TG4 Provincial Championship Previews

 

Following last night’s final round of TG4 Munster Ladies Football Championship fixtures, the pairings for all four TG4 Provincial Championship Finals are now know. Kerry defeated Clare yesterday evening and will now go on to defend their Munster Championship against TG4 All Ireland Champions, Cork. The Munster Intermediate Championship Final will be contested by Limerick and Waterford following Waterford’s victory over Tipperary yesterday evening.

 

Elsewhere this weekend we have our first Provincial Finals taking place in both Ulster and Munster with the meeting of Armagh and Monaghan serving as the curtain raiser to the men’s championship replay between the same two teams.

 

 

Sunday, July 6th

 

Ulster Ladies Senior Football Championship Final

 

Monaghan v Armagh

Clones, 1:30pm

 

Monaghan are aiming to collect their fifth Ulster title in a row when they face Armagh in Clones. Much has changed in Monaghan since last season with John Morrison taking over from Gregory McGonigle as manager. Monaghan have an injury worry over Eileen McElroy who has been struggling and they will also be without Laura McEnaney, Eileen McKenna and All Star forward Caoimhe Mohan who are all unavailable. However, there is a depth of talent and experience available with players like Christina Reilly, the McNally sisters, the Courtney’s, Niamh Kindlon, Cathriona McConnall and Amanda Casey all holding All Star awards. Morrison has also introduced plenty of youth into the squad with the likes of Eimear O’Rourke, Niamh Callan and Muireann Atkinson all ready to make an impact at senior level.

 

Armagh have enjoyed good times in recent years and were finally able to get the Division 3 monkey off their backs as they achieved promotion in May. There is loads of quality in this Armagh side with players like Sinead McCleary, Caoimhe Morgan, Mags McAlinden and Kelly Mallon in their ranks. There will be a big reliance on young gun Fionnuala McKenna to provide the scores from play and frees. Caroline O’Hanlon is their marquee player with the midfielder considered to be amongst the very best players in the country over the past decade, she will set the tempo for this Armagh side.

 

Ulster Ladies Intermediate Football Championship Final

 

Fermanagh v Down

Aughnamullen, 5pm.

 

This is the second year in a row that these two sides have met in the Ulster Intermediate decider with Fermanagh emerging victorious last year. However, there will be big questions over Fermanagh and whether they have recovered from their heartbreaking defeat in last year’s All Ireland Intermediate Semi Final against Tipperary. Down had a good league campaign reaching the TESCO Homegrown Division 2 semi final and will hope to carry their good form into the decider on Sunday. Fermanagh will again rely on their star forward, Caroline Little, for the bulk of their scores with Down looking to the Fegan twins and Clara Fitzpatrick for inspiration.

 

 

Connacht Ladies Senior Football Championship

 

Galway v Mayo

Elvery’s McHale Park, 3:30pm

 

Mayo will be hoping to break Galway’s recent dominance in Connacht when the two sides meet in the TG4 Connacht final at Elvery’s McHale Park on Sunday. Mayo have been defeated by their great rivals in the last two finals but will be hoping that this is the year to break their dominance. Mayo have a star studded line up to call on with the likes of Noelle Tierney, Martha Carter, Claire Egan, Fiona McHale and of course Cora Staunton. Galway’s preparations have been rocked by the withdrawal of manager, Barry Downey for personal reasons but in former Mayo manager, Kevin Reidy, they have an ideal interim manager to step into the breach. This is a Galway side that is brimming with confidence following achieving promotion from Division 2 of the TESCO Homegrown National Football League. Players like Emer Flaherty, Sinead Burke, Annette Clarke, Geraldine Connealy, Aoibeann Daly and Lorna Joyce will provide the experience whilst young guns Nicola and Louise Ward, Barbara Hannon and Roisin Leonard can provide real flair to the defending champions team.

 

 

Connacht Ladies Intermediate Football Championship

 

Leitrim v Sligo

Elvery’s McHale Park, 1:30pm

 

Leitrim will defend their crown in what is sure to be a keenly contested intermediate decider. They have already defeated Sligo in the earlier rounds and in Áine Tighe they possess one of the best forwards in the country. Sligo will be happy to come into this match as underdogs and will hope that they will be able to spring a surprise but much will hinge on the performance of Noelle Gormley.

 

Saturday, July 5^th

 

TG4 Leinster Intermediate Ladies Football Championship Semi-Finals

 

Offaly v London

O’Connor Park, Tullamore, 2:45pm

 

Offaly take their first steps into Intermediate Championship having claimed the Junior crown last year. They endured a tough league campaign but will be hoping that the Championship will provide the spark to reignite their season. London are something of an unknown quantity as they did not compete in the league but any team that can call on a player of the class of International soccer player and former Galway All Ireland winner, Niamh Fahey, will be sure to provide a stiff test.

 

Wicklow v Longford

Pearse Park, Arklow, 3:00pm

 

Wicklow are building on a reasonable league campaign in Division 4 and they will rely on their talismanic forward, Lucy Mulhall to make the difference on Saturday. Longford had an indifferent campaign throughout the league but will be hoping that having competed at a higher division than their opposition that it will carry them through.