Laois LGFA goalkeeper narrowly misses out on 2025 Golden Glove award

Laois goalkeeper Eimear Barry has come up just short in the race for 2025 ZuCar Golden Glove award. Barry was nominated for her superb penalty save against Tyrone in this year's All-Ireland Intermediate Football final.

The Shanahoe netminder was shortlisted alongside Roscommon’s Helena Cummins, Robyn Murray (Meath), Dearbhla Gower (Donegal) and Clare Friel (Donegal) for the prestigious honour, which was decided by public vote on the Ladies Gaelic Football Association website.

Barry, who previously won the award in 2022, secured 1,227 votes to finish as runner-up. The award went to Roscommon’s Cummins, whose brilliant save against Fermanagh’s Joanne Doonan during the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship group stages topped the poll with 1,605 votes.

Barry’s nomination comes at the end of another strong season for Laois, who reached the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate final before losing out to Tyrone.

Introduced in 2021, the ZuCar Golden Glove honours goalkeeping excellence in the TG4 All-Ireland Championships.

Helena was presented with her award at Croke Park today by Ladies Gaelic Football Association President, Trina Murray, and Gavin Hydes, CEO Joe Duffy Group, on behalf of ZuCar, the LGFA’s Official Performance Partner and sponsor of the All-Ireland U-18 Championships.

Following the conclusion of the TG4 All-Ireland Championships, Dublin’s Hannah Tyrrell was the leading scorer across the Junior, Intermediate and Senior grades.

Hannah’s tally of 6-28 during for the TG4 All-Ireland Senior champions ensured that the Na Fianna player topped the individual scoring charts across the Junior, Intermediate and Senior grades in the All-Ireland series. Dublin defeated Meath by 2-16 to 0-10 in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior final at Croke Park on Sunday, August 3 – and Hannah scored 0-5, including two points from play, in the showpiece decider. After the game, Hannah announced her retirement from inter-county football. Hannah was also present at Croke Park today to collect her award.

Ladies Gaelic Football Association President Trina Murray commented: “Congratulations to Hannah and Helena as they visit Croke Park today to collect their ZuCar Golden Boot and Golden Glove awards. We had a big response to our Golden Glove vote on the LGFA website and Helena’s brilliant save came out on top. Inter-county football is very much a team game, but it’s also important to recognise individual excellence and these awards do just that.

“A huge word of thanks also to ZuCar, our Official Performance Partner and sponsors of our All-Ireland U-18 Championships, for their continued and ongoing support. The ZuCar Golden Boot and Golden Glove awards are beautiful pieces and I’m sure they’ll find pride of place in Hannah and Helena’s homes.

“I wish to acknowledge the dedicated support of Gavin Hydes and his team at Joe Duffy Group, and this has been a hugely successful partnership since 2021.”

Gavin Hydes, CEO Joe Duffy Group, added: “Huge congratulations to Hannah and Helena on their award wins, and to all Golden Glove nominees and players who featured in the race for the ZuCar Golden Boot award.

“Helena is a wonderful goalkeeper and Roscommon are in the fortunate position to have her as the last line of defence. I’m also aware that Hannah has recently undergone surgery for a knee injury sustained in the TG4 All-Ireland final and I wish her all the very best in her recovery.

“Hannah announced her retirement from inter-county football after the game and I want to acknowledge an outstanding sporting career that also saw her don the colours of Ireland in international rugby. ZuCar are extremely proud to be the Performance Partner of the LGFA, and sponsors of the All-Ireland U-18 Championships

“We’re already looking forward with anticipation to another wonderful season of inter-county football in 2026 and we wish all players well for the remainder of the year as they continue to perform at local level with their clubs.”

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