Cork v Galway: All-Ireland Camogie Final Time, TV, Teams and Prediction
Cork and Galway will renew one of the great modern camogie rivalries when they meet in the 2026 All-Ireland senior final at Croke Park on Sunday, 9 August.
It is the third year running that the Rebels and the Tribeswomen have contested the O’Duffy Cup. Cork came out on top in 2024 before Galway gained revenge in a dramatic one-point final last year. Now they return to Jones’ Road with the head-to-head finely balanced and little separating them once again.
Cork have already beaten Galway convincingly in this year’s championship, but the holders have since recovered their best form and arrive with considerably more recent experience of winning tight national finals.
Cork v Galway match details
| Match | Cork v Galway |
|---|---|
| Competition | All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship final |
| Date | Sunday, 9 August 2026 |
| Throw-in | 4.15pm |
| Venue | Croke Park, Dublin |
| TV channel | RTÉ2 |
| Live stream | RTÉ Player |
| Referee | Gavin Donegan, Dublin |
What time is Cork v Galway?
Supporters travelling to the ground can make a full day of it, with the senior decider completing a triple-header of All-Ireland camogie finals.
What channel is Cork v Galway on?
The All-Ireland senior camogie final will be shown live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
Coverage of finals day begins at 11.45am, 15 minutes before Armagh and Cavan get the action under way in the Premier Junior decider. All three matches will be broadcast live.
All-Ireland camogie finals schedule
| Final | Fixture | Throw-in |
|---|---|---|
| Premier Junior | Armagh v Cavan | 12.00pm |
| Intermediate | Antrim v Laois | 2.00pm |
| Senior | Cork v Galway | 4.15pm |
Why this final matters
There is no need to manufacture a rivalry around this fixture. Cork and Galway have become the two dominant teams of the current era and Sunday marks their third successive meeting in the senior final.
Cork are appearing in the decider for the sixth year in a row. Ger Manley’s side lifted the O’Duffy Cup in 2023 and 2024, but their attempt to complete three consecutive titles was ended by Galway last August.
That final was decided by a superb Carrie Dolan free in added time. Galway won 1-14 to 1-13 after Cork, playing the entire second half with 14 players, had drawn level through a late Orlaith Cahalane goal.
Galway are now chasing back-to-back championships. Cathal Murray has led the county to titles in 2019, 2021 and 2025, while this will be Galway’s sixth final appearance in eight seasons.
How Cork reached the final
Cork’s route to Croke Park has been impressive, particularly after a difficult league campaign and an early exit from the Munster Championship.
The Rebels started the All-Ireland series by travelling to Athenry and beating Galway 0-18 to 1-8. A three-point victory over Tipperary followed before they defeated Waterford by six points to finish top of their group with three wins from three.
In the semi-final, first-half goals from Amy O’Connor and Millie Condon gave Cork a commanding lead against Tipperary. The Premier County fought back after the break, but Cork held firm to win 2-16 to 0-17.
Emma Murphy was excellent in that victory, scoring four points from play, while Sorcha McCartan contributed three and Amy Lee produced a vital save when Tipperary were searching for a way back into the contest.
Cork’s championship results
- Galway 1-8 Cork 0-18
- Tipperary 0-18 Cork 0-21
- Cork 1-13 Waterford 0-10
- Cork 2-16 Tipperary 0-17
How Galway reached the final
Galway’s championship defence began with that seven-point home defeat to Cork, but the Tribeswomen responded by beating Waterford 1-13 to 0-13 in Walsh Park.
A much more convincing performance followed against Tipperary, with Galway scoring three goals in a 3-17 to 0-15 victory. That secured direct qualification for the semi-finals.
The holders then defeated Kilkenny 1-14 to 0-11 in Thurles. Carrie Dolan scored 1-4, including a penalty immediately after half-time, while Caoimhe Kelly, Niamh Niland and Niamh McPeake ensured Galway were not overly dependent on one source of scores.
The main concern was the number of injuries suffered during the semi-final. Aoife Donohue, Dervla Higgins and Sabina Rabbitte were all forced off, while Dolan finished the match visibly hampered. Their availability and fitness will be central to Galway’s prospects on Sunday.
Galway’s championship results
- Galway 1-8 Cork 0-18
- Waterford 0-13 Galway 1-13
- Galway 3-17 Tipperary 0-15
- Galway 1-14 Kilkenny 0-11
Cork team news and expected line-up
Cork have undergone a major rebuild since last year’s final, with several established players no longer involved. Despite that turnover, the new-look defence has performed well throughout the championship.
Ashling Thompson returned from injury during the group stage and started the semi-final, although her workload continues to be managed. Amy O’Connor, Millie Condon and Emma Murphy all strengthened their claims to retain their places with important scoring contributions against Tipperary.
Unless Ger Manley makes a late change, Cork are expected to stay close to the side that started the semi-final.
Galway team news and expected line-up
Galway’s team selection is less straightforward because of the injuries picked up against Kilkenny.
Aoife Donohue departed with a knee problem early in the second half, while Dervla Higgins and Sabina Rabbitte were also forced off. Carrie Dolan remained on the pitch but was clearly restricted during the closing stages.
Niamh Mallon missed the semi-final following the recurrence of a shoulder injury. Shauna Healy has returned to training and was part of the extended panel against Kilkenny, giving Cathal Murray another experienced defensive option.
The starting team could therefore change depending on the results of Galway’s final fitness tests.
The key battles
Carrie Dolan and Galway’s placed balls
Dolan scored the winning point in the 2025 final and was once again decisive in this year’s semi-final. Galway will look to her for leadership, scores from placed balls and control around the middle third.
Cork must avoid conceding unnecessary frees within her range. That is particularly important in a final likely to be decided by only a handful of scores.
Cork’s scoring spread
Cork had eight different scorers against Tipperary. Emma Murphy, Amy O’Connor, Sorcha McCartan and Orlaith Cahalane all made important contributions, while Millie Condon provided one of the two goals.
That spread makes it difficult for Galway to concentrate solely on stopping McCarthy or O’Connor.
Galway’s fitness
The holders have had two weeks to recover from their semi-final, but Donohue, Higgins and Dolan are too influential for Galway to be fully comfortable if any of them are restricted.
Galway have depth, with Mairéad Dillon, Shannon Corcoran and Alannah Kelly among their options, but losing an established leader shortly before or during the final would still be a significant blow.
Cork’s new defence against Galway’s experience
Cork’s reconstructed defensive unit performed brilliantly when these teams met in June. Galway, however, have improved since then and possess forwards with extensive Croke Park experience.
Ailish O’Reilly has been operating in a slightly deeper role, while Niamh McPeake and Caoimhe Kelly give the holders direct running and an additional scoring threat.
Cork v Galway prediction
Galway deserve enormous respect as defending champions and have repeatedly shown that they can find a way through tight finals. Their victory over Kilkenny was controlled and convincing, and the return of experienced players could make them considerably stronger than they were when Cork won in Athenry.
Even so, Cork are our narrow choice.
The Rebels have won all four of their championship matches, including a seven-point victory over Galway, and their balance looks slightly better. They possess more scoring threats, have conceded relatively little and showed against Tipperary that they can survive a difficult second half without losing their composure.
Galway’s injury situation adds another layer of uncertainty. If Dolan, Donohue and Higgins are fully fit, this could go either way. If even one or two are restricted, Cork should have enough to regain the O’Duffy Cup.
