Carla Rowe's bold back-heel move and another encounter with Meath in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final
Dublin's Carla Rowe Scores Remarkable Back-Heel Goal Ahead of All-Ireland Final
The Dubs' skipper, Carla Rowe, is in high spirits ahead of the TG4 All-Ireland SFC final against Meath at Croke Park. Rowe, who has five All-Ireland medals to her name, made headlines recently with a back-heel goal during Dublin's semi-final win over Galway. The goal, now fondly referred to as "Rowenaldo" on social media, has been celebrated as a remarkable feat in Gaelic football.
Rowe revealed that the back-heel goal was not a training ground move. "A little bit of instinct kicked in during the goal-scoring moment," she expressed. The goal came in a frenetic last-four encounter in Tullamore, just after extra-time had commenced.
Dublin has been dealing with injuries to key players throughout the season, including Rowe, Kate Sullivan, Nicole Owens, and Orlagh Nolan. Despite this, the team has managed to use 30 different players so far. Rowe acknowledges that injuries can be seen as a bad thing, but they have underlined the strength of Dublin's squad.
The new managers, Paul Casey and Derek Murray, have had a seamless transition and put in phenomenal work this year. They have guided the team through injuries and experimental rule changes aimed at increasing attacking play. However, these rule changes do not specifically address back-heeled goals, nor do they provide statistical data on their occurrence.
Meath accounted for Dublin in the 2021 All-Ireland final, but Rowe feels past performances will count for little in the upcoming final. "We're focusing on our game plan and making sure we're ready for whatever Meath throws at us," she said.
The All-Ireland Ladies Football Championship final between Meath and Dublin will be live-blogged on the RTE website/sport and the RTE News app at 4.15pm. Commentary will be available on RTE Radio 1. Highlights of the final will be shown on The Sunday Game from 9.30pm on RTE2 and RTE Player.
Rowe stated that if she connected with the ball well and concentrated on the move, the goal should have gone in. "I'm just glad it went in," she added. The goal gave Dublin a five-point lead in the semi-final and has added an extra layer of excitement to the upcoming final. Let's hope Rowe and the Dubs can repeat their success at Croke Park this weekend.
[1] Gaelic Life [2] GAA.ie [3] The42 [4] RTE.ie [5] Independent.ie
Despite her accomplishments in Gaelic football, Rowe's back-heel goal has also gained attention in European leagues, drawing comparisons with soccer greats due to its audacity. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
Remarkably, Rowe's "Rowenaldo" goal, showcased in the Premier League of Ladies Gaelic football, serves as a testament to the increasing dynamism and innovation in European-leagues football. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
