All-Ireland senior camogie final: Galway v Cork, Sunday, Croke Park, 4.15pm (Live on RTÉ)
Camogie’s most fractious rivalry gets the trilogy it deserves. Galway and Cork have been the game’s dominant forces over recent years and on Sunday they will clash in a third consecutive All-Ireland senior final, with the spoils one apiece.
Cork won the 2024 decider by one goal, but Galway got revenge last August with a dramatic one-point victory. The 2025 offering was one of the most physical and tempestuous camogie finals in memory, with Cork playing much of the game with just 14 players after Hannah Looney’s straight red card in first-half injury-time.
But Cork, hoping to become the first team from Leeside to win three-in-a-row for the first time since the 1970s, refused to bow and reeled in a five-point interval deficit to draw level with a goal in the final seconds of normal time. It appeared they had earned a replay. However, with both teams frantically battling for possession in injury-time, Galway were awarded a free under the Cusack Stand, between the 45m and 65m lines. Despite the weight of the moment, the nerveless Carrie Dolan arrowed a wonderful shot over the crossbar to win the O’Duffy Cup for Galway for the first time since 2021.
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In his post-match comments afterwards, the visibly agitated Cork manager Ger Manley criticised the refereeing while also giving credit to “street-smart” Galway. Cathal Murray, the Galway boss, talked about how they had felt insulted by some of the pre-match analysis. The whole engrossing affair left everybody wanting more and the 2026 camogie championship has delivered the final many wanted – camogie’s current heavyweights going at it one more time.
Only, nothing stays the same. Cork have had a large turnover of players since last August. Five players from last year’s All-Ireland final starting team are no longer involved – Looney and Aoife Healy are playing AFLW in Australia, Laura Treacy retired while Katrina and Pamela Mackey stepped away. Clíona Healy and Kate Wall are not involved either.
“Galway are the favourites. They’re the title holders and we have a lot of new faces this year. Fourteen, from what I was told, of last year’s panel have gone. So, I mean, by right they are the favourites going in. They have a lot of experience and even a lot of their younger girls have been there now over the course of the last few years. So, it’s nice being the underdog, there’s no pressure,” said Cork’s Ashling Thompson earlier this week, dusting an extra helping of spice into the mix.
Whether Thompson was hopping a ball or not, there is no doubt Cork’s early season form suffered either because of the exodus or due to an All-Ireland final hangover. Perhaps a bit of both. They lost three of their five league games, winning just one, and avoided relegation by a single point. Galway ran out 0-18 to 1-9 winners over Cork when they played at Kenny Park in March. That win earned Galway a place in the Division 1A League final, which they won – beating Waterford in the decider.
But when the sides met again in Athenry in June for the opening round of the championship group stages, a new-look Cork side ran out 0-18 to 1-8 winners in what was another fiery contest. Galway were not at full strength that afternoon, though, and the new format for the championship this year effectively meant there was no real jeopardy hanging over that fixture.
In addition, Galway captain Dolan didn’t start that game and her influence will make a big difference this weekend.
Galway bounced back with wins over Waterford and Tipperary to finish second in the table, behind Cork who also beat the Déise and the Premier. Those placings fast-tracked both sides to the semi-final stages where Galway beat Kilkenny 1-14 to 0-11, while Cork overcame Tipperary 2-16 to 0-17.
And so the winding road from last August has brought Galway and Cork back to Croke Park on All-Ireland final day. Cork’s form has certainly improved after a very rocky start to the season, while Galway also started the campaign slowly. They lost their opening two league games but then went on a run of form that ended with Murray’s team lifting the league title. They navigated the championship with a degree of confidence and are now aiming for back-to-back All-Irelands for the first time.
The sides also met in the 2021 All-Ireland final when Galway won by three points. This will be Cork’s sixth consecutive All-Ireland final appearance, having lost three of the previous five.
It feels like the Rebels have been a team on a mission this year and on Sunday they get their shot at redemption. Retaining any All-Ireland is difficult and Cork will be hell-bent on denying Galway that landmark achievement. There has yet to be a drawn All-Ireland senior final across the four codes yet this summer – recent history indicates this showdown could go close to a stalemate and a possible replay.
However, Galway appear to be the more balanced team in terms of experience across the pitch and if they can match Cork’s hunger and intensity, then they have the scoring power and defensive know-how to keep hold of the O’Duffy Cup.
Verdict: Galway.
