Mayo have ended one of the longest and most painful waits in Irish sport after defeating Kerry 1-20 to 1-17 in the 2026 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final at Croke Park.
Andy Moran’s side lifted the Sam Maguire Cup for the first time since 1951, securing Mayo’s fourth senior football title and ending 75 years of final heartbreak.
Kerry threatened to produce another devastating afternoon for Mayo after racing into a seven-point lead during the opening stages.
Mayo fought back, moved ahead after half-time and took control through Darragh Beirne’s crucial goal.
Kerry reduced the deficit to a single point, but Mayo held their nerve before Tommy Conroy sealed an unforgettable three-point victory.
The result carried enormous significance for a county that had lost every All-Ireland senior final it contested since 1951.
Supporters had endured repeated heartbreak, including painful defeats in 1989, 1996, 1997, 2004, 2006 and a succession of near misses between 2012 and 2021.
The so-called “Mayo curse” grew from disputed folklore claiming the 1951 champions had failed to show respect to a funeral procession during their journey home.
Celebrating supporters struggled to comprehend finally finishing on the winning side.
One fan declared: “I believe in curses.
I believe in cures.
Today they got the cure.” Others recalled fearing that the heavy defeats of 2004 and 2006 were about to repeat themselves before Mayo produced their remarkable comeback.
The emotional scenes captured what the victory meant to generations of Mayo GAA supporters who had travelled to Croke Park hoping to witness history.
After 75 years of waiting, repeated All-Ireland defeats and countless questions about the famous curse, Sam Maguire is finally returning to Mayo.
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