Galway manager Tim Rabbitt said that it has taken at least three years of hard work to get them back into the TG4 All-Ireland final for the first time since 2005.
Rabbitt, who took charge this season having worked with previous manager Stephen Glennon, praised his charges for the way they edged out neighbours Mayo in a gripping semi-final at Croke Park.
“Really proud of them. Did a lot of good things in that first half but we let them back into the game and it was touch and go the whole time. There was nothing between the two teams. It just fell our way at the end,” said Rabbitt.
“But the girls kept battling. Things went against us at different times. We hit the post and crossbar, different stuff like that. This is a combination of about three years’ work.
"People in the background like Mike Comer, Noel Kelly and Stephen Glennon, the previous manager, they have done massive work to get this team to an All-Ireland final. This is our year to get to an All-Ireland final but it is after about three years’ work.
“There is a lot of work being done in Galway Ladies football. There is a lot of really good people involved in it. We have got to make sure that it is a regular kind of thing now, that it is not once every 15 years or so. There has to be a bit of continuity to it.”
Róisín Leonard came up with the winning free for Galway. They led by 2-5 to 1-6 lead at half-time, with Mairéad Seoighe scoring both of their goals either side of Rachel Kearns’ strike for Mayo.
Niamh Kelly scored Mayo’s second goal shortly after the resumption and they took the lead going into the closing stages.
Leanne Coen found an equaliser for Galway and then Leonard scored an outstanding free from the deck in the closing stages for what turned out to be the winner.
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