Lidl
Ladies NFL Round 3 previews
Compiled
by Jackie Cahill
IT’S another huge weekend in the 2019 Lidl Ladies
National Football League – with 16 fixtures down for decision across the four
divisions.
There are three ‘double-header’ games in Division 1
over the weekend – including two on Saturday which are both available to view
LIVE.
Dublin host Mayo at Croke Park (5.0) in front of the
eir sport cameras, while the Ladies Gaelic Football Association’s Facebook Live
offering https://www.facebook.com/LadiesGaelicFootball/
is the clash between Cork and Tipperary at Páirc Uí Rinn (5.0).
Jerome Quinn and Cork’s 11-time TG4 All-Ireland
Senior medallist Bríd Stack will be on commentary duty as the Leesiders play on
a double-bill alongside their male counterparts for the very first time.
On Sunday, Donegal and Galway will hope to maintain
their 100 per records in Division 1 – and both counties have home advantage.
Galway welcome Westmeath to Clonberne, while
Donegal’s Ladies have a double-header at O’Donnell Park in Letterkenny to look
forward to, as they welcome Ulster rivals Monaghan.
PREVIEWS
Lidl
Ladies National Football League 2019 – Round 3 – 2pm unless stated
Saturday
23rd February
Lidl
Ladies NFL – Division 1 – Round 3
Dublin
v Mayo, Croke Park, 5pm (B Rice, Down)
– part of double-header with GAA –
LIVE on eir sport and on channel’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/eirSport/)
A keen recent rivalry will be renewed at Croke Park
on Saturday evening, as Dublin welcome Mayo to Croke Park.
The sides met three times in 2018 in League and
Championship– with Dublin winning on all three occasions.
The Dubs got the better of Mayo twice in the League
– including the Division 1 Final clash between the counties at Parnell Park.
The eir sport cameras were in Castlebar last year
for a cracking game – and this one is live once again on the same channel from
Croke Park.
Dublin boss Mick Bohan has made seven changes to the
team that accounted for Tipperary last time out – and he also has big guns
Sinéad Aherne, Sinéad Goldrick and Noelle Healy back on the bench.
Mayo boss Peter Leahy has named an unchanged
starting team as the Westerners look to avoid a second successive defeat.
Dublin: C Trant; M Byrne, N Collins, E
McDonagh; A Kane, S McGrath, L Magee; L Collins, O Carey; N Owens, S Woods, H
O’Neill; O Whyte, L Davey, N McEvoy.
Mayo: L Brennan; N O’Malley, R Flynn, D
Caldwell; K Sullivan, Ciara McManamon, N Moran; Clodagh McManamon, D Finn; S
Cafferky, E Needham, N Kelly (capt.); F Doherty, R Kearns, G Kelly.
Cork v Tipperary, Páirc Uí Rinn, 5pm (E Moran,
Kerry) – part of double-header with
GAA - LIVE on Ladies Football Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LadiesGaelicFootball/)
These teams last met in the 2018 TG4 Munster Senior
Championship semi-final – and now they’ll lock horns in an historic Lidl
National League Division 1 tie.
This is the first time that the Cork Ladies will
have the chance to play on a double-bill alongside their male counterparts, and
it’s a game that can be viewed LIVE on the Ladies Gaelic Football Association’s
Facebook Page.
Cork were stunned by Galway in Round 1 but did
recover to beat Westmeath last time out.
For Tipperary, managed by Mourneabbey’s All-Ireland
Senior Club winning boss Shane Ronayne, it’s been a baptism of fire in the top
flight.
Tipp lost out to Mayo and Dublin in their first two
games and will be hoping to avoid a third successive defeat when they make the
trip to the Rebel County.
Tipp are unchanged from the team that lined out
against Dublin while Cork boss Ephie Fitzgerald has brought in Shauna Kelly for
Marie Ambrose in defence.
Jerome Quinn and Cork’s 11-time TG4 All-Ireland
Senior medallist Bríd Stack will be on commentary duty for this one.
Cork:
M O’Brien (capt.); S Leahy, S Kelly, A Kelleher; D Kiely, M Duggan, E Kiely; A
Hutchings, L O’Mahony; A O’Sullivan, N Cotter, O Farmer; E Scally, S O’Leary, O
Finn.
Tipperary: L
Fitzpatrick; E Buckley, M Curley, E Cronin; B Condon, S Lambert (capt.), C
Maher; A.R. Kennedy, E Fitzpatrick; N Lonergan, A Moloney, R Daly; L Dillon, C
Condon, S Everard.
Lidl
Ladies NFL – Division 2 – Round 3
Cavan
v Clare, Killinkere, Virginia (D Carolan, Down)
Two games, two draws for Clare so far in Division 2,
while Cavan have picked up one point from their opening two fixtures.
Cavan began with an encouraging draw against Tyrone
but they were well beaten by Armagh last time out.
Clare have been involved in stalemates with Kerry
and Wexford so far – and both teams will be anxious to collect a first win of
the campaign.
Wexford
v Tyrone, St Patrick’s GAA, (K Phelan, Laois)
Wexford’s campaign began with a disappointing loss
to Waterford but they did recover well to earn a draw with Clare last time out.
Tyrone will fancy themselves for a top-four slot and
a place in the knockout stages and after drawing with Cavan in their opening
match, they enjoyed a good win against Laois in Round 2.
It’s a long trip South for Tyrone, who accounted for
Wexford in the 2018 TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship quarter-final.
Waterford
v Armagh, Fraher Field, Dungarvan, 3pm (S McNulty, Wicklow)
Waterford are nestled nicely in the top four as they
prepare for the visit of table-toppers Armagh to Fraher Field.
A draw away to Kerry in Round 1 could yet turn out
to be a very valuable point, before the Déise were comfortable winners in the
South-East derby with Wexford.
Armagh have been scoring for fun so far this year –
racking up 7-30 in two victories against Laois and Cavan. The Orchard County
appear to be the team to stop in Division 2.
Lidl
Ladies NFL – Division 3 – Round 3
Meath
v Roscommon, Dunganny Centre of Excellence (3G), (G McMahon, Mayo)
This fixture will revive some painful memories for
Roscommon. In the 2018 TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate semi-final, Meath produced
a brilliant performance to defeat Roscommon at Dr. Hyde Park.
But this is a new year and both counties have
started well – with six points each from their opening two games.
Offaly
v Longford, St. Brendans Park, Birr, 1pm (N McCormack, Laois)
Longford are one of four teams with three points
from their opening two fixtures – which is three behind pace-setters Meath and
Roscommon.
But with the top two playing each other on Saturday,
this is a chance for the chasing pack to make up some ground. Longford lost
narrowly to Kildare in Round 1, before beating Sligo narrowly in Round 2.
Offaly are pointless from their first two games.
Wicklow
v Kildare, Dunlavin, (J Murphy, Carlow)
This could be a pivotal game in the quest for a top
four place, with both teams on three points.
Following a line of form, both teams have already
played Roscommon, with Wicklow losing by 10 points against the Connacht outfit,
while Kildare ran the Rossies to just two points. Wicklow will look to make
home advantage count but this will be a competitive Leinster derby.
Down
v Sligo, Saval BT34 2RQ, 2.30pm, (S McLoughlin, Donegal)
Down got off to a great start when they fired six
goals against Offaly – but they lost to Wicklow in Round 2.
Sligo, who suffered relegation from Division 2 last
year, find themselves in trouble again as they’ve lost their opening two
fixtures against Meath and Longford.
Lidl
Ladies NFL – Division 4 – Round 3
Fermanagh
v Limerick, Ederney, 2.30pm, (D Hurson, Monaghan)
Division 4 is shaping up to be an interesting
promotion race and Fermanagh are currently sitting pretty with two wins from
two.
The Erne County welcome Limerick, who beat Louth in
their first outing before losing out narrowly to Carlow in round 2.
Kilkenny
v Antrim, Kilkenny Training Centre, R95 X7X6, (PJ Aherne, Cork)
Antrim have won one of their opening two matches and
face the long trip to Kilkenny on Saturday.
Kilkenny have lost their opening two fixtures to
date in 2019 but will hope for a competitive performance on home soil.
Derry
v Carlow, O’Donovan Rossa, Magherafelt, (S Coyle, Donegal)
Derry are pointless from their first two games and
while they have home advantage on Saturday, they won’t get anything easy from
visitors Carlow, who are top of the table on points difference.
It’s been an excellent start to the campaign for
Carlow, who have emerged as genuine promotion contenders.
Sunday
24th February
Lidl
Ladies NFL – Division 1 – Round 3
Galway
v Westmeath, Clonberne, 12pm (M Kenny, Mayo)
Galway were beaten semi-finalists last year and on
the evidence we’ve seen to date in 2019, they’re aiming for at least a
knock-out slot again.
The Tribeswomen have been impressive under new
manager Tim Rabbitte so far, winning against Cork and Monaghan in their opening
two fixtures.
They put their 100 per cent record on the line
against visitors Westmeath on Sunday, as the Lake County aim to bounce back
from defeat to Cork last time out.
Westmeath, under their new manager Sean Finnegan, did
score a hugely encouraging victory over Monaghan in Round 1.
And in a hugely-competitive top flight, that result
could yet be one that staves off the threat of relegation for Westmeath.
They’ll have it all to do against the in-form
Connacht champions in Clonberne on Sunday.
Galway: D Gower; M Coyne, S Lynch, F Cooney; S
Molloy, L Ward, C Cooney; O Divilly, B Hannon; M Seoighe, T Leonard (capt.), L
Coen; R Ní Flahartha, R Leonard, S Conneally.
Westmeath: K Walsh; R Dillon, J Rogers, L Power;
F Coyle, K McDermott, F Claffey (capt.); K Boyce-Jordan, V Carr; L McCartan, L
Slevin, J Maher; S Dolan, A Jones, M.A. Foley.
Donegal
(H) v Monaghan, St Eunans, O’ Donnell Park, Letterkenny, 12pm (G Carmody,
Roscommon) – part of double-header with GAA
The Donegal Ladies get the chance to play alongside
their male counterparts on Sunday at O’Donnell Park in Letterkenny, on Sunday.
And Donegal are doing extremely well in Division 1
so far, with a 100 per cent record from two outings.
Donegal were impressive against Dublin at Croke Park
– and they ground out a victory against Mayo in Round 2.
The Ulster Champions welcome struggling Monaghan to
Letterkenny, with the visitors in need of points after two defeats to date.
Donegal won the TG4 Ulster semi-final meeting
between the counties last summer and will start as favourites here as they aim
to take a big step towards the League semi-finals.
But Monaghan’s results haven’t rewarded their
performances to date and they’re a feeling in the Farney camp that their
fortunes could be about to change for the better.
Donegal: A Nee; T Hegarty, E Gallagher, N Carr;
T Doherty, N McLaughlin, N Boyle; K Herron, M Ryan; R Friel, N Hegarty, A Boyle
Carr; G McLaughlin, K Guthrie, C Grant.
Monaghan: B Tierney; L Flynn, N Kerr, H McSkane;
S Boyd, A McAnespie, S Coyle; M Atkinson, R Courtney; C McBride, C Courtney
(capt.), E McAnespie; E Woods, L Maguire, C McAnespie.
Lidl
Ladies NFL – Division 2 – Round 3
Laois
v Kerry, Emo, (K O’Brien, Limerick)
Laois are bottom of Division 2 and in need of points
as they prepare for the visit of Kerry to Emo.
The Kingdom, for their part, suffered relegation
from Division 1 last year but are tipped by many to bounce straight back up.
They’ll need to get some wins on the board soon,
however, as they’ve drawn their first two games of the season.
Lidl
Ladies NFL – Division 4 – Round 3
Leitrim
v Louth, St Marys, Cloone, (J Devlin, Galway)
Two teams with a win each so far meet in Cloone.
Leitrim are back on the field of play in 2018 and have done made an encouraging
start to their campaign.
Both counties will aim to keep pace with the early
front-runners Carlow and Fermanagh.
