The countdown is on to Sunday’s All-Ireland Senior Ladies’ Football Championship final between Galway and Kerry.
Supporters of both teams are calling on clubs and families to get behind the players and afford them the recognition they deserve.
The build-up across both counties is now at an all-time high.
In Galway, girls all across the county have been spurred into action by the growing popularity of ladies’ football.
None more so than the GAA club in Baile Chláir, who have six players on the Galway senior panel.
Their success has inspired up-and-coming rising stars like Toraí O’Flynn, who is one of the recently crowned All-Ireland Féile Champions with the club’s under-15 girls’ team.
“Oh, it’s so good because it’s just a great achievement for the girls, and like we’re all rooting for them, and it’s just great to have women in sports to make it this far.
“They’re just a fantastic group of girls, just working together all the time, and they’re such a great inspiration for all us young girls.
Aoibhe Daly, Emma Sheehan and Toraí O’Flynn play with Claregalway
Emma Sheehan agrees with her under-16 team-mate.
“They’re just so inspiring to watch. Like you go out there and you think to yourself, is that going to be me in 10 years? Is that going to be our team?
“So yeah, it’s just great to see them win and get to something that could bring home the cup.”
Aoibhe Daly said she has a favourite player from the club who will be lining out on Sunday.
“Well, there’s a few girls. But Kate Slevin, she’s my favourite.
“She scored two pointers and everything like, she’s a great inspiration to all of us, and everyone looks up to her because of how great of a footballer she’s become.
“And there’s a few other girls too, like Chellene Trill and everyone.
“They’re all great inspirations to even all the younger people too.”
Caroline Trill with young club members
Chellene Trill and her sister Andrea are part of the Galway squad this Sunday and their mother Caroline spoke of her immense pride.
“I’m so proud of my girls and of all the team. They’re all excited, absolutely buzzing.
“It’s great to have so many girls from our club on the team including the goalkeeper Leah O’Halloran.”
Leah’s father Noel said he was beyond proud of his daughter.
“These girls give so much of their time to their sport. They’re all so dedicated and are great role models for the little girls and the teenagers we see here at training this evening.”
Noel O’Halloran said the senior players are great role models
Elaine Goldrick is a mainstay of the club, taking local players like the Trill sisters and Kate Slevin from grassroots to elite levels.
“The growing popularity of women in GAA reflects the commitment, dedication and sacrifice of our players, management, and volunteers.
“We’re a great club here in Claregalway and we’re so supportive of all the county teams.
“We have members on every county team but we especially want to wish the county seniors the very best of luck.
Elaine Goldrick said the club has players on all county teams
“They’re a wonderful group of women. They are fantastic sportswomen and what we really want is everyone to go out and support not only us on Sunday but also our sisters in camogie the following Sunday.”
Fiona Wynne is a former Galway All-Ireland football star and is widely recognised as one of the defining figures in the modern era of Galway ladies’ football.
“Well, I played for Galway in 2002 in the All-Ireland Junior Football Championship which we won, and 2004 we won the senior.
“And it’s a pleasure to be back here among all these lovely girls. And I think they won Féile recently here in Claregalway.
“So football has come a huge distance in the last 20-something years.
Former player Fiona Wynne said the county is strong in four codes
“We’re really looking forward to Sunday and Sunday week with our camogie girls in Croke Park as well.
“We’ll be behind them all the way.
“It’s as Joe Connolly said in Up for the Match – Galway is a county with four codes: the hurling, the lads football, the ladies football, and the camogie.
“So we’re delighted to be competing at the top level in all of them, and no doubt some of these lovely girls here behind me will don the maroon and white for Galway in the future, and we look forward to cheering on our Galway girls, Kate and all the girls on Sunday.”
Women in sport is promoted in clubs across Galway and Ireland with initiatives like Gaelic for Girls and Gaelic for Mothers and Others.
This is Galway’s sixth All-Ireland ladies’ football final and the Tribeswomen are hoping to bring the Brendan Martin Cup west for the first time since 2004.
Read more: Kerry fans look ahead to ‘biggest final yet’