All you need to know about All-Ireland ladies finals
The All-Ireland senior, intermediate and junior championship trophies that will be up for grabs on Sunday at Croke Park.
- Published
The All-Ireland ladies football championship will reach a thrilling crescendo on Sunday with the senior, intermediate and junior titles all up for grabs across a triple-header at Croke Park.
Antrim and Louth will collide in the junior final first up at 11:45 BST with the Saffrons hoping to lift the trophy for the first time since 2022.
Tyrone are back in the intermediate decider after last year's heartbreak and will be hoping to go one better this time around against Laois at 13:45 BST.
Finally, Dublin and Meath will meet in the senior final (16:15 BST) for the first time since a dramatic encounter won by the Royals in 2021.
Age old rivals meet once again
Dublin beat Meath to clinch the Leinster title earlier this year at Croke Park
These two need no introduction to each other and their age-old rivalry dates back almost to the inception of the GAA.
Their last meeting in the All-Ireland senior final marked the greatest day in the history of the Meath ladies footballers as they overcame the 'five-in-a-row' chasing Dubs to win their maiden crown at the grade.
The pair have already met at Croke Park this year, with Dublin running out four-point winners in the Leinster final.
Since that day both sides have progressed through the championship, navigating the various bumps in the road in contrasting fashion.
Dublin have used thirty players over the course of their seven games while Meath have started with the same 14 players across the same period with young forward Kerrie Cole, a substitute in their Leinster opener, establishing her place in the team from that day.
Meath accounted for the All-Ireland champions Kerry in the last four while Dublin needed extra time to eventually see off last years finalists Galway.
The Royals will be hoping for a repeat of the 2021 and 2022 deciders to win just their third title and keep up their proud record of never losing a senior final.
Dublin, meanwhile, are searching for their seventh title, and first since 2023, as they appear in their 14th final.
If Meath are to lift the trophy they'll be looking for big games from the Wall sisters, Sarah and Vikki, the latter's availability for the duration of the 2025 campaign coming after her WAFL endeavours.
Dublin will look to the scoring power of Hannah Tyrrell and Carla Rowe, the former the top scorer in this year's championship having provided 8-33.
This one has all the ingredients of a classic.
Dublin: A Shiels; J Tobin, L Caffrey, N Donlon; S Goldrick, M Byrne, N Crowley; É O'Dowd, H McGinnis; N Owens, C Rowe (capt), O Nolan; H Tyrrell, N Hetherton, K Sullivan.
Meath: R Murray; Á Sheridan, MK Lynch, K Newe; A Cleary (capt), S Wall, K Kealy; O Sheehy, M Farrelly; M Thynne, N Gallogly, C Smyth; E Duggan, V Wall, K Cole.
Red Hands hoping to go one better
Tyrone lost last year's intermediate decider against Leitrim at Croke Park.
It was heartbreak at the final hurdle for Tyrone in the 2024 decider as they lost out to heavy underdogs Leitrim.
Despite the setback, Tyrone have rallied to make it back to Croke Park and are hoping to make amends after a thrilling extra-time victory over Westmeath in the last four.
Aoife Horisk (3-22) and Sorcha Gormley (6-11) have lead the Tyrone charge from a scoring point of view and will be hoping to bring that form to HQ on the biggest day of them all.
Laois bring similar firepower after overcoming Ulster opposition in the form of Monaghan in the semi-finals with Emma Lawlor and Mo Nerney combining for 8-23 across the championship.
A shoot-out is expected between two counties who are both searching for their fourth titles at the grade - Tyrone hoping for a first since 2018 while Laois' last victory came in 2022.
The winners will also be promoted to senior football for 2026.
Laois: E Barry; S Farrelly, C Dunne, F McEvoy; A Gorman, A Moore, A Moran (capt); F Dooley, J Moore; S Havill, E Galvin, C Crowley; E Lacey, E Lawlor, M Nerney.
Tyrone: A Coyle; J Lyons, G McKenna, E Quinn; C Canavan, M Mallon, C Campbell; A McHugh (capt), S McCarroll; E McNamee, S Gormley, A Horisk; N O'Neill, C McCrossan, M Corrigan.
Antrim back in the big time yet again
Maria O'Neill and Antrim are hoping to win the junior title for the first time since 2022.
It's back to the scene of the crime for Louth as they square up to Ulster opposition in the All-Ireland final for the second year in a row.
Last year, they were beaten by Fermanagh who interestingly were the side Antrim defeated after a replay when they last lifted the title in 2022.
This destination of the trophy is likely to be decided by an individual battle within the war as two of the most prolific forwards in the game go head-to-head.
Antrim's Maria O'Neill struck 2-2 in their semi-final win over Sligo to bring her personal tally for the summer to 8-16, while Katie Flood heads into the final with 3-24 to her name including 10 points in their last-four win over Longford.
Both counties are hoping to win the title for the fourth time, the Saffrons for the first time since 2022 while Louth are hoping for their first win since 2019.
Antrim: A Devlin; N McIntosh, M Blaney, M Mulholland; S O'Neill, C Brown, C McKenna; A Mulholland, A Tubridy; T Mellon, M O'Neill, A Kelly; B Devlin (capt), O Dahunsi, L Agnew.
Louth: R Lambe Fagan; R Beirth, E Hand, E Murray; H Lambe Sally, S McLaughlin, L Byrne; A Breen (capt), A Halligan; L White, E Byrne, S Matthews; A Russell, K Flood, C Nolan.