TG4 Ladies Football Championship Previews

 

Kerry achieved qualification to the TG4 Senior All Ireland Championship Quarter Finals at the expense of Donegal last weekend. This weekend 3 more countied will join Kerry in the draw after this weekend’s three round 2 qualifiers. There is also a full programme of TG4 Intermediate Championship Round 2 Qualifiers.

 

Saturday, August 9^th

 

TG4 Senior Football Championship Round 2 Qualifiers

 

Mayo v Westmeath,

Pearse Park, 14:15 (M. Farrelly)

 

Mayo will be hoping to put memories of their 3^rd Connacht Final defeat in a row to Galway behind them when they meet Westmeath in their first competitive fixture since that provincial decider. Mayo will as always rely heavily on the incredible Cora Staunton for their scores but in Fiona McHale and Claire Egan they also posess a midfield that is capable of dominating posession. International soccer star, Sarah Rowe, may be available this weekend who along with Deridre Doherty and Aileen Gilroy will be more than capable of running up big scores.

 

Wesmeath exorcised their memories of a hammering at the hands of Dublin with a hard fought victory over Clare in Round 1. They will undoubtedly be underdogs against this Connacht side but this could well be a situation that very much suits Martin Flanagan’s side. Midfield will again be the key battleground where Johanna Maher, Ruth Kearney and the high scoring Maud Annie Foley will all play a part as they try to get enough ball into Fiona Claffey around the danger area.

 

 

Cavan v Laois,

 

St. Peregrine’s, 15:45 (M. Doherty)

 

Cavan surprised many with their Round 1 victory over Meath but they have been developing well over recent years and have loads of potential. They have again progressed well since their TG4 Intermediate All Ireland victory last September and have a defence that is well marshalled by Gráinne McGlade with the excellent Caron Fay minding the net behind her. Claragh O’Reilly starred in the last round and will take plenty of watching again as will Geraldine Sheridan and Ailish Cornyn.

 

Laois suffered a horrendous defeat at the hands of Dublin in the Leinster Final and much will depend on how well they have recovered from that mauling. Again they will look to Tracey Lawlor for inspiration but she will need help from players like Maggie Murphy and their excellent goal keeper, Ciamh Dollard, to avoid suffering a surprise defeat.

 

Monaghan v Tryone,

 

Pearse Park, 16:00 (Y. Duffy)

 

This is very much a case of two teams that are badly in need of a victory to get their seasons on track. Tyrone enjoyed a good voctory over Kildare in the previous round but that was a fixture that they were very much expected to win. In Gemma Begley they do posess a real star player and with players like Neamh Woods and Tori McLaughlin operating in defence they do have players that can do a job on the much vaunted Monaghan attack.

 

Monaghan reached last year’s All Ireland Final but since then their management has changed with John Morrisson taking over and the squad has gone through something of a transition period culminating in Ulster Final defeat at the hands of Armagh. However, there has been time for the squad to regroup and redouble their efforts since and this could be bad news for Tyrone. The talent available to Morrisson is the envy of most other counties including the likes of the McNally sisters, the Courtney sisters, Amanda Casey, the McAnespie twins, Niamh Kindlon and Cathriona McConnell. If Monaghan do rediscover their form it could yet be a long Summer ahead.

 

TG4 Intermediate Championship Round 2 Qualifiers

 

Roscommon v Offaly

 

Ardagh, 14:00 (P. Keogh)

 

Roscommon and Offaly renew rivalries having met in the 2013 TESCO Homegrown NFL Division 4 final, a match that Offaly won and set them on the way to Junior All Ireland glory. Since then Offaly have regressed a bit with relegation in the league and elimination from the Leinster Championship. However, there are plenty of talented players that can help revive the Faithful County.

 

Roscommon are a team that seem to be on the rise having achieved promotion to Division 3 this May and having enjoyed a positive Connacht campaign. They will not be lacking in motivation to succeed at the weekend but will have to be at their very best.

 

 

London v Sligo

 

St. Peregrine’s, 14:00 (J. Flood)

 

London are something of an unknown as they did not compete in the national league and have only had one competitve match this year. They will no doubt have benefited from that Leinster Championship match despite it finishing in defeat. They can count Niamh Fahey amongst their ranks and the former Galway All Ireland winner could easily prove to be the difference for London. Sligo are a team that have been there or thereabouts over the past few years but will need to find another level in their search for an All Ireland Final berth. Noelle Gormley is one of their main attacking threats and if she is on form it could prove vital to their chances.

 

Antrim v Fermanagh

 

Athletic Grounds, 14:00 (K. McKeever)

 

Antrim reached the Division 4 final earlier this year but they were well beaten by Roscommon on that day. There is no doubt about their potential though or the talent available to them with players like Kirsty McGuinness, Mairead Cooper and Claire Timoney who would make most teams in the county. Fermanagh seem to still be struggling to overcome the manner of their last second defeat at the hands of Tipperary in last year’s semi final and that shone through when they were beaten by Down in the Ulster championship. Caroline Little remains their main threat and she will again need to produce the goods for her county.

 

Tipperary v Limerick

 

Sean Treacy Park, 14:00 (S. Joy)

 

Tipperary are a much changed team from that which reached the All Ireland Final last year with new manager, John Leahy, very much favouring youth. His faith seems to be seeing some return with performances improving as the season has gone on including a vital win over Wicklow in the last round. However, they meet a Limerick team that has already defeated them this year and a side that are improving well with some star performers like Dymphna O’Brien amongst their ranks.

 

Note: The draw for the Senior and Intermediate Quarter Finals will take place on TG4 on Saturday evening immediately after Monaghan v Tyro