The evening sun shone, the TV cameras were rolling and over 2,000 fans were dotted around Croke Park on Sunday night as the Littlewoods Ireland Camogie National League Final became the second match of the weekend to welcome fans through the turnstile at Ireland’s largest stadium since March 2020.
A late addition of the Division Three Allianz League Final on Saturday meant that 2,400 fans had been allowed to attend the Derry win over Offaly.
Kilkenny and Galway served up a game worthy of the occasion, swing one way then the other with Galway three points up at halftime, then conceding 1-05 in the third quarter before pulling level in the first minute of added time but Kilkenny finishing stronger with three unanswered points.
The Kilkenny Goalkeeper Aoife Norris was awarded the Player of the Match for a string of saves that made the difference in the end.
The GAA has published a code of conduct for spectators visiting the stadium as will be the case again next Saturday when Dublin and Cork face each other in the Final of the 2021 Lidl Ladies Football National League.
Spectators are asked to make sure they are not displaying any symptoms of Covid and not to congregate with any other fans or groups in advance of the game.
Once inside the stadium, mask-wearing is obligatory at all times with specific lanyards needed for anyone who has an exemption.
Movement in and around the ground should be kept to a minimum and there is a request to “be mindful of others when cheering or celebrating.”
Exit from the stadium is also managed on a phased basis with a request not to congregate outside.
It is a different experience but an important step on the way back to normal hopefully, later on, this year.
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