Christy O'Connor: Can Kerry avoid the three-in-a-row nobody wants?

Kerry are facing into their third final in-a-row, determined to end a 31 year-famine. And desperate to ensure that they don’t become the third team to experience the kind of heartbreak that Laois and Dublin suffered.

WHO WILL WIN: Kerry are in their third consecutive final and will be hoping to avoid three losses in a row with Galway in the final for the first time since 2019.Picture: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

On the day that Laois beat Mayo to finally win a first All-Ireland ladies senior title in 2001, Sue Ramsbottom was inevitably going to be the main focal point of attention afterwards. An immensely talented footballer, Ramsbottom was a pioneering figure in the evolution of the ladies game and its rise from obscurity into a mainstream sport. Yet the appeal of her story was forged more in heartbreak than glory.

Prior to that 2001 success, Ramsbottom had suffered seven All-Ireland final defeats, but those harrowing experiences made her even more determined to finally end the hurt. When Laois finally did, Ramsbottom was immense, scoring 7-17 over the course of that 2001 championship, but her most important contribution came in the final when she scored 0-4 from play, giving a young Laois side invaluable leadership in the process.