ANNA GALVIN says being ‘clinical and cold’ was key to Kerry’s historic All-Ireland triumph.
The Munster champions steamrolled Galway to get their hands on the Brendan Martin Cup for the first time since 1993.
2
Kerry’s laser focus was clear as they produced their best performance of the season when it mattered most.
Galvin was captain in 2022 when the Kingdom lost to Meath and there was more final heartache last year when Dublin defeated them.
The 29-year-old was also part of the panel in 2012 when Kerry lost that year’s final to Cork.
Looking back she reckons that embracing the colour and emotion of those finals cost them — and they did not make the same mistake again.
READ MORE ON GAA FOOTBALL
Midfielder Galvin said: “It was very emotional in 2022 and we toned that down a bit last year.
“We cut it out this year altogether.
“There were no emotions. It was very much, ‘Next game, let’s get a job done here’.
“We needed that because of the energy needed. You don’t realise how sapping that is.
Most read in GAA Football
“Having gone on to the pitch with all that extra energy, we didn’t have in other years maybe, yeah, it was probably a better approach.
“We had the luxury of doing that.
“You do have to relish All-Irelands when you get to them as well but because we had done that in previous years.
“We did relish them but we didn’t get over the line.
“This year we were able to be that bit more clinical and cold about it maybe.”
The addition of sports psychologist Claire Thornton to the group this year helped with the process.
Asked what was different about their 2024 approach, Galvin said: “I know it’s done around All-Irelands but we might have had messages in the past from home and things like that in the hotel the day before.
“We maybe spent too much time with supporters, family or people who were maybe not very close to us but were slightly outside the circle.
“As much as it’s well intentioned, it’s tiring.
“All those bits and pieces are tiring.
“You don’t realise it at the time but when you can take a step back from that a bit, it definitely helped us.”
EUPHORIA
The thing about suppressing emotion though is that at some point it will all come flooding out.
And when Emma Dineen struck Kerry’s third goal in the 56th minute on Sunday, leaving them 14 points ahead with the winning line looming, the dam suddenly burst for Galvin.
She smiled: “I nearly started crying on the pitch.
“I was like, ‘Anna, there’s still four minutes left in this game, where the hell is your player?!’
“And then Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh deservedly went off to rapturous applause.
“I was delighted for her. There was a little bit of emotion and I was probably teetering over the edge even before the final whistle.
“But we had wiggle room at that stage.”
On the back of those final defeats in 2022 and 2023, Kerry could have felt this year’s Division 1 league final loss to Armagh was a bad omen.
But Galvin said they were always targeting the Championship and did not lose much sleep over that spring setback.
She pointed to their Munster final triumph over Cork in May, a first provincial success since 2017, as far more significant.
Galvin said: “We had our eyes on the big prize this year and then Munster was a massive one along the way.
“Some of us have a bugbear with Cork but then so many of this team don’t as they’re so young.
“It was probably nice for a small group of the older girls.”
HISTORY
By finally ending their All-Ireland drought, Kerry have also moved on to 12 titles at the head of the roll of honour — leaving neighbours and rivals Cork behind on 11.
Galvin smiled: “That’s pretty nice, I actually didn’t realise that. That really is pretty nice!”
Kerry players and fans will wait now to learn of developments around the management team.
Joint bosses Darragh Long and Declan Quill hinted after Sunday’s 3-14 to 0-11 triumph that their five-year stint could be over.
Galvin is still optimistic about 2025 and said: “Even though the lads were saying this will be their last year and stuff like that, they were always bringing in fresh blood too.
“There are so many young girls in that dressing room, so hopefully this experience will stand to them in years to come.”
