Galway's second All-Ireland or Kerry's 13th?

Teams named for Sunday's Brendan Martin Cup final at Croke Park

GOING on all metrics and yardsticks, Sunday afternoon's All-Ireland Senior Ladies Football Championship final between Galway and Kerry pairs the competition's two standout teams with precious little to choose between them.

Galway have taken down Meath, Tyrone, Mayo and Armagh by an average winning margin of 14.5 points. Their heavy-duty scoring returns across those four fixtures read 2-21, 4-20, 2-20 and 0-21. Concession rates have been miserly at 1-9, 2-7, 1-6 and 0-8.

Kerry's progress has mirrored Galway's with decisive wins over Tipperary, Kildare, Meath and holders Dublin - the standout result of the championship - by an average of 13.5 points. Their totals are not dissimilar with 2-16, 1-19, 2-14 and 2-16 posted. Leaking just 0-4, 0-8, 0-8 and 1-9 underlines a similar level of defensive strength.

League form comes with endless caveats in ladies football, but it was tight on the scoreboard when the teams last crossed paths in early March. Galway came out on top by 1-11 to 1-9 in Tralee thanks in chief to a Leanne Coen goal. Everything points towards another close battle as both counties face into the acid test of their season at Croke Park.

Five in-a-row winners Kilkerrin-Clonberne are the club game's pre-eminent force right now, but intercounty success has proven elusive for Galway teams at senior level. They have never won a Division 1 title - this spring's final loss to Cork a source of regret - while they've been bridesmaids in four of their five All-Ireland appearances in 1975, 2005, '19 and '24. The most recent saw the Kingdom emerge clearcut winners.

Success was delivered for the first and only time in 2004 when the side managed by PJ Fahy overcame Dublin with goals from Niamh Duggan, Edel Concannon and captain Annette Clarke the pivotal moments. Fast forward 22 years and the Tribeswomen are knocking at the door once more.

Galway manager Daniel Moynihan has made one change to his starting XV with vice-captain Louise Ward coming into the side in place of Ellen Power. The vastly-experienced 29-year-old is named at midfield with Niamh Divilly reverting to wing-back in the announced team.

Goalkeeper Leah O'Halloran, among the graduates from the county's All-Ireland minor winning team in 2023, is fronted by a full-back line made up of Brónagh Quinn, Sarah Lynch and captain Kate Geraghty,. The trio were outstanding in their semi-final against Armagh with Geraghty holding Armagh's Aimee Mackin, the game's standout forward for many, to a solitary point from play.

2024 Players' Player of the Year Nicola Ward, the premier centre-back in ladies football, is flanked by Hannah Noone and Niamh Divilly in an influential and attack-minded half line. Their midfield partnership combines the selfless industry of reigning Club Player of the Year Siobhán Divilly and Louise Ward who made appearances off the bench against Mayo and Armagh in the semi-final and quarter-final respectively.

The eldest of the Divilly clan, Olivia, has carried her back-to-back All-Star form into 2026 and amassed 2-24 across four games, 2-13 of it coming from play. Scores have been shared around in the campaign and Róisín Leonard (2-14, 2-9 from play), Kate Slevin (1-10), Leanne Coen (1-10), Kate Thompson (1-5) and Eva Noone (1-4) follow on the charts in what is a settled attack. Ten different players contributed last time out against Armagh, another impressive stat.

Shauna Hynes was first off the bench in the semi-final when shooting four points in an eye-catching cameo. Chellene Trill, Ríona Quinn and Sophie Healy also saw gametime, while Lynsey Noone, Aoife O’Rourke, Síofra Ní Scanláin, Aisling Madden, Siún McGovern and Aoife Molloy have been introduced at various stages in the championship.

Skipper Síofra O'Shea is Kerry's undoubted danger woman with her 3-25 accounting for 44 per cent of the team's total scoring in the All-Ireland series. Danielle O’Leary (1-8) and Jadyn Lucey (2-3) will require watching.

For Kerry, former skipper Anna Galvin is named to start, amid speculation that she is nursing a knee injury. The 31-year-old was a late withdrawal ahead of the semi-final victory over Dublin, with Mikala Mulvihill drafted in.

Cork (11), Dublin (seven), Meath (two) and Kerry (one) have laid claim to the Brendan Martin Cup since Galway last climbed the steps of the Hogan. They were close last year, suffering a devastating loss against eventual winners Dublin in a semi-final that needed extra-time.

There's a very real sense of unfinished business about Galway this season, especially so since their under-performance in their National League final loss to Cork and none too convincing Connacht final win over Mayo.

The occasion will demand their best of the season but it's one their All-Ireland series form suggests they are tracking to deliver when the curtain falls on the intercounty football season on Sunday evening.

GALWAY: L O'Halloran; B Quinn, S Lynch, K Geraghty (captain); H Noone, N Ward, N Divilly; L Ward, S Divilly; O Divilly, K Slevin, K Thompson; E Noone, L Coen, R Leonard.

KERRY: M Ellen Bolger; R Rahilly, D Kearney, E Lynch; A O'Connell, E Costello, A Dillane; A Galvin, M O'Connell; N Carmody, N Ní Chonchúir, C Evans; J Lucey, D O'Leary, S O'Shea (captain).