Kerry and Galway are deadlocked at half-time in what has been a tightly contested All-Ireland senior women’s football final, with neither side able to pull clear in a game that has lived up to its billing so far.
Both teams came into the decider with serious ambitions and it has shown. The first half was a tight, physical affair with momentum swinging back and forth, neither county able to build the kind of lead that would give them any real breathing room heading into the dressing room.
Kerry will feel they have the tools to push on in the second half, with their forward line causing problems at stages throughout the opening period. Galway, though, have shown plenty of resilience and their ability to stay level despite Kerry’s pressure will give the Connacht side plenty of confidence as the teams regroup.
The atmosphere at the ground has been electric, with supporters from both counties turning out in force for one of the standout days in the women’s Gaelic football calendar. The senior final always draws a passionate crowd and today has been no different, with the noise levels rarely dropping throughout a compelling first half.
Meanwhile, earlier in the day there was heartbreak and joy in equal measure in the junior final. Antrim got their hands on the junior title after seeing off Carlow in a game that will have meant everything to the Ulster county, who suffered the pain of defeat at this same stage last year.
Antrim will have been determined to make amends after missing out in 2023, and they delivered when it mattered most. Getting over the line in a final after a previous defeat at the same hurdle is never easy, but Antrim showed the character and the quality to get the job done against a Carlow side who pushed them hard.
For Carlow, it is a tough loss to take. Reaching an All-Ireland final is a serious achievement for any county and they will take heart from the run they have had, even if the result did not go their way today.
Back in the senior game, the second half is still to come and there is everything to play for. Kerry and Galway know that the next thirty or so minutes will define their seasons. One of them will lift the cup, and right now it is impossible to call.
Women’s football has continued to grow in profile and today’s finals are a reminder of just how far the game has come. The standard on show, particularly in the senior decider, has been high and both sets of players deserve enormous credit for the spectacle they have put on.
All eyes now turn to the second half as Kerry and Galway prepare to settle it.