by Adam Moynihan

For me, I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas used to conjure up blurry memories of the Grand nightclub in Killarney – specifically standing around half-vexed, wondering if the DJ was ever going to play something good.

Now it means something else entirely. When David and Paudie Clifford climbed the steps of the Hogan Stand and lifted Sam in 2022, the cheesy dance-pop hit was playing in the background. And again on Sunday last as Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh approached the Brendan Martin Cup with the brightest smile you've ever seen, it was the auto-tuned voice of will.i.am that echoed around Croke Park.

So, two of the greatest moments in the recent history of Kerry football will forever be associated with this song. It might be a far cry from The Rose of Tralee but if they ever bring out an official Kerry GAA & LGFA soundtrack, I Gotta Feeling will have to be on there (although maybe somewhere towards the end).

Louise’s long-awaited trophy lift was the high-point on a day of incredible highs for the Kerry ladies. Watching this legend, often referred to as the greatest Kerry footballer to never win an All-Ireland, finally achieve her ultimate dream after 16 seasons was enough to bring a tear to the eye.

Retirement was on the cards 12 months ago when Kerry lost their second All-Ireland final in a row, but she stuck around to give it one more try. If this is to be the end for the flame-haired footballing icon from West Kerry, it is an ending of the fairytale variety.

TEAM EFFORT

While it is appropriate to focus on Louise first, and her adoring teammates will be happy to stand back and admire her like the rest of us, the 2023 Players’ Player of the Year certainly did not win this All-Ireland on her own. Far from it, in fact. To be honest, her form was not as spectacular this year as it was in previous years. She still showed her class – not least in the first half of Sunday’s final when she scored five consecutive points – but it was very much a team effort that got Kerry over the line.

Galway’s strong running game looked threatening during the opening exchanges but it wasn’t long before The Kingdom’s defensive solidity came to the fore. Working together as a unit, they consistently and very diligently diverted the advancing opponents away from goal. Eventually, the only running Galway were doing was running out of ideas.

Kerry were already in control before Aoife Dillane’s fortuitous goal gave them an eight-point lead right before half-time (1-8 to 0-3), and at no point in the second period did you ever feel as though the result was in doubt. In the end the margin of victory (12 points, 3-14 to 0-11) did not flatter the champions at all.

From 1 to 15 and beyond it was a sensational display. Goalkeeper Ciara Butler’s kickouts were absolutely on the money. In defence, Eilís Lynch shadowed Galway’s primary scorer Roisín Leonard with typical care, precision and guile, giving up just one point from play. Kayleigh Cronin dominated any attacker who came near her and was deservedly named Player of the Game. Ciara Murphy was once again handed a specific marking role and she acquitted herself admirably. Aishling O’Connell – one of the team’s most reliable players all year - kept Olivia Divilly under wraps. Deirdre Kearney showed the resilience and physical toughness that makes her a highly-valued teammate. And Aoife Dillane was busy and deserved her goal.

At midfield, the experienced Anna Galvin led by example, and Mary O’Connell exhibited poise and composure beyond her years.

Up front, captain Niamh Carmody posed problems with her incisive runs. Niamh Ní Chonchúir put the team first, as always. Síofra O’Shea worked hard and used possession wisely. Danielle O’Leary was industrious and a constant menace. Emma Dineen had a great battle with the impressive Sarah Ní Loingsigh and finished up with 1-2, a tally that included a cleverly taken goal. Louise kicked 0-6 in total and apart from her scoring her contributions were crafty and efficient, as per usual.

As for the subs, Hannah O’Donoghue’s brilliant goal came as a surprise to absolutely no one; she has been one of the team’s most potent scoring threats all year. The veteran Lorraine Scanlon was simply superb. Another long-serving player, Cáit Lynch, came on and added her usual enthusiasm and energy. And Katie Brosnan and Kate O’Sullivan also slotted in and played their part.

Huge credit must go to Darragh Long and Declan Quill. They got the vast majority of the big calls right, not only on the day but right throughout the campaign, from tactics to team selection to in-game decisions and everything in between. Their names will now forever be a part of the lore of Kerry football, and deservedly so.

FRONT AND CENTRE

Winning this All-Ireland, Kerry’s first since 1993, is a fantastic accomplishment by this group of individuals but perhaps even more significant than the silverware is the legacy they will leave behind.

There was a time in the not-too-distant past when the Kerry ladies were an afterthought within their own county. Now the team is front and centre, inspiring the next generation of Kayleighs and Síofras and Louises.

And it’s not just young girls and women who should be feeling the effect. Male allies will play an important role as our female athletes continue to strive for equality and even within my own circles I have noticed an uptick in support for the Kerry ladies and for women in sport across the board. Having a winning team to latch on to shouldn’t be a pre-requisite but it certainly doesn’t do any harm.

We can take heart, too, from the large number of young male supporters who attended last weekend’s final at Croke Park. Boys like six-year-old Rian Hickey from Barraduff who went viral after holding up a homemade sign that read, “I’m a ladies man”. Thankfully Rian’s generation are being brought up to appreciate the inherent merits of women’s sport in a way that older generations were not.

Meanwhile those who stubbornly refuse to give female athletes the respect they deserve will be left behind, as the Kerry ladies, and other teams and sportswomen like them, march on towards a future as bright as Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh’s smile.