Emma Duffy

THINK KERRY LADIES football, and Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh immediately springs to mind.

One of the game’s greats, the talismanic forward has spearheaded the Kingdom for years on end.

In her 17th consecutive season, Ní Mhuircheartaigh is still chasing an All-Ireland senior title.

After back-to-back final defeats, Kerry are hoping it’s a case of third time lucky on Sunday against Galway. They’re also out to end a 31-year wait to lift the Brendan Martin Cup.

Ní Mhuircheartaigh — the 2023 Footballer of the Year and four-time All-Star — will be key, as always, but she hasn’t exactly been the be-all and end-all in 2024.

At times in the past, Kerry have been overly-reliant on her. 

Not now.

The Corca Dhuibhne sharpshooter was rested and then restricted to a substitute role as Declan Quill and Darragh Long rotated their squad through the league. She made her impact felt off the bench, scoring 1-4 (three frees) in a late cameo against Waterford, and had returned to her starting position by the final, in which Kerry were dethroned by Armagh. Ní Mhuircheartaigh played the full game and led the scoring stakes with 0-7 (six frees).

She hit 2-5 (two frees) combined from the off against Tipperary and Cork in the Munster championship, but was held in reserve for the second half versus Waterford — drawing a blank — and again, in the final win over the Rebels.

Presumably carrying a knock, the 33-year-old came on in the closing stages of the All-Ireland series opening draw with Donegal, while she registered 0-3 (two frees) in a second-half cameo against Waterford. 

She top-scored in the quarter-final win over Meath with 0-4 (three frees) and contributed a couple of frees in the low-scoring semi-final triumph against Armagh, starting both games.

At odds with the past, Kerry haven’t been dependant on Ní Mhuircheartaigh, who has been coined ‘Female Gooch’.

Kayleigh Cronin stressed that point early in the league.

“It’s important that we don’t rely on Louise. To be fair, I don’t think we do,” the defensive star told The 42.

“Whenever she isn’t there, other girls stand up. There hasn’t been one yet but if there’s ever a day where the shooting boots mightn’t be on, we know that she can contribute in so many other ways. It’s not just her scoring ability, it’s her leadership on the pitch. She never says die. Her passing ability, creating space, it all is massive for us.

“And girls get to see that in training as well — the younger ones and the newer ones coming in. We’re trying to learn off her for as long as we can, while the legs will still go for her.

“There’s a couple of years left yet!”

Danielle O'Leary has had a big championship. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

The supporting cast have well and truly moved to leading character roles in attack this season.

In eight championship games, Danielle O’Leary has scored an impressive 1-30 (four frees). She kicked eight points from play against Tipperary and put nine — 10 in total — past Cork in the Munster final.

Goal-hungry Emma Dineen has also been prominent with a championship tally of 4-5, while Hannah O’Dononghue is among the others stepping up in attack.

Niamh Carmody is one unsung hero. The team captain doesn’t grab the headlines, but she is consistently brilliant; running herself into the ground and chipping in with crucial scores.

Síofra O’Shea, meanwhile, is back from her second ACL injury. She gave a towering display in the semi-final and will be looking to repeat the trick in Sunday’s decider at Croke Park.

The 2023 captain astonishingly played last year’s final with a ruptured ACL.

The difference 12 months makes.

So too, the contrast in a few years as Kerry add more firepower to their attack.

From the supporting cast to lead roles, others have stepped up alongside Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh to share the scoring load.

To have everyone singing off the same hymn sheet against a solid Galway defence will go some way in deciding who climbs the steps of the Hogan Stand in three days’ time.