Gaelic Games

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI senior journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Mayo's emotional All-Ireland triumph on Sunday brought a collective release to everyone associated with the county, but victory on Gaelic football's biggest day also provided Ryan O'Donoghue a measure of redemption.

In the 2021 final, O'Donoghue missed a penalty that would have given Mayo the lead over Tyrone in the second half.

While O'Donoghue top-scored on the day with 0-8, Tyrone won the game, leaving the spot-kick failure - which came 12 months after the 2020 final loss to Dublin - to eat away at him for five years before he got another crack at the final.

And against Kerry on Sunday, the 27-year-old set the tone for a furious Mayo performance as he pressed and hassled the Kingdom defence from the first minute in a man of the match performance.

"The two main emotions are pride and relief," he told The GAA Social.

"After 2020 and 2021, if I'm being honest, I was never over 2021 until about a half-hour ago [at full-time on Sunday].

"Now I'm an All-Ireland champion, we're All-Ireland champions and I'm over it. I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.

"There are a lot of things that have happened in the past couple of years on the pitch - 2020, 2021 and the Roscommon game [a 10-point loss in this year's Connacht semi-final]. I don't think today would have happened if we didn't go through those things."

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'This is for mum and dad'

O'Donoghue, who made his senior inter-county debut in 2020, had enjoyed a superb season for Andy Moran's side prior to Sunday's final.

But his indefatigable display - in which he scored 0-5 and launched the move that ended with Darragh Beirne's 40th-minute goal - has installed him as the frontrunner for the Footballer of the Year award (he would be the first Mayo winner since Moran in 2017).

It would be a remarkable achievement for a multi-talented sportsman, who fought in two All-Ireland boxing finals in his youth and played for the Republic of Ireland soccer team at underage level.

And like so many of his team-mates, Belmullet club-man O'Donoghue was able to savour the epic celebrations at Croke Park with his family, including his father Michael and County Down-born mother Brenda.

"What my mother and father have done for me since I was 11 years of age. Boxing, my dad used to leave at 4 o'clock in the morning to take me to Dublin to the National Stadium for Ireland training," explained O'Donoghue.

"Up and down the road to Castlebar when I was playing Kennedy Cup with Mayo, up and down the road, under-14, Minor. It's a long journey from Castlebar to Belmullet.

"My father worked two jobs. I was playing with Sligo Rovers 2014 to 2016. I didn't get paid, we had to pay our own diesel. There were bills to be paid and my father worked to get me up and down the road to Sligo.

"They've given me every opportunity, whether it's boxing, soccer or Gaelic. This is for them. That's the pride and the emotions in mum and dad. I'm so happy to have repaid them. There's been so many sacrifices. I'm so glad we've done it."

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Captain Jack Coyne to BBC Sport NI after Mayo's historic All-Ireland final win over Kerry at Croke Park: "I really don't know what to say, to be honest. It's the stuff of dreams. I've dreamt of this every day of my life. To be able to do this, I can't put it into words."

On fighting back and finishing strong: "That's kind of been us all year. With the new rules the game goes every single way. You could be up five points one minute, and the next down five. You just have to stay in it, and I think we done that today."

On ending Mayo's long run of losing finals: "To every man, women, boy and girl in Mayo, wherever you are, dream big things. Anything is possible and we've shown it today. I'm over the moon."

On Mayo manager Andy Moran: "He means everything. As a team we've had some tough days this year, and individually I've had some tough days. But that man has never had any doubt in me and this team. He's an incredible person, not even a manager. He makes everyone feel 10 feet tall and it's an absolute honour.

"This is my first All-Ireland final and it's most of the team's All-Ireland final. Andy came in at the start of the year and our aim was to win the All-Ireland. It's incredible, and he made us believe this was possible. Today is about Mayo and everyone in Mayo."

Image source, Inpho

Former Monaghan forward Stephen Gollogly has passed away at the age of 41.

Gollogly was part of the Monaghan side who secured Ulster titles in 2013 and 2015 and also won Allianz Football League medals in Division Two and Division Three.

Alongside his 14-year inter-county career, he played his club football for Carrickmacross Emmets.

Monaghan GAA said in a statement that he represented the county with "immense pride, commitment and distinction".

"A true servant of the county, he made 133 competitive appearances in the white and blue between 2004 and 2017 contributing 3-71 and earning the admiration and respect of teammates, opponents and supporters alike," the statement continued.

"Beyond his many accomplishments, Stephen will be remembered as a gentleman, a loyal clubman and county player, and someone who embodied the very best values of the GAA through his humility, sportsmanship and unwavering commitment.

"Monaghan GAA is deeply grateful to Stephen for his exceptional contribution to Gaelic games and for the lasting legacy he leaves behind, both on and off the field."

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Dublin's eight-time All-Ireland winner Philly McMahon joins Thomas Niblock and Oisin McConville for an in-depth preview of Sunday's Sam Maguire decider between Kerry and Mayo.

The Kingdom are aiming to go back-to-back for the first time since 2007, while Mayo are plotting an upset as they chase a first triumph since 1951.

Watch the All-Ireland SFC final on BBC Two NI and the BBC iPlayer from 15:00 BST on Sunday, with live text updates, analysis, reaction and highlights on the BBC Sport website & app.

Listen to The GAA Social on BBC Sounds now

Image source, Thomas Niblock

The GAA Social sits down with European champion runner Ciara Mageean.

Mageean, who was a guest on the BBC's All-Ireland Hurling final coverage, speaks to Thomas Niblock and Oisin McConville about her cancer diagnosis, her career and her days playing camogie with Portaferry.

Listen to the conversation with Ciara Mageean on BBC Sounds

Image source, Inpho

Kieran McGeeney will remain as Armagh manager for the 2027 season after he was ratified at a county committee meeting on Monday night.

McGeeney will remain the longest serving inter-county manager as he approaches his 13th season at the helm of his native county.

He joined Paul Grimley's management team for the 2014 season before being installed as manager for the following year.

The Mullaghbawn native guided Armagh to the 2024 All-Ireland title, completing a personal double having won Sam Maguire as captain in 2002.

McGeeney's 12th season at the helm saw him guide the Orchard county to a long awaited Ulster title, the first time the county had lifted the Anglo-Celt Cup since 2008.

Armagh defeated Monaghan 2-28 to 0-25 to bring to an end a series of near misses in the Ulster SFC.

They fell short at the final hurdle in each of the previous three seasons with penalty shootout defeats to Derry in 2023 and Donegal in 2024, while they were edged out by Jim McGuinness' Donegal in extra-time in 2025.

Their 2026 All-Ireland series ended in disappointment however as they were defeated by Louth in Round 2A of this season's revamped Championship, before being eliminated by defending champions Kerry in Killarney.

As a player, McGeeney won six Ulster titles.