'Whoever outworks the other is going to win'

Galway captain looks forward to All-Ireland final with Cork

By Oisín Noone

THERE is no fear, only excitement, as Galway prepare to defend their All-Ireland senior camogie crown against Cork at Croke Park on Sunday.

For captain Carrie Dolan, the build-up to another championship decider is something to be embraced rather than endured, with Galway determined to enjoy the occasion while remaining fully focused on the task ahead.

“I suppose it’s going to be an enjoyable two weeks leading into an All-Ireland final,” said Dolan after Galway’s open training session on Thursday.

“If you’re not enjoying it along the way, what’s the point? There are only two teams left and it’s where you want to be.”

The Tribeswomen return to GAA headquarters aiming to complete the county’s first successful All-Ireland title defence. Another chapter in the modern Galway-Cork rivalry will unfold on Sunday as the sides meet in a third successive final, with the Rebels bidding to reclaim the title after reaching their sixth consecutive decider.

“They won in 2024, we won in 2025,” Dolan said. “It’s always a titanic battle. People are still talking about last year’s All-Ireland final, saying it was the best of the four codes. That’s what you want. We bring the best out in each other and hopefully this All-Ireland final will be no different.”

Galway’s route back to the final has been anything but straightforward. After recovering from back-to-back league defeats, Galway went on to claim their first league title in three years before being brought back down to earth by a heavy championship defeat to Cork.

The Tribeswomen responded with victories over Waterford, Tipperary and Kilkenny, before their semi-final win over the Cats demanded further resilience as Galway were forced to finish the game with 14 players on the field after a series of injuries disrupted their options.

“They gave us a lesson on where we needed to get to throughout the year,” she said of the earlier defeat to the Rebels.

“We got back on the road then and found ourselves in a semi-final against Kilkenny. We got over the line. Probably not a pretty performance that’s going to win you an All-Ireland final. But we did enough and we’ll have to improve over the next couple of weeks if we want to get over Cork.”

The closing minutes against Kilkenny tested Galway’s resolve after injuries left management with limited options under the current substitution regulations.

“I think a lot of people probably didn’t know we were down to 14 players with about 10 minutes to go,” Dolan explained.

“A lot of people said we fell apart towards the end, but through injuries and the new rule where you can’t make subs after 60 minutes, that had a bearing on it as well.”

Despite the obstacles, Dolan and her teammates have helped steer Galway back to a sixth final appearance in eight years, underlining the determination and continued dedication within the squad.

Attention has now turned fully towards Cork, with the remaining work largely being fine-tuning, according to Dolan.

“A lot of the work is really done. If you’re two weeks out from an All-Ireland final you’re not going to change an awful lot.

“With Galway and Cork, whoever outworks the other is going to win the game.

“It’s a massive occasion for both teams, but we’ll just be focusing on ourselves and looking to get the better of them.”

Asked if Galway believe they can retain the title, Dolan’s response was short, confident and simple – “of course.”