By DARREN KELLY

ANOTHER Saturday night in Dublin awaits and another chance for a Galway football team to make history.  Following the men’s sensational result last weekend, it’s the turn of the ladies to try dethroning the Metropolitans in an All-Ireland senior quarter-final (Parnell Park, 7:30pm).

As the county still celebrates the achievements of Padraic Joyce’s troops in Croke Park last Saturday, the Galway senior ladies football team would have taken inspiration from how the Tribesmen turned around the contest for a first win over Dublin in 90 years.

The women have a 19-year gap to fill since current Republic of Ireland soccer international Niamh Fahey netted twice in a 2-10 to 0-7 victory back in the 2005 All-Ireland semi-final.  The previous year, Dublin were also the victims on Galway’s greatest day.

Niamh Duggan, Edel Concannon and captain Annette Clarke all rattled the net in a 3-9 to 0-11 victory to win their one and only All-Ireland crown. Galway’s last appearance in the decider was also against the Sky Blues five years ago.

Sinéad Goldrick and Hannah O’Neill got the green flags in terrible weather conditions and Mick Bohan’s team reclaimed the Brendan Martin Cup last year. They’ve won six from six in the championship in 2024 with an average winning margin of nearly 20 points.

The Sky Blues accounted for Kildare, Laois and Meath before repeating the trick against the Royal County in the provincial final (3-17 to 0-8). Their closest test was the low scoring 1-10 to 0-5 result against Mayo, but they followed it up with another dismantling of Kildare (4-19 to 0-9).

Dublin will start with at least 11 players that beat Kerry in the 2023 All-Ireland Final. Captain Carla Rowe has contributed 7-19 thus far. Hannah Tyrrell (0-20), Nicole Owens (2-8), Caoimhe O’Connor (3-0), Niamh Hetherton (1-6), Orlagh Nolan (1-5) and Kate Sullivan (1-5) also boast impressive stats.

Pictured: Galway’s Louise Ward whose team face a tough championship assignment against Dublin at Parnell Park on Saturday evening.