Galway Ladies In the Division 3 Final

Galway Ladies In the Division 3 Final

The N17 Electrical & Furniture Superstore sponsored Galway Juniors bring their 2003 League campaign to a close on Sunday next when they entertain Cork Juniors in the Suzuki Ladies National Football League Division Three Final in Ennis at 3.15 p.m. Galway have blazed a very impressive trail to their second ever final appearance at this level. Victories over Wexford, Offaly, Limerick, Cork, Wicklow and Kilkenny saw them safely through to a quarter final meeting with Fermanagh.

Unfortunately Fermanagh were unable to field and Galway progressed to the semi-final without kicking a ball. They struggled for long periods of the first half during their semi-final against Derry but rallied superbly after half time to record an emphatic victory and secure their place in Sunday’s final. Galway will be favourites but Cork, who defeated Limerick in the other semi-final, will provide stern opposition and a close encounter is expected. When the sides met earlier in the year Galway prevailed on a scoreline of 0-10 to 1-3.

The Galway Management team of Pat Gleeson, Michael Ryder and Caroline Delaney will be hoping that their tight marking defence will achieve a repeat performance in Sunday’s final despite the probable lost of Marita Fahy through injury. Goalkeeper Una Carroll is a player of exceptional ability but it is Galway’s creative midfield duo of Diane Murphy and Aisling Fahy that could hold the key to victory. They have been an inspirational form all year providing a constant supply of quality ball to their forwards.

Galway possess real class up front and if players of the calibre of Deirdre Heverin, Edel Concannon, Michelle Delaney, Niamh Duggan and Melinda Kelly can capitalise on the industry of the rest of the team then there should only be one outcome at the final whistle. Galway’s last appearance in the Division Three National League final was in 2000 when they were defeated by Leitrim. Later that year they lost the All-Ireland Junior Championship final to Down by a single point. Pat Gleeson was part of the Management team that year and he will be hoping to put the heartbreak of those two All-Ireland defeats behind him on Sunday by leading his charges to an historic first ever Division Three National League title.

The Division Three final will be preceded by the Division Two final between Roscommon Seniors and Cork Seniors at 1.30 p.m.

Reference: Paul Gannon P.R.O Galway Ladies Football Board 2003-05-06 086 3847499