The learnings that the Galway squad have taken from the disappointing league campaign are proving invauable at the business end of the Championship, according to Leanne Coen.
The chance to use the league as a trial run for the stern tests in the Championship have benefited the squad and left them with an arsenal of strong players to come on and see out games such as those against Cork and Dublin.
"We were very disappointed with our league form. We got to try out a few new players so that was a good testing ground for us. Out first round in the Championship didn't really go to plan and that's when it really hit home with us that we needed to learn how to finish out a game.
"After that Cork game, we might have been wondering where were we going. It was almost as if we lost an All-Ireland final that day, but we regrouped and fixed the problem and here we are.
So what changed in the team?
"The league was that big learning curve. We had all the hard training done by then. We know that we have to work hard if we want to keep our jersey or get on this team," she said, adding that this resilience puts them in good stead for Sunday in Croke Park.
"Kerry are a brilliant side and it will be tough. But if we work hard, we can match them.
"You can see the workrate in the team. In the Dublin game, we had an unbelievable bench to come on and they all played a stormer. It got us through it.
"There is a resilience in the team now that gives us great confidence. It is good to know that we have that energy and experience to know that we can finish out a game and get the result we want.
"Kerry are going to be a tough side, but anyone we would be playing on the final would be tough, so we just have to match them and work a bit harder.
"We just have to keep the attitude we have had so far. We have played the top three teams, so we are entitled to be in the same company as those.
Leanne welcomes the influx of youth on the team and the knowledge that she and her teammates are role models for the thousands of young players watching the games.
"We were all young players once and we know the importance of encouraging those players too," she said.
Another good result Sunday and those legions of inspired young girls will grow and grow.
