PERHAPS THE BIGGEST game in the ladies football leagues this weekend is in Division Two.
Cork and Galway go head-to-head in a second-tier blockbuster this afternoon; the heavyweights having both suffered relegation last year.
The Rebels are in the second division for the first time since 2003, Galway last featured here in 2014.
The counties shared an interesting rivalry in 2024 — meeting three times including in the All-Ireland semi-final — and they now renew it at Tuam Stadium [throw-in 2pm].
It’s early days, but this Division Two Round Two clash of fallen giants is one to watch.
All-Ireland ambitions
Years back, Mickey Harte famously went on record saying that Division Two teams can’t win the All-Ireland.
The legendary Tyrone manager was talking about the men’s game specifically, and somewhat back-tracked on his assertion when his Red Hand side featured in the Division Two league final in 2016:
“It all depends on (how) you interpret what I said. I said a Division Two team won’t win an All-Ireland. You could have a team playing in Division Two, but not of Division Two standard.”
Dessie Farrell’s Dublin succeeded in 2023, lifting the Sam Maguire Cup and the Division Two title following their shock relegation.
The Dubs repeated their trick from 1995, becoming the only side to do so since. Indeed, they were just the sixth team from the second tier in 25 years to reach the All-Ireland final. Armagh did, however, came from a lower standing in Division 2A as they won their first All-Ireland title in 2002.
It’s a trend that has rarely been bucked, but in ladies football, the lines appear slightly more blurred.
Meath won Division Two and the All-Ireland senior championship in 2021. Laois did it 20 years earlier in 2001. Dublin’s maiden All-Ireland came in 2010, the same year they were relegated from Division One. Galway reached the championship decider last season, after suffering the same league fate, while Kerry contested the 2022 final after triumphing in Division Two.
To underline just how level the playing field has become, in the last three years, teams promoted from Division Two have gone on to win Division One at the first attempt: Meath (2022), Kerry (2023), Armagh (2024).
Cork and Galway will maintain league promotion is their immediate aim this year, but both will undoubtedly hold All-Ireland ambitions.
Tribe task
Daniel Moynihan’s side will be intent on returning to the biggest stage after last year’s defeat to Kerry. They were well beaten on the day, 3-14 to 0-11, but will feel they underperformed.
“We didn’t show our true potential,” as Nicola Ward recently told The 42. But getting there, and dethroning Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter-final, instilled confidence and belief, particularly after losing their Division One league status.
“Sometimes we can suffer with inconsistency in Galway,” the 2024 Player of the Year admitted. “We could be the best team in the world one day and then go out and lose by 10 points the next day.
“I definitely think that we’re up there. There are a lot of teams in the mix. If we can bottle those feelings, and use them to our advantage, I think we can be there in the in the top four, in the top two, for sure.”
Galway opened 2025 with a 2-9 to 0-7 win away to Tipperary. The Premier were without injured taliswoman Aishling Moloney, but the visitors dominated in every facet. They fielded a strong team, with Ailbhe Davoren and Róisín Leonard typically influential, and a strong contingent from All-Ireland club four in-a-row winners Kilkerrin-Clonberne back on board. Ward is among those returning slightly later.
Galway have one of the strongest panels in the country on paper, boosted by young talent who have enjoyed underage success in recent years. Moynihan oversaw much of that, and will be hoping it can translate to senior level. The Tribe will wish to continue on an upward trajectory and eventually, win a first All-Ireland senior title since 2004.
Rebels’ resurgence
While there’s managerial continuity in Galway, it’s all change in Cork. Joe Carroll has succeeded Shane Ronayne in the hot-seat, and the 2022 All-Ireland winning minor manager has assembled a strong backroom team, which includes Valerie Mulcahy and James McCarthy.
The new era kicked off with a 3-12 to 0-5 win over Westmeath at Páirc Uí Rinn last weekend. Dual stars Hannah Looney and Libby Coppinger (two) supplied the goals, while Katie Quirke, Emma Cleary and Máire O’Callaghan were other standout performers.
Like Galway, Cork have a young team, so Carroll must use the league wisely and balance blooding new players with securing results. Departures — including the inter-county retirements of multiple All-Ireland winners and All-Stars Ciara and Doireann O’Sullivan and Róisín Phelan — hit hard last year, though they recovered to go deep in the championship.
The return of AFLW star Erika O’Shea is a major boost, but the rebuild and transition will continue.
“One of our main focuses at the very start is aiming to get back up to Division One again,” as Carroll told The 42 after his appointment.
“We have to be careful, there’s a few very good teams down there as well. Galway, Donegal… we’re going to get nothing soft. But at the same time, hopefully it won’t be as hard maybe as playing Division One teams who are more seasoned than some of the teams in Division Two all the time.
“We look forward to that. We’ll take it game at a time and see what we can do.”
This Round Two clash will have been circled by both sides from some way out.
Two fallen giants, who could indeed have a big say in the business end this summer.
This is old news. There were articles about Bellerins speed going around over a month ago
Not that surprising, the kid is lightning
A couple of weeks ago Carl Jenkinson recorded the joint highest speed on the pitch during this PL season so it may be a case of Arsenal having the fastest RBs around. Debuchy if he can stay fit is of course another great option but I think Bellerin has a lot of quality so I’d stick with him. Chambers is more suited to CB given his stature.
Stand to be corrected I mean not can’t to be corrected! My bad
I stand corrected… said the man in the orthopaedic shoes
I think this record was previously held by Meath footballer Graham Geraghty when he went for a trial with Arsenal. In a “20 questions” poll later, Tony Adams named GG as the fittest player he ever saw. What if he saw Ryan McHugh
Fitness and speed are different things.
But who’s the best musician?
#ppgoonervision
Wasn’t it a partook arsenal’s youth scouting or recruitment policy that young players had to be able to run 100 metres in under 10-12 seconds? I can’t to be corrected on that by the way!
Broke the club record? Thierry Henry is the fastest player I’ve ever seen. Would love to see the numbers!