3 changes for Meath, Dublin unchanged ahead of TG4 All-Ireland Final rematch - LIDL NFL Division 1 team news

TG4 All-Ireland Champions Meath have made three changes in personnel for Saturday’s eagerly-anticipated LIDL NFL Division 1B Round 3 clash with Dublin in Navan (3pm – Live on TG4).  

The Sky Blues head for Páirc Tailteann with revenge on their minds following a shock 2021 TG4 All-Ireland Final loss to the Royals. 

Both teams are already safely through to the semi-finals but this first meeting between them since last September should be keenly-contested nonetheless.  

County managers are attempting to balance third-level commitments at this time of year and Meath manager Eamonn Murray has left All Star forward Emma Duggan on the bench, along with Katie Newe and Megan Thynne. 

All Star full-back Mary Kate Lynch, Orla Byrne and Ailbhe Leahy come into the team as Meath look to build on previous group victories against Cork and Waterford.  

Dublin, who are also two from two, are unchanged from the team that beat Cork at Croke Park last time out.  

Also in Division 1B, on Sunday at Cork IT (2pm), Cork and Waterford battle it out for survival in the top flight. 

The winners will play Division 1 football again next year, with the losers facing into a relegation play-off against the bottom team from Division 1A on Sunday, March 13.  

Cork have made three changes from the Dublin game, with starts for Dara Kinry, Abbie O’Mahony and Rachel Leahy, ahead of Marie Ambrose, Dara Kiely and Sadhbh O’Leary.  

There are four Mourneabbey players named on the bench, including 2022 team captain Maire O’Callaghan, as manager Shane Ronayne eases the currentaccount.ie All-Ireland club finalists back into the inter-county fold. 

Opponents Waterford have also opted for three changes in personnel, following defeat to Meath in their last outing.  

Megan Dunford, Aisling Mullaney and Chloe Fennell come into Pat Sullivan’s starting line-up in place of Cora Murray, Lauren McGregor and Aine O’Neill.  

In Division 1A on Sunday, hosts Mayo and visitors Donegal are already assured of semi-final places as they prepare for a 2pm fixture at the Connacht Centre of Excellence, Bekan.

Mayo boss Michael Moyles opts for four changes from the team that defeated Galway in their last outing, with Laura Brennan replacing Aisling Tarpey in goals, while there are also starts for Roisin Flynn, Ciara Needham and Hannah Reape, as Sherin El Massry, Tamara O’Connor and Maria Reilly sit this one out.

It’s a first senior start for Knockmore player Reape, who’s named at top of the left.

Opponents Donegal have two changes from the team that defeated Westmeath, with Evelyn McGinley and All Star attacker Geraldine McLaughlin replacing Catherine Boyle and Katie Long.

At Hogan Park in Moate (2pm), Westmeath meet Galway in a crucial Division 1A fixture, with the winners guaranteed Division 1 football again in 2023.

The losers of this one will have to sweat it out in a relegation play-off and Westmeath have opted for just one change, with Ciara Faulkner replacing Shannon Lyons between the sticks.

Visitors Galway have called upon Fabienne Cooney, Chellene Trill and Linda Booth as they make three changes, with Ellen Power, Jemma Burke and Aoife O’Rourke dropping out of the team.

The Meath-Dublin clash is the live TV offering on Saturday, with Sunday’s three Division 1 fixtures all available via the LGFA’s subscription portal: https://page.inplayer.com/lgfaseason2022/  

Dublin (v Meath): A Shiels; J Tobin, L Caffrey, H Leahy; A Kane, M Byrne (capt.), O Nolan; J Dunne, K McDaid; C O’Connor, N Hetherton, K Sullivan; J Egan, H Tyrrell, N Owens.  

Meath (v Dublin): M McGuirk; A Sheridan, M.K. Lynch, S Ennis (capt.); A Cleary, E Troy, A Leahy; O Lally, M O’Shaughnessy; O Byrne, V Wall, A Leahy; S Grimes, C Smyth, N O’Sullivan.  

Cork (v Waterford): M O’Brien; D Kinry, R Phelan, M Cahalane; L O’Mahony, M Duggan, E O’Shea; A Hutchings, S Kelly; E Cleary, L Coppinger, A O’Mahony; R Leahy, K Quirke, O Finn.  

Waterford (v Cork): E Gallagher; M Dunford, C McGrath, R Casey; A Mullaney, Karen McGrath (capt.), L Cusack; E Murray, L Mulcahy; B McMaugh, H Power, M Wall; K Murray, C Fennell, Kate McGrath.  

Mayo (v Donegal): L Brennan; E Ronayne, R Flynn, D Caldwell; C Needham, F McHale, K Sullivan (capt.); S Cafferky, A Geraghty; S Howley, S Walsh, S Mulvihill; L Cafferky, C Whyte, H Reape.  

Donegal (v Mayo): R McCafferty; S McFadden, E McGinley, N Boyle; N Carr, F McManamon, T Hegarty; Nicole McLaughlin, R Rodgers; S White, Niamh McLaughlin (capt.), S Twohig; B McLaughlin, K Guthrie, G McLaughlin.  

Galway (v Westmeath): A Griffin; F Cooney, E Gavin, A Ní Cheallaigh; C Cooney, C Trill, S Molloy (capt.); A Davoren, S Ní Loingsigh; L Coen, A Trill, L Finnegan; M Seoighe, L Booth, D Keane.  

Westmeath (v Galway): C Faulkner; M Fagan, L Power (capt.), N Nolan; F Coyle, A Alford, C Kelly; Á Gaynor, T Dillon; A Jones, C Thornton, K Boyce-Jordan; S Dillon, K Hegarty, C Blundell.