Kerry lost out to two controversial late decisions but their manager Mark Bourke refused to point the finger at ref.
2026 TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Senior Football Championship Final, Croke Park, Dublin 2/8/2026
Galway vs Kerry
Kerry Manager Mark Bourke
Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Ben Brady(Image: ©INPHO/Ben Brady)
Kerry manager Mark Bourke refused to scapegoat referee Maggie Farrelly after two hugely controversial late decisions denied the Kingdom an All-Ireland ladies football title.
Bourke admitted the calls were “gut-wrenching” but insisted he would not be drawn into blaming the officials after Kerry’s agonising 2-7 to 0-12 defeat.
With the game hanging in the balance, Kerry captain Síofra O’Shea first had a point ruled out after Farrelly blew for a free instead of allowing play to continue under advantage. Moments later, O’Shea thought she had won it with a dramatic late goal, only for it to be disallowed for a square-ball infringement.
The double blow left Kerry devastated but Bourke struck a measured tone afterwards.
“You would be annoyed by it, but I cannot get annoyed by things I cannot control,” he said.
“That is for other people. It is for officials to get things right and if they do, they do and if they don’t, they don’t.”
Bourke, however, did question the decision to bring play back after O’Shea had surged into a dangerous attacking position.
“The player wasn’t going backwards. She was in a positive position in moving forward,” he said.
“I didn’t feel the referee’s hand was up long enough, maybe three seconds. Referees usually leave that advantage go until there’s a deficit going the other way or a disadvantage in the play.
“I felt the game should have been allowed to continue and the shot should have counted as a point.
“That’s my opinion. But look, the calls were made and we move on.”
Even so, Bourke admitted the manner of defeat would take time to get over.
“It’s pretty gut-wrenching now. The goal that was disallowed, the point we had disallowed on the advantage rule and all of them not given.
“It’s really tough.”
Despite the crushing finish, the Kerry boss refused to let the controversy overshadow Galway’s achievement.
“I also want to say fair dues to Galway as well,” he added.
“You must take your hat off to them. I thought they played a great game, I thought we played a great game too.
“It was a great spectacle for the sport.”