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Irish Examiner
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Kerry and Galway have stubborn obstacles blocking repeat final
THIS year's TG4 All-Ireland Ladies SFC finalists will be confirmed by close of business tonight - with Meath blocking the way of defending champions Kerry returning to consecutive deciders. O'Connor Park in Tullamore hosts Saturday's semi-final double-header, with the Kingdom and Meath at 5.15, followed by the meeting of Dublin and 2024 runners-up Galway at 7.30pm. Both semi-finals are live on TG4 – with the final slated for Sunday August 3 (4.15pm). Kerry's clash with Meath is the fourth year in a row the sides have clashed in championship - Meath won the 2022 Final at Croke Park but Kerry had the upper hand in quarter-finals in 2023 and 2024. On the evidence to date, there won't be much to choose between the sides and when they met in Division 1 of the Lidl National League in March, Kerry won by just two points. In their recent quarter-finals, Kerry started slowly before coming good to see off Kildare, as Meath got the better of Tipperary. Kerry and Meath have proven matchwinners in their sides, with the Kingdom's Síofra O'Shea on song with 3-2 against Kildare. That tally took O'Shea's All-Ireland tally to 5-10 and she's Kerry's leading scorer, ahead of Danielle O'Leary, who's chipped in with 1-10. They're just two Kerry players that will need close watching but at the other end, the reigning champions will need to keep a close eye on Meath's leading scorers, Vikki Wall (2-5 to date) and Emma Duggan (0-10). Meath are unchanged after surviving the Tipperary test, while Kerry have made one change to the team that overcame Kildare, as Jadyn Lucey comes in for Rachel Dwyer in the inside forward line. With Dublin operating in Division 1, and Galway a tier below, there was no Lidl National League meeting between the second pair of semi-finalists this year, which means that the dramatic 2024 SFC quarter-final clash was the last competitive meeting between the counties. Galway won a titanic clash at Parnell Park after extra-time and after going on to see off Cork in the last four, the Tribeswomen fell to Kerry in the final. In this year's quarter-finals, Dublin were too good for Cork, as Galway overcame a Waterford side that had been performing extremely well. How the respective defences cope against highly talented forwards will go a long way towards deciding Saturday's tie, and Hannah Tyrrell's 5-17 marks her out as a player to watch on the Dublin side. Tyrrell is Dublin's ace shooter to date in the Championship but Kate Sullivan, with 4-8, has also been performing extremely well. Galway, runners-up last year and keen to get back to another Final, have Olivia Divilly (0-13) and Kate Slevin (1-10) as their leading contributors in the scoring stakes but there's danger all over the pitch when the Connacht champions move forward. The Dublin team to start shows one change to the side that lined out against Cork, with Caoimhe O'Connor replacing Hannah McGinnis in attack. Galway are unchanged after coming through the Waterford challenge. DUBLIN (SFC v Galway): A Shiels; J Tobin, L Caffrey (capt.), N Donlon; S Goldrick, M Byrne, N Crowley; É O'Dowd, N Hetherton; N Owens, C O'Connor, S McIntyre; H Tyrrell, C Darby, K Sullivan. GALWAY: D Gower; B Quinn, S Ní Loingsigh, K Geraghty (capt.); H Noone, N Ward, C Trill; L Ward, S Divilly; N Divilly, O Divilly, A Davoren; E Noone, L Coen, K Slevin. KERRY (SFC v Meath): M.E. Bolger; E Lynch, D Kearney, C Lynch; A O'Connell, E Costello, A Dillane; M O'Connell, A Galvin; N Carmody, N Ní Chonchúir, C Evans; J Lucey, S O'Shea, D O'Leary. MEATH: R Murray; Á Sheridan, M.K. Lynch, K Newe; A Cleary (capt.), S Wall, K Kealy; O Sheehy, M Farrelly; M Thynne, N Gallogly, C Smyth; E Duggan, V Wall, K Cole.
Irish Examiner
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Galway hold off Waterford second half comeback to book All-Ireland semi-final spot
TG4 All-Ireland Ladies SFC quarter-final: Galway 1-18 Waterford 1-12 Galway are through to a second successive TG4 All-Ireland senior semi-final following this six point victory over Waterford in Tuam Stadium on Saturday. A Kate Slevin first half penalty laid the platform for Daniel Moynihan's charges as they went nine points clear but Lauren McGregor's strike early in the second period breathed new life in the Deise challenge. Galway got off to the perfect start with Eva Noone pointing after 45 seconds. And the hosts followed that up with three more for Olivia Divilly, Ailbhe Davoren and a Slevin free. The Tribeswomen created their best chance when Chellene Trill blasted wide on 10 minutes. But Galway got their goal just two minutes later after Davoren fed Slevin. The Claregalway forward found Eva Noone who won a penalty which Slevin converted. Galway were 1-4 to 0-0 clear but Waterford nearly made a breakthrough when Chloe Fennell and Áine O'Neill were denied by a double save from keeper Dearbhla Gower and Bronagh Quinn. McGregor put the rebound over before Divilly restored Galway's seven point cushion. The sides shared the next four white flags before the break leaving it 1-7 to 0-3 at half-time. Galway maintained the momentum after the restart with Divilly adding two points. But McGregor and Bríd McMaugh reduced arrears to 1-9 to 0-5 on 34 minutes. Galway pulled 1-12 to 0-6 clear as Slevin (2) and Davoren tallied against McGregor's sole response. But the latter brought Waterford back to life when she struck her seventh goal of the championship after good play down the middle through Hannah Power and Aileen Wall. Waterford put Galway on the back foot as points for McMaugh (2) and McGregor left the Munster finalists just 1-14 to 1-9 behind. Eva Noone and Slevin got the Galway minors but two more added through Divilly and Slevin restored a seven point cushion on 51 minutes. After McGregor added a Waterford free, substitute Roisin Leonard landed two between the posts to effectively secure Galway's semi-final date with Dublin. Waterford finished with McMaugh and McGregor picking off points but it was just too late. Scorers for Galway: K Slevin 1-6 (1-0 pen, 4f); O Divilly 0-5; E Noone, A Davoren, R Leonard 0-2 each; L Coen 0-1. Scorers for Waterford: L McGregor 1-7 (2f); B McMaugh 0-4; C Walsh 0-1. GALWAY: D Gower; B Quinn, S Ní Loingsigh, K Geraghty; H Noone, N Ward, C Trill; L Ward, S Divilly; L Coen, O Divilly, A Davoren; E Noone, N Divilly, K Slevin. Subs: K Thompson for N Divilly (41), L Noone for Coen (41), R Leonard for Davoren (52), A Molloy for Trill (55), M Banek for Slevin (55). WATERFORD: K Gardiner; C Murray, R Casey, L Mulcahy; A Murray, E Murray, K McGrath; H Power, E Power; B McMaugh, K Murray, Á O'Neill; L McGregor, C Walsh, C Fennell. Subs: A Wall for O'Neill (19), Á Power for A Murray (50), L Ní hArta for Fennell (50), O'Neill for Walsh (54), M Dunford for K Murray (55). Referee: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow).
