There was a record-breaking day on September 8th along with three thrilling Finals as new winners were crowned across all three grades in front of a record crowd of 24,730.
Kerry got the day off to a start with a bang as they claimed the Premier Junior crown for the very first time, in what has been a remarkable rise over the last decade for the Kingdom. Midfielder Patrice Diggin was the star of the show as she drove her team on to see off a valiant effort by Limerick, eventually beating them by 0-11 to 0-8.
The Intermediate Final then saw Galway face Westmeath and it was the Leinster side that prevailed having overhauled what looked like a seemingly unassailable lead of seven points for the Tribeswomen at half-time. Spurred on by stalwart Pamela Greville they roared back in the second-half to claim their maiden Intermediate title and seal promotion to Senior Camogie in 2020 by a scoreline of 1-11 to 1-9.
The main event more than lived up to expectations as Galway produced a barnstorming performance including three stunning goals to eventually beat Kilkenny by 3-14 to 0-17 to claim only their third Senior All-Ireland title and their first since 2013. In a high-scoring affair Galway led for much of the game but it wasn’t until the closing minutes that they finally put the tie beyond doubt. An electric performance from the experienced Niamh Kilkenny in midfield was key in their attacking display as she caused problems for Kilkenny all afternoon.
The final act of the day was therefore for captain Sarah Dervan to collect the O’Duffy Cup on the steps of the Hogan Stand as it began its journey west across the Shannon!