Dublin v Meath: All you need to know ahead of the ladies senior All-Ireland football final

Thu, 31 Jul, 2025 - 12:22

Michael Bolton

The biggest weekend in Ladies' football is upon us in Croke Park, as rivals Dublin and Meath clash in the senior All-Ireland football final.

Two sides with experience of winning the biggest prize, Dublin, are back in the All-Ireland final after their shock quarter-final exit last season.

After winning two in a row in 2021 and 2022, Meath have regrouped and will hope for their third All-Ireland in six years, something nobody could have expected a few years ago.

In what should be a great occasion, here is all you need to know ahead of this weekend's game.

When is the Senior Ladies All-Ireland final?

Dublin v Meath is on this Sunday, with a throw-in at 4.15pm.

How can I watch the game?

Live coverage will be shown by TG4

Is there still tickets available?

Tickets are still available for the finals in Croke Park on Saturday, with Antrim v Louth in the Junior final, and Laois v Tyrone in the Intermediate final.

Form guide

A late draw against Waterford helped Dublin top their group, where they defeated Cork in the quarter-finals.

It looked like it would be another exit to Galway in the championship, before a last second free brought their semi-final to extra-time, where Dublin had too much for the Connacht champions.

In Meath's journey, they came out of a difficult group which included Kildare and Armagh.

After Meath's victory over Tipperary in the quarter-finals, they knocked All-Ireland champions Kerry out in the semi-finals.

The sides met in the Leinster final earlier this season, with Dublin the winners.

Team news

Orlagh Nolan is named to start in the Dublin team for Sunday’s TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship Final.

Nolan comes in for Caoimhe O’Connor, who sustained a hamstring injury against Galway last time out.

That is the only change in personnel from the semi-final, with Meath opting for an unchanged starting line-up.

However, there may be a change in personnel for the Royal County, as key defender Katie Newe was forced off with a knee injury during the semi-final win against Kerry, last year’s champions.

Dublin: A Shiels; J Tobin, L Caffrey, N Donlon; S Goldrick, M Byrne, N Crowley; É O’Dowd, H McGinnis; N Owens, C Rowe (capt.), O Nolan; H Tyrrell, N Hetherton, K Sullivan.

Meath: R Murray; Á Sheridan, MK Lynch, K Newe; A Cleary (capt.), S Wall, K Kealy; O Sheehy, M Farrelly; M Thynne, N Gallogly, C Smyth; E Duggan, V Wall, K Cole.

Intermediate final: Tyrone v Laois

There’s one change in personnel for Tyrone ahead of Sunday’s TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate final.

Niamh O’Neill replaced Sasha Byrne at half-time in the thrilling semi-final victory over Westmeath, which went to extra-time, and O’Neill gets the nod to start against Laois on Sunday.

Laois are unchanged following their semi-final victory over Monaghan, as the 2022 winners aim for a second Intermediate title win in four seasons.

Tyrone last won the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate crown back in 2018 and the big prizes on offer on Sunday are the Mary Quinn Memorial Cup and Senior Championship football in 2026.

It’s Ulster opposition again for Laois, as it was at the semi-final stage, but the O’Moore County won’t be fazed.

They have two forwards in magnificent form to date in the 2025 Championship, with Emma Lawlor (4-12) and Mo Nerney (4-11) combining for 8-23.

12 players have contributed on the scoreboard throughout the All-Ireland series to date for Laois but Lawlor and Nerney have shot the lights out.

Tyrone have also sparkled up front and have two forwards in with a shot of landing the coveted ZuCar Golden Boot award, the prize on offer for the leading scorer in the 2025 TG4 All-Ireland Championships.

Aoife Horisk (3-22) and Sorcha Gormley (6-11) arrive at Croke Park knowing that a big total from either player could push them firmly into contention for the Golden Boot award.

Laois: E Barry; S Farrelly, C Dunne, F McEvoy; A Gorman, A Moore, A Moran (capt.); F Dooley, J Moore; S Havill, E Galvin, C Crowley; E Lacey, E Lawlor, M Nerney.

Tyrone: A Coyle; J Lyons, G McKenna, E Quinn; C Canavan, M Mallon, C Campbell; A McHugh (capt.), S McCarroll; E McNamee, S Gormley, A Horisk; N O’Neill, C McCrossan, M Corrigan.

Junior final

Antrim and Louth have named unchanged teams for Sunday’s TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship Final.

Antrim got the better of Sligo in the semi-finals to book a Croke Park berth, as Louth overcame Longford.

All eyes will be on the respective shooting stars – Antrim’s Maria O’Neill and Louth ace Kate Flood.

O’Neill has 8-16 (40 points) to her name ahead of the final, and that’s just a point behind the pace-setter in the race for the Golden Boot award, Dublin’s Hannah Tyrrell (6-23).

Flood is in with a shout too ahead of throw-in, sitting on 3-24 (33 points) – seven adrift of O’Neill and eight behind Tyrrell.

It will be interesting to note if O’Neill or Flood can step up in similar fashion this time on the big day.

Both of Sunday’s TG4 All-Ireland Junior Finalists are bidding to become champions in this grade for the fourth time.

A win for Antrim would provide them with victory in this competition for the first time since 2022 – with Louth chasing a first TG4 All-Ireland Junior crown since 2019.

Antrim: A Devlin; N McIntosh, M Blaney, M Mulholland; S O’Neill, C Brown, C McKenna; A Mulholland, Á Tubridy; T Mellon, M O’Neill, A Kelly; B Devlin (capt.), O Dahunsi, L Agnew.

Louth: R Lambe Fagan; R Beirth, E Hand, E Murray; H Lambe Sally, S McLaughlin, L Byrne; Á Breen (capt.), A Halligan; L White, E Byrne, S Matthews; A Russell, K Flood, C Nolan.