Bord Gáis Energy Ladies NFL Finals Previews

Cork showed against Dublin that they save their best for the big games when silverware is in the offing. The spine of the team contains All Stars such as Angela Walsh, Briege Corkery, Juliet Murphy, Mary O’Connor and Valery Mulcahy. They may not have been at their best to date in the league but they remain the yardstick to be judged by.

 

Mayo also failed to set the league alight but again find themselves in the hunt for silverware. Cora Staunton has been key to their success but so too has the return of Emma Mullen who scored 3-03 in their semi-final win over Laois. Claire Egan and Martha Carter will contest the middle of the park and Fiona McHale links the play for the Westerners.

 

Cork will be favourites but with two losses already this year the Rebelettes have lost their invincible tag.

 

CORK: E Harte, R Buckley, A Walsh, L Barrett, G O’Flynn, B Stack, B Corkery, J Murphy, N Kelly, N Cleary, M O’Connor, C O’Sullivan, V Mulcahy, A O’Shea, D O’Reilly

MAYO: Y Byrne, N Tierney, C McGing, M Corbett, S Hughes, C O’Hara, K Sullivan, C Egan, M Carter, F McHale, E Mullen, T McNicholas, L Cafferky, C Staunton, N Beegan

 

Division 2 Final:
Tipperary v Down
St Brigid’s, Kiltoom, Roscommon 3.30pm

 

Tipperary are the All Ireland Intermediate champions and have continued their upward curve by reaching another final. The Premier County retain the nucleus of the last year’s successful side and are unbeaten in seven league encounters this season.

 

Down lost to Longford on route to the final but once they reached the knock-out stages of the competition they stepped up a gear. The Mourne ladies notched an aggregate score of 8-33 between their quarter and semi-final matches and the likes of Michaela Downey and Aileen Pyers are real threats upfront.

 

Tipperary showed true determination last year to win the Intermediate crown but Down are a team that have been threatening to breakthrough for a number of seasons. This game could go down to the wire.

 

TIPPERARY: N Noonan, C Lambert, M Corcoran, B Ryan, A O’Dwyer, J Grant, S Costello, C Peters, A McDermott, G O’Brien, M Morrissey, S Lambert, S Crotty, E Hanley, C Walsh

DOWN: B Russell, J Connell, E Downey, N Lennon, K O’Neill, A Downey, S Fegan, K Trainor, F Carr, G McClean, L Morgan, O Fegan, E Mulhern, M Downey, A Pyers

 

 

Division 3 Final:
Roscommon v Wicklow
St Brigid’s, Kiltoom, Roscommon 1.15pm

 

Roscommon will be able to count on a large home support and will have faith in their unbeaten league record. Marla Candon and Caroline Conway bring experience and guile to midfield and the majority of the Rossies’ best play will come through these two players.

 

Wicklow are the real surprise package of the league with just one victory in the pool stages but they overcame both Louth and Limerick to book their spot in the final. Wicklow’s mature side will bring a physical edge to the game but Roscommon’s greater mobility should see them claim the division 3 title.

 

ROSCOMMON: C Manning, F Beirne, L Tully, M Keenehan, M Carey, S Cooney, C Kelly, M Candon, C Conway, C Grehan, T Taylor, A Carley, E Casey, M Freyne, R Ryan

WICKLOW: E Miley, L Fuisciardi, A O’hAnnaidh, A Heffernan, L Brady, C McKeon, N Kelly, C Byrne, C Deeney, A Byrne, J Fitzmaurice, M Shelley, L Ahern, N Carroll, M Lynch,