DONEGAL and Galway will look to preserve their 100
cent records in Division 1 of the Lidl Ladies National Football League over the
weekend – and book semi-final slots.
Both counties have won their opening four games in
the top flight in 2019 – and they can make sure of knockout places on Saturday.
Donegal travel to Cork while Galway face a trip to Tipperary as the race to
make the divisional semi-finals hots up. Also on Saturday, champions Dublin
have a home fixture with relegation-threatened Monaghan, while Westmeath host
Mayo on Sunday. There are three games in Division 2 over the weekend, with the
Kerry v Cavan fixture postponed until April 14 following bereavement in the
Cavan camp. In Divisions 3 and 4, there
is a full schedule of fixtures as the scrap for promotion and to avoid the drop
intensifies across the country.
Saturday
16th March 2019
Lidl Ladies
NFL Division 1
Tipperary v
Galway, 5pm, Bansha, (E Moran, Kerry)
Tipperary’s priceless victory over Cork recently
could yet prove to be the result that keeps the Premier County in the top
flight.
It’s been a journey of learning for Tipp in
Division 1 but they’ve acquitted themselves well and manager Shane Ronayne will
be quietly confident of another successful assault on the TG4 All-Ireland
Intermediate championship in the summer.
Tipp are the highest-ranking League side who will
compete in the race for Intermediate glory and they’ll get another stern test
from high-flying Galway in New Inn.
The Tribeswomen, like Donegal, are four from four
in Division 1 and second only behind the pace-setters on scoring difference.
Manager Tim Rabbitte has picked up the baton from
former boss Stephen Glennon and built on the progress of 2018 – when Galway
contested semi-finals in Division 1 of the Lidl NFL and the TG4 senior
championship.
The next step for Connacht champions Galway is to
ensure safe progress to the semi-finals of the Lidl NFL and a win on their
travels will make mathematically sure.
A home win would all but secure Division 1 football
for Tipperary again next year but they won’t find it easy against the visiting
Westerners.
Tipperary (v Galway): L Fitzpatrick; L Spillane, S Lambert
(capt.), E Cronin; B Condon, E Fitzpatrick, C Kennedy; A.R. Kennedy, C Maher; N
Lonergan, A Moloney, C Condon A McGuigan, R Howard, A Fennessy.
Galway (v Tipperary): D Gower; M Coyne, S Lynch, F Cooney; S
Molloy, B Hannon, C Cooney; Á McDonagh, L Ward; M Seoighe, T Leonard (capt.), O
Divilly; L Coen, R Leonard, S Conneally.
Cork v
Donegal, 12pm, Páirc Uí Rinn, (S Curley, Galway) – Part of a double header with GAA – Live
on Ladies Gaelic Football Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LadiesGaelicFootball/
Donegal are well on course for the semi-finals and
a victory here would make sure.
These two have some recent history as Cork won big
games in 2017 and 2018 – the Lidl NFL Division 1 final and the TG4 All-Ireland
semi-final respectively.
Donegal are the form team in Division 1 this year
with four wins out of four while Cork’s form has been a mixed bag.
The Leesiders have won two out of their four
matches, while also suffering losses to Galway and Tipperary, and they need the
points here to remain on course for a semi-final slot.
What promises to be an intriguing battle is also
part of another double-header for the Cork Ladies Footballers – with the men
from both counties to play at 2pm – and Ephie Fitzgerald’s charges will be
anxious to put on a good show at Páirc Uí Rinn.
This fixture is available to view Live on the LGFA
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LadiesGaelicFootball/
and if both counties remain in their current positions in the table, they’ll
meet again in the last four.
Cork (v Donegal): M O’Brien (capt.); S Kelly, H Looney,
A Kelleher; D Kiely, M Duggan, E Kiely; A Hutchings, L O’Mahony; Á O’Sullivan,
N Cotter, O Farmer; E Scally, S O’Leary, O Finn.
Donegal (v Cork) A Nee; A.M. McGlynn, E Gallagher, E
McGinley; T Doherty, N McLaughlin, N Carr; K Herron, N Boyle; K Guthrie
(capt.), N Gordon, A Boyle Carr; S McGroddy, M Ryan, R Friel.
Dublin v
Monaghan, 5pm, DCU, St Clare’s, (S McNulty, Wicklow)
After losing out to Donegal in their first game,
Dublin have bounced back to record three successive wins, and look well set for
a semi-final place.
Manager Mick Bohan is nursing the Sky Blues nicely
through a planned defence of the Lidl NFL Division 1 crown, as he runs the
rule over squad members while also reintroducing more experienced stars as the
campaign progresses.
Monaghan are in big danger of being relegated to
Division 2 of the Lidl NFL – and need to collect some points from their last
three group fixtures to have any hope of avoiding the drop.
Dublin, with home advantage here, will be roaring
hot favourites to make it four wins in a row and it will take a stunning
Monaghan performance to stop them.
Monaghan suffered a big loss to Cork last time out
and Dublin will be eager to inflict more pain on the Farney girls.
Dublin (v Monaghan): R Fleming; M Byrne, O Carey, R Ruddy; S
Goldrick, L Magee, S Fagan; J Dunne, S McGrath; H O’Neill, L Davey, N
Hetherton; S Aherne (capt.), S Killeen, N Healy.
Monaghan (v Dublin): G McKenna; N Kerr, S Boyd, H McSkane; A
McAnespie, R Courtney, A McCarey; S Coyle, E McAnespie; C McBride, L Maguire, E
Woods; C Courtney (capt.), M Atkinson, C McAnespie.
