a tackle also makes life difficult for defenders, according to Ciarán Whelan, who also contributed to this week's podcast. The former Dublin asked a pertinent question. "Does anybody know what a tackle is?" The lack of a clear answer only adds to the frustration for players, he feels. "It depends on the referee and a lot of players will play the referee depending on how far he's letting the bar go on the tackle. Both teams yesterday probably felt aggrieved on some of the tackles. You see very few one-on-one turnovers because there is a nervousness of committing to the tackle. "You can be heavily punished for an innocuous tackle outside the arc. Defining the tackle is a frustration for supporters and players. How do you apply it? I don't know whether it's something the FRC ever looked at.
RTÉ News
24-07-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
All-Ireland football final preview: Donegal's Clifford conundrum - the RTÉ GAA Podcast
All-Ireland winning former Kerry player and manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice, ex Donegal star Kevin Cassidy and (mostly) neutral Westmeath man Dessie Dolan join Jacqui Hurley on the RTÉ GAA Podcast to preview Sunday's senior football final between The Kingdom and the Tir Chonaill men. Will Donegal try to double-mark danger man David Clifford? How has their approach evolved in Jim McGuinness' second spell in charge? Can Kerry adapt if they spring a surprise?
RTÉ News
21-07-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
RTÉ GAA Podcast: Tipperary the kings of Ireland, Cork stunned as day doesn't go to plan
Shane McGrath joins Jacqui Hurley and Rory O'Neill to look back on a surprise All-Ireland title for Tipperary. Where did Tipp get things right and what do Cork - players and management - get wrong. A third different winner in as many years, is the hurling championship becoming truly open or is there still an elite cohort? Listen to the RTÉ GAA Podcast on the RTÉ Radio Player, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the All-Ireland Camogie Championship semi-finals, Galway v Tipperary and Cork v Waterford, on Saturday from 2.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on and the RTÉ News app. Listen to commentary on RTÉ Radio 1 Watch the All-Ireland Football Championship final, Donegal v Kerry, on Sunday from 2.15pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on and the RTÉ News app. Listen to commentary on RTÉ Radio 1. Watch highlights on The Sunday Game from 9.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
RTÉ News
19-07-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Tipp will look to limit the space and disrupt Cork
Restricting the size of the Croke Park pitch and making it a dogfight is what Tipperary should strive to do to limit Cork's goalscoring threat in Sunday's All-Ireland SHC final, according to Jackie Tyrrell and Brendan Cummins. So far in this championship the Rebels have rattled the net 18 times, with seven of those green flags coming against Dublin in the semi-final. Shane Barrett, Alan Connolly and Brian Hayes rarely need to be asked twice when presented with that chance to add a three-pointer to their side's haul. Cork, who lost out after extra-time in last year's decider against Clare, are favoured to go one better against a Tipp outfit who, somewhat against the odds, have reached this stage. In getting an assessment as to how Sunday's showpiece event will unfold most would agree that Cork will look for a fast start, will try to go for the jugular early doors, while also accepting that if the Premier are still in it going down the stretch, then they will have a great chance. On the latest edition of the RTÉ GAA Podcast, Tyrrell spoke about how dangerous Cork are if allowed the space to weave their magic. Tipperary must have a plan to limit their obvious threats. "Cork are lethal in space, so how Tipp negate that space in how they set up and what are that match-ups will be really, really crucial," said the Kilkenny All-Ireland winner. So what approach should the Tipp management take to prevent Cork from making the early running and finding pathways for goals? "If I was Tipp and Liam Cahill I would probably concede the puck-outs," Tyrell outlined. "If you let space into this Cork forward line, Brian Hayes will run riot; Shane Barrett will get on to the breaks, they'll go long with the puck-outs and he'll be on the edge of the square, you can only hold off the water for so long. Eventually the seams will burst. "If I was Liam Cahill I would leave Ronan Maher on the edge of the square, have Eoghan Connolly at 6 and drop it really deep. I would go in at half-time trying to keep the score down. "If you conceded a goal fair enough but if you go in three or four down at the break, you're in the game. They then have a chance and that is so crucial for Tipp. You have the Tipp crowd still in the game and the 'Tip, Tipp, Tipp' comes. Then you have Noel McGrath to come in, Alan Tynon to come in and potentially Darragh Stakelum. "For Tipp's belief to really build they need to stay in the game for as long as possible. "Cork will look to go for the throat early, get those early goals and kill Tipp off. Tipp should be looking for a dogfight. Do you what you did against Kilkenny when they played really smart against an extra man. I looked back at that game and it was like there was no space in that Kilkenny forward line. Now Kilkenny suited them because they bunched it. "Tipp are really good at turning the ball over and working it up. In John McGrath and Jason Forde they have lads that can get scores where they don't need a lot of space. They are not relying on their pace, they are relying on their smart hurling IQ, their brilliant wrists and deadly finishers. They don't play the same game as the likes of Shane Barrett." The conventional lines of play on the hurling field and the adherence to same is what suit the Cork gameplan, in that it allows there inside forward line to flourish, with Cummins, also speaking on the podcast, stating: "For me when you're playing it's who dictates the field for a lot of time will win the match." Pretty logical and straightforward. Having the requisite space is key, with Cummins adding: "What Cork are doing is playing 3x3 inside, that's six players plus the goalie, that's seven players. If you do the same up the other end that's another seven. "So we have 14 players playing inside the 21 on both sides of the pitch. From the edge of the 'D' on one side, the old-fashioned football 'D', to the edge of the 'D' on the other, you then have 8v8 and that's exactly what Cork want. "That's why they have the three boys in there, in that full-forward line because they don't want bodies between the edge of the 'D' on one 'D' and the other. They want to keep as much space in there." Tipperary then will have to cut out the supply of ball going in to Cork's lethal front three. The former Premier netminder and two-time Liam MacCarthy hero believes the current side have the smarts to frustrate the Rebels' route to goal. He explained: "The reason Cork have been getting goals so early is that when the ball is thrown in you have to start with six forwards and six backs on each side of the pitch. The three Cork inside forwards once the game is on will then stand on the end line so they create a huge gap between the half-forward and full-forward lines. "If the ball goes in there's a 3x3 straight away. From that throw-in, Tipperary, I expect, will keep two inside with one coming out which will allow one to drop. Now that won't mean seven backs by any manner of means but that hurling IQ which we did not see from Dublin, we'll definitely see it from Tipp, from Alan Connolly, Ronan Maher and Brian O'Meara and those lads. "If they are standing by themselves 60 yards from the Tipp goal, then they'll be skedaddling back right back to the edge of the 'D', standing in front of Hayes - and that is what could mess up Cork because they will blindly hit the ball in under pressure, the Tipp forwards will do it to them. "Somebody will be there to sweep it up which they would not be accustomed to if they don't get it in quick enough and then the oohs and aahs will start. Tipperary will be deep and they can then start to work the ball out and be well set to attack as a result."
