All-Ireland camogie final talking points: Rebels kept the faith and trusted underage talent

Rebel self-belief: 

Confidence is often confused with arrogance when it comes to Cork teams. However, there's no other county that could have coped with the departures from the panel and worrying early-season form and climb the steps of the Hogan Stand.

After a harrowing loss 12 months ago, one-third of Ger Manley's side left. The Mackey twins, Pamela and Katrina, Laura Treacy, Hannah Looney and Aoife Healy are no longer involved and there have been major changes to the squad overall.

When the Rebels flirted with relegation at the outset of the year and were then off the pace in the Munster Championship against Tipp in April, expectations were lowered. Yet the All-Ireland series commenced with an emphatic victory away to Galway, which showed they hadn't gone away.

They finished the group stages unbeaten, blitzed Tipp in the first half of the All-Ireland semi-final at the same Semple Stadium venue they'd failed to fire in the provincial series.

And then there was the All-Ireland final. Two points in arrears heading in at the break against a Galway outfit with far more experience and desperate to retain the O'Duffy Cup for the first time, Cork looked in big trouble.

Instead, the newer recruits, the likes of Ava Fitzgerald, Isobel Sheehan and Millie Condon who were starting their first All-Ireland, excelled. 

Cork were far more forceful, direct and dogged in the second half.

Their reward was one of the sweetest All-Irelands in Cork camogie history.

Goal threat: 

Cork really struggled to create space up front early doors, with only Sorcha McCartan raising white flags from play in the first half. Galway, in contrast, were far more dangerous with Niamh Niland and Caoimhe Kelly curling some sublime points. However, they never threatened to grab a goal.

When Cork pushed Ashling Thompson up to centre-forward and moved the sliotar quicker in the second half, they began to snipe scores from play. They also mixed it up with a handful of long deliveries and two bombs from Amy Lee yielded the goals that won the game. 

Saoirse McCarthy snatched the sliotar from the sky and burst towards the square, using a 'Ben O'Connor-hop' when she was out of catches. Orlaith Cahalane's finish was deft, into the bottom corner after a pick-up on the run from a Sorcha McCartan break.

Galway were left hunting goals coming down the stretch, which Cork cynically denied them. They'll wonder should they have made more of their first-half possession.

Record crowd:

With an attendance of 33,419, Sunday's showdown between camogie's great modern rivalries smashed the previous record crowd of 30,191. It's also the first time in 22 years that camogie has drawn more on All-Ireland final day than ladies football.

There were 10,311 in Thurles for last month’s semi-final double-header, another record attendance.

The bite between Cork and Galway and the fine margins between them was surely a factor in getting fans to Jones Road for an enthralling clash that came down to the last puck.

Roll of Honour:

Cork: 31 wins, 23 losses. New champions.

Dublin: 26 wins, 10 losses. Last title 1984.

Kilkenny: 15 wins, 11 losses. Last title 2022.

Wexford: 7 wins, 5 losses. Last title 2012.

Antrim: 6 wins, 10 losses. Last title 1979.

Galway: 5 wins, 18 losses. Last title 2025.

Tipperary: 5 wins, 10 losses. Last title 2004.

Louth, Waterford, Down, Derry, Mayo and Limerick all reached All-Ireland finals without lifting the O'Duffy Cup.