Carrie Dolan thrust an arm into the sky in celebration well before the sliotar dissected the posts at the Davin End of Croke Park.
The Galway captain knew as soon as bas met leather that she had won the senior camogie championship for her county with a terrific 63rd-minute point from a free out on the left wing.
It was the Clarinbridge icon's seventh point of the day and the score that clinched just a fifth All-Ireland title for gallant Galway.
FT: Galway 1-14 Cork 1-13
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) August 10, 2025
Carrie Dolan wins it for the Tribeswomen with a huge free in injury time
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That it went right to the wire was no great surprise as the Westerners and Cork have emerged as the game's standard bearers in recent seasons.
Cork defeated Galway in last year's final, leaving them chasing a historic three-in-a-row in 2025, and Ger Manley's crew piled on the misery for Galway when they took this year's league title too.
But a Galway side with an appetite for destruction simply refused to lose again and eked out a famous win in front of 28,795 fans.
The impact of Dolan and the brilliant Aoife Donohue were central to the success as was the fact that Cork lost star midfielder Hannah Looney to a red card late in the first half.
It is a mark of Cork's incredible character that they still won the second half despite their limited numbers, trimming a five-point half-time deficit to just one by full-time.
They even threatened to win it when Orlaith Cahalane got on the end of a diagonal delivery from Saoirse McCarthy and struck a sensational equalising goal in the 60th minute.
Orla Cahalane with a great, late goal to level this final at the death
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) August 10, 2025
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But Galway just about deserved it overall, and few neutrals begrudged them what was a first title since 2021, when Dolan was fouled by Cork sub Kate Wall beneath the Cusack Stand and stepped up to convert the free.
The list of Galway stars on the day was a long one, with full-back Roisin Black holding their defence together, while rookie Mairead Dillon struck the all-important goal and Ailish O'Reilly picked off three points from play.
It will be a long winter for Cork, who will wonder just how things might have panned out if they'd played that second half with 15 players.
HT: Galway 1-09 Cork 0-07
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) August 10, 2025
Cork's Hannah Looney sees red and the Leesiders will play the entire second-half down a player
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Dual star Looney opened the scoring for Cork in the fourth minute of the game but the half, and her day, would end in disaster when the red mist descended in stoppage time.
She appeared to get a nudge from Dolan close to the sideline and reacted with a high hit that left referee Justin Heffernan with little choice but to issue a red card. Looney was distraught as she trudged off.
The incident sparked a shemozzle among several players, though Galway trotted down the tunnel for half-time soon after with broad smiles, leading by 1-09 to 0-07.
The Dillon goal in the 14th minute, after she was expertly fed by Donohue and blasted low past Amy Lee, put Galway into a lead they wouldn't relinquish as they hit Cork with everything they had, mixing silk with steel on a landmark day.
Mairead Dillon with a brilliant goal and Galway get the first green flag of the final
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) August 10, 2025
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Donohue was brilliant in the first half, scoring two early points to set the tone, winning another free that Dolan converted and dovetailing superbly with the in-form O'Reilly.
Ashling Thompson was terrific for Cork at midfield too, scoring two first-half points.
But when Katrina Mackey won a 13th minute penalty, and failed to convert, it was a turning point. Allied to the dismissal late in the first half, Cork were right up against it.
They came out fighting in the second half and reduced the gap to three points several times.
Amy O'Connor, their leading scorer and the hat-trick hero of the 2023 final, was off form for Cork and replaced, but Saoirse McCarthy was steady on the frees, slotting three in the second half.
And when Cahalane slammed that goal right at the death, levelling it at 1-13 apiece, it looked as if the favourites might even pinch a famous win against the head.
Reigning Player of the Year Laura Hayes was brilliant for Cork, along with McCarthy, but they couldn't inspire the win their fans craved as Dolan stepped up just when Galway needed her most.
Galway: Sarah Healy; Shauna Healy, Rachael Hanniffy, Roisin Black; Siobhan Gardiner, Ciara Hickey, Dervla Higgins; Annmarie Starr, Olwen Rabbitte; Niamh Mallon (0-01), Mairead Dillon (1-00), Aoife Donohue (0-02); Ailish O'Reilly (0-03), Carrie Dolan (0-07f), Caoimhe Kelly (0-01).
Subs: Sabina Rabbitte for Kelly 41, Jennifer Hughes for Olwen Rabbitte 53, Emma Helebert for Hickey 59, Ally Hesnan for Dillon 62.
Cork: Amy Lee; Libby Coppinger, Pamela Mackey, Meabh Cahalane; Aoife Healy, Laura Treacy, Laura Hayes (0-01); Hannah Looney (0-01), Ashling Thompson (0-02); Emma Murphy (0-02), Amy O'Connor (0-03f), Saoirse McCarthy (0-04f); Katrina Mackey, Sorcha McCartan, Orlaith Cahalane (1-00).
Subs: Clodagh Finn for Katrina Mackey 37, Orlaith Mullins for McCartan 41, Cliona Healy for O'Connor 49, Meabh Murphy for Healy 57, Kate Wall for Murphy 59.
Referee: Justin Heffernan (Wexford)
