'If it went wrong, I was in a lot of trouble' - Carla Rowe reflects on goal that helped Dublin seal All-Ireland final spot

Rowe's audacious semi-final goal in the extra-time win over Galway led to one social media user renaming her Rowenaldo.

Thu, 31 Jul, 2025 - 07:00

Paul Keane

Five times a TG4 All-Ireland SFC medallist, and a multiple All-Star, but still picking up new tricks.

Carla Rowe wears a broad grin as she looks back on her audacious semi-final goal in the extra-time win over Galway, the cheekiest of back-heels delivered with a surgeon's precision.

"It was probably the next day that it sunk in," said Rowe of the impact of her soccer-style goal which led one social media user to rename her Rowenaldo.

"One of the girls sent me a screenshot of Twitter and I was trending number one in Ireland ahead of Rashford and Coldplay!

"That kind of puts a limelight on it. So obviously yeah, there was a bit about it afterwards. But these things don't happen too often in sport and I always think you have to just take them in and enjoy them."

Rowe's extra-time goal nudged Dublin five points clear though they only won by three in the end so it was a decisive score. She smiled again when considering what the upshot might have been if she'd wasted the opportunity with such an extrovert move.

"There was that moment when I was running out afterwards and I was thinking, 'Oh my God, why did I just do that?" she said.

"If it went wrong, I was in a lot of trouble. But look, I knew the goal was open. I knew if I connected with it well, and concentrated on that one move and gave it 100 percent, that it should go right."

Rowe, who turned 30 earlier this year, has earned the right to take the odd pot shot.

Dublin have won six All-Ireland titles and she has been involved in five of them, debuting in 2014.

All of those previous wins that she experienced were under Mick Bohan's management and he was replaced over winter by joint managers Paul Casey and Derek Murray.

Bohan was in Tullamore for the semi-final, caught on TV looking anxious in the main stand.

"When I watched the game back, you could see how he couldn't stop pacing up and down," smiled Rowe. "Look, we all understand that feeling. I don't think I'd be able to stand there and watch it either, so I understand it."

Attacker Rowe, who has registered 2-8 in this year's championship, is still in regular contact with her former manager.

"Yeah, absolutely, I have some lovely long voice notes from Mick!" she said.

"But that's what you want. He gives me little pieces of information here and there, or whether it's just 'keep the head up' and these things, here and there. Mick wears Dublin on his chest, so he'll never be gone and I'll always be open to his advice, my ears and phone will always be open to him."

Bohan could yet be convinced to jump across to the men's vacancy following Dessie Farrell's exit.

"In terms of ability, absolutely he could," said Rowe.

"Will he? I don't know. That's up to Mick and look, whatever he does, we'd support him. We wouldn't be chatting to him about that kind of thing. But he's a phenomenal manager. We know that. We've seen the success he's brought us, so he could do."

Bohan previously had a stint with the Dublin men's team as a skills coach before working with the Clare footballers. Then he took on the Dublin ladies and guided them to unprecedented successes. The 2021 final defeat to Meath was the one that got away.

"Years have passed and Meath are a completely different team, as are we," said Rowe.

"Even compared to our games this year, we've played them three times this year I think, we know they're going to be a completely different team on the day again."