LAST year’s TG4 All-Ireland Senior Finalists Dublin and Cork could wrap up 2021 quarter-final slots on Saturday – and both managers have shuffled their packs ahead of fixtures with Waterford and Tipperary respectively.
Dublin make five changes in personnel to the side that accounted for Tyrone in Round 1, as they prepare to take on the Déise in Baltinglass in Group 3 (2pm).
Niamh Collins, Orlagh Nolan, Siobhan McGrath, Lyndsey Davey and Carla Rowe are all drafted into the starting line-up, with Laura McGinley, Hannah Leahy, Lucy Collins, Niamh Hetherton and Siobhan Killeen dropping out.
This will be the third year in succession that Dublin have met Waterford in the group stages – with just four points separating the sides last year.
Waterford haven’t played a competitive fixture since concluding their Lidl National League campaign against Cork on June 6 – and there are two changes to the side that started on that occasion.
Róisín Tobin and Bríd McMaugh are named in the starting line-up, as Caoimhe McGrath and Kate McGrath drop out of the team.
Cork, meanwhile, have made four changes to the side that beat Meath in Round 1 as they aim to secure top spot in Group 2.
The Rebelettes make the trip to Sean Treacy Park in Tipperary town for a 2pm start against hosts Tipperary, who were relegated from Division 1 of the Lidl National League.
Eimear Meaney, Clare O’Shea, Áine O’Sullivan and Orlagh Farmer are named in the Cork starting line-up for this fixture – and they replace Méabh Cahalane, Maire O’Callaghan, Libby Coppinger and Orla Finn.
Tipperary manager Declan Carr, the Premier County’s 1991 All-Ireland SHC winning captain, has made three changes to the side that started in the unsuccessful relegation play-off against Westmeath in the Lidl National League.
Laura Nagle, Laura Dillon and Niamh Hayes come into the starting line-up, with Clodagh Horgan, Edith Carroll and Áine Delaney named among the substitutes.
Tipperary are without long-term absentees Aishling Moloney and Emma Morrissey for this one.
In the four-team Group 1, there are two pivotal fixtures down for decision on Saturday.
Mayo meet Monaghan in Ballinamore looking to make it two wins from two – and the Westerners are unchanged from the side that beat Cavan last weekend.
Monaghan have made just one change in personnel – with experienced forward Ciara McAnespie coming in for Jodie McQuillan.
In-form Armagh tackle Cavan in the live TG4 fixture at St Tiernach’s Park in Clones, a game that will have a 5.30pm start. Both sides are unchanged for this one, as Armagh also look to collect their second successive win in the group.
Victories for Mayo and Armagh would see both teams through to the last eight.
And in Group 4, a second successive victory for Galway would secure a safe passage to the knockout phase for the 2019 Finalists, and 2020 semi-finalists.
But Galway are preparing to face a Donegal side that triumphed by 4-21 to 2-10 when the counties met in the Lidl National League.
Galway edged past Kerry by just a point in Round 1 last Friday evening but will need a much-improved display against Donegal, who bagged 6-16 against Cavan in their recent Ulster semi-final.
Donegal have made just one change to the side that started in that game – with Niamh Boyle replacing Kate Keaney – while there are two changes to the Galway line-up that took to the field against Kerry, as Sophie Healy and Charlotte Cooney replace Hannah Noone and Shauna Hynes.
Mayo (v Monaghan): A Tarpey; S Lally, C McManamon (capt.), E Brennan; T O’Connor, É Ronayne, K Sullivan; C Needham, S Cafferky; F Doherty, R Kearns, M McHale; G Kelly, S Howley, T Needham.
Monaghan (v Mayo): E Corrigan; M Monaghan, N Fahy, A McAnespie; S Coyle, A McCarey, E Traynor; C Courtney, M Atkinson; L McEnaney, E McCarron (capt.), L Garland; C Treanor, C McAnespie, A Garland.
Armagh (v Cavan): A Carr; S Marley (capt.), C McCambridge, G Ferguson: E Lavery, L McConville, T Grimes; N Marley, N Coleman; B Mackin, C O’Hanlon, F McKenna; A Mackin, A McCoy, A Clarke.
Cavan (v Armagh): E Walsh; R Doonan, S Lynch, M Smith; S Greene, L Fitzpatrick (capt.), M Sheridan; C Dolan, N Byrd; A Kiernan, A Sheridan, C Finnegan; N Keenaghan, G Sheridan, A Gilsenan.
Tipperary (v Cork): L Fitzpatrick; L Nagle, M Curley, E Cronin; L Spillane, C Kennedy, E Kelly; A.R. Kennedy (capt.), O O’Dwyer; C O’Dwyer, A Fennessy, L Dillon; R Howard, N Hayes, A McGuigan.
Cork (v Tipperary): M O’Brien (capt.); M Ambrose, R Phelan, E Meaney; E O’Shea, C O’Shea, M Duggan; A Hutchings, H Looney; O Farmer, C O’Sullivan, Á O’Sullivan; S O’Leary, B O’Sullivan, E Scally.
Dublin (v Waterford): C Trant; N Collins, O Carey, M Byrne; O Nolan, S McGrath, L Caffrey; J Dunne, L Magee; H Tyrrell, L Davey, C Rowe; C O’Connor, N McEvoy, S Aherne (capt.).
Waterford (v Dublin): R Landers; M Dunford, L Mulcahy, R Casey; M Wall (capt.), K McGrath, A Mullaney; C Fennell, E Murray; R Tobin, M Delahunty, B McMaugh; E Fennell, K Murray, A Wall.
Donegal (v Galway): A McColgan; N Carr, E McGinley, E Gallagher; T Jenkins, Nicole McLaughlin, R Rodgers; K Herron, S Twohig; B McLaughlin, Niamh McLaughlin (capt.), N Boyle; N Hegarty, K Guthrie, G McLaughlin.
Galway (v Donegal): D Gower; S Healy, S Lynch, S Molloy; K Geraghty, N Ward, C Cooney; S Divilly, A Davoren; O Divilly, M Glynn, L Coen; M Seoighe, L Ward (capt.), K Slevin.
