Ladies National Football League - Dublin v Galway; Parnell Park (Sun 2 pm)
Galway are one of just two teams in the top flight, along with Waterford, who have lost their opening three games. Having contested the 2023 Division 1 Final, another defeat here and Galway could be looking at the prospect of Division 2 fare next year, if their fortunes don’t improve. Galway will be heartened, however, by the fact that they enjoyed a comfortable victory over Dublin in last year’s competition.
Dublin finally got off the mark in the top flight with a crucial victory over Mayo in Ballina last time out. Having suffered two previous defeats, another loss would have had Dublin in all sorts of trouble towards the bottom of the table. Now, the TG4 All-Ireland champions will feel they can start looking towards the top end of the table but they’ll come up against a Galway side desperate for points.
In team news, Galway have made three changes to the team that started in defeat to Armagh, with goalkeeper Karen Connolly coming in for Dearbhla Gower, while Eabha O’Riordan and Meabh Walsh are also handed starts. Chellene Trill and Caoimhe Cleary also drop to the bench ahead of the trip to the capital. Key duo Jennifer Dunne and Hannah Tyrrell start for the first time for Dublin since last year’s TG4 All-Ireland Final win, with manager Mick Bohan making four changes in total to the team that beat Mayo in Ballina. Chloe Darby and Hannah Hegarty also come into the Sky Blue starting line-up, with Niamh Donlon, Lauren Magee, Caoimhe O’Connor and Claire Kirwan making way.
Dublin: R Fleming; N Crowley, L Caffrey (capt), M Byrne; H Hegarty, O Carey, K Murray; O Nolan, J Dunne; K Sullivan, C Darby, E Gribben; A Timothy, H Tyrrell, N Hetherton.
Galway: K Connolly; E Gavin, S Ní Loingsigh, E O’Riordan; K Geraghty, M Jordan, A Ní Cheallaigh; M Glynn, A Davoren (capt.); L Booth, S Hynes, M Walsh; L Coen, A O’Rourke, R Leonard.
