FOOTBALLWeekend previews: All to play for as semi-final placings and relegation slots in Lidl NFL to be decided!

Compiled by Jackie Cahill 

A huge weekend lies in store in Round 3 of the Lidl Ladies National Football Leagues – with semi-final placings and dreaded relegation play-off slots to be confirmed.  

Galway senior ladies football manager Gerry Fahy has made three changes from last weekend to the team that will start against Donegal in the National League on Sunday.

Dunmore McHales’ Sophie Healy and Naomh Mhuire’s Laura Ahearne make their debute; and Kilkerrin/Clonberne’s Sarah Gormally starts in the full back line.

It’s a must win game for the Tribeswomen and throw-in at Tuam Stadium on Sunday is at 2pm and we’ll have live coverage here on Galway Bay FM.

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The clash between Tipperary and Dublin on Saturday evening (Semple Stadium, 6.30pm), is the live TV offering, with the weekend’s other 14 games available to viewers free at https://page.inplayer.com/lidlnfl/  

Two counties from each group will progress to the semi-final stages, with the bottom teams in Divisions 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B all facing relegation play-offs to preserve their divisional status.  

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Lidl NFL Round 3 fixtures  

All games at 2pm unless stated.   

Saturday 5^th June 2021 

Division 1B - Round 3 – Live on TG4                            

Tipperary v Dublin, 6.30pm, Semple Stadium (J Murphy, Carlow) 

Table-toppers Dublin will aim to finish the group stages with a third consecutive win and with progress to the last four already secured, manager Mick Bohan can experiment with five changes in personnel.  

Tipperary are facing into a relegation play-off but ill hope to put up a decent display against the visiting TG4 All-Ireland Senior champions to boost confidence levels.  

Having lost out to Cork in Round 1, a disappointing home reverse against Waterford last weekend has left the Premier County sweating on top flight status.  

The TG4 cameras will visit Semple Stadium in Thurles for this one – with Dublin already showing ominous early season form.  

Dublin (v Tipperary): A Sheils; M Byrne; N Collins, H Leahy; O Nolan, O Carey, L Caffrey; L Magee, J Dunne; L Collins, S Killeen, C O’Connor; N McEvoy, H Tyrrell, S Aherne (capt.).  

Tipperary (v Dublin): L Fitzpatrick; L Spillane, M Curley, E Cronin; R Daly, C Kennedy, E Kelly; A.R. Kennedy, E Fitzpatrick; E Carroll, A Moloney (capt.), E Morrissey; C O’Dwyer, M Creedon, A Delaney.  

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Sunday 6^th June 2021 

Division 1A - Round 3                                     

Westmeath v Mayo, St. Loman’s, Mullingar (G Chapman, Sligo)           

Westmeath must win and hope that Galway beat Donegal to avoid a relegation play-off.  

In that case, Westmeath and Mayo would be locked together on three points – but Westmeath would survive on the head to head rule, even if they have an inferior scoring difference.  

A Donegal win over Galway, and Westmeath to beat Mayo, would leave Mayo, Galway and Westmeath all level on three points each, but that’s when scoring difference would likely punish the Midlanders.  

In an extremely tight group, even a win might not be enough for a semi-final berth for Mayo, should Galway beat Donegal.  

Mayo’s task is to win by as big a margin as they can, and then they’re reliant on the outcome of the Donegal-Galway game.  

Westmeath (v Mayo): L McCormack; N Spellman, J Rogers, E Kelly; F Coyle, L Power, T Fagan; V Carr, T Dillon; F Claffey (capt.), L Archibold, A Jones; L McCartan, K Hegarty, S Dillon.  

Mayo (v Westmeath): A Tarpey; A Halligan, C McManamon, F Doherty; É Ronayne, M Reilly, K Sullivan; T O’Connor (capt.), C Whyte; N Kelly, T Needham, G Kelly; A Dowling, S Howley, R Kearns.  

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Galway v Donegal, Tuam Stadium (G McMahon, Mayo) 

Donegal have won their opening two games but they’re still not assured of a semi-final spot.  

Visitors Galway must win to put themselves in the mix for a spot in the last four, while both sides will also be keeping a close eye on events in Mullingar, where Mayo play Westmeath.  

Bowing out in the group stages would be disappointing for Galway, who contested the 2019 League Final.  

The Tribeswomen are blending some exciting young players with more established stars and it’s a work in progress for new boss Gerry Fahy – but they’ll be anxious to give themselves a chance of a knockout place here.  

Galway (v Donegal): D Gower; S Healy, S Lynch, S Gormally; L Ahearne, C Cooney, H Noone; S Divilly, O Divilly; E Reaney, M Glynn, N Ward; M Seoighe (capt.), A Trill, K Slevin.  

Donegal (v Galway): A McColgan; N Carr, E McGinley, E Gallagher; A.M. Logue, Nicole McLaughlin, R Rodgers; K Herron, S Twohig; B McLaughlin, Niamh McLaughlin (capt.), N Boyle; N Hegarty, K Guthrie, G McLaughlin.  

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Division 1B - Round 3                                                   

Waterford v Cork, Fraher Field (A O’Connell, Galway) 

This one is beautifully poised – with the winners guaranteed a place in the semi-finals.  

A draw would make things really interesting, with the team registering the most points (scores over the bar) progressing to the semi-finals.  

If they’re still not separated, it will come down to score difference, with Cork currently +11 to Waterford’s -6.  

Waterford’s victory over Tipperary last weekend was a key game for the Déise, as it erased any relegation fears, but the manner of that win has sparked real hopes that they could go further in the competition. 

Should holders Cork progress, they’ll have earned it against the hosts.  

Waterford v Cork: R Landers; M Dunford, L Mulcahy, R Casey; A Mullaney, Karen McGrath, M Wall (capt.); Kate McGrath, C Fennell; K Hogan, A Wall, K Murray; E Fennell, N Power, M Delahunty.  

Cork v Waterford: M O’Brien (capt.); S Kelly, E Meaney, A Hutchings; E O’Shea, M Cahalane, E Spillane; M O’Callaghan, M Duggan; H Looney, C O’Sullivan, B O’Sullivan; S O’Leary, K Quirke, O Finn.