Lidl NFL Division 1 team news: 7 Kerry changes for visit to Páirc Uí Chaoimh

WITH progress to the 2023 Lidl National League Division 1 Final already secured, Kerry have rung the changes for tomorrow’s (FRI) live TG4 clash with Munster rivals Cork at Páirc Uí Chaoimh (4pm).

Victory over Meath last time out sent Kerry, Division 2 champions in 2022, into this year’s top-flight decider.

The Kingdom make the trip to Cork tomorrow with a much-altered starting 15, as Aishling O’Connell, Louise Galvin, Lorraine Scanlon, Niamh Ní Chonchúir, team captain Síofra O’Shea, Erica McGlynn and top scorer Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh sit this one out.

Ciara O’Brien, Emma Costello, Ciara Murphy, Amy Harrington, Fiadhna Tangney, Rachel Dwyer and Hannah O’Donoghue come in for starts, as joint-managers Darragh Long and Declan Quill shuffle their pack.

Cork boss Shane Ronayne has made just one change in personnel following a comprehensive victory over Donegal last time out, with team captain Maire O’Callaghan replacing Aoife Healy.

Also on Friday, relegation-threatened Donegal welcome Dublin to Letterkenny for a 2pm start, a fixture that’s also live on TG4.

After suffering a huge loss to Cork in their last game, Donegal manager Maxi Curran has made four changes to his starting line-up, with Sophie McFeely, Roisin Rodgers, Niamh Carr and Katy Herron coming in for Abigail Temple Asoko, Laoise Ryan, Cait Gillespie and Shannon McGroddy.

Dublin need to win and hope that Galway slip up to keep their slim Final hopes alive, while Donegal are also very much in the must-win category as they’ve lost all five games to date.

Visiting manager Mick Bohan has also opted for four changes in personnel, with Niamh Crowley, Danielle Lawless, Ellen Gribben and Niamh Hetherton coming into the Sky Blue team to replace Rachel Brennan, skipper Carla Rowe, Sinéad Wylde and Jodi Egan.

On Sunday, there are two Division 1 fixtures down for decision, with Meath playing host to Waterford in Ballinlough (2pm), while Final chasing Galway make the trip to Hastings Insurance MacHale Park and a clash with Connacht rivals Mayo (2pm).

The Meath team that lost to Kerry shows two changes, with captain Shauna Ennis and Aoife Minogue coming in for Meadhbh Byrne and Ailbhe Leahy.

Waterford have made one change to the team that lost out to Galway, with Eve Power replacing Kate McGrath.

Victory for Galway over Mayo would send the Tribeswomen through to a Division 1 Final meeting with Kerry.

Ahead of their clash with Mayo, Galway have made two changes to the team that accounted for Waterford, with Eva Noone replacing Hannah Noone, while another of the Noone sisters, Lynsey, comes in for Tracey Leonard.

Mayo lost to Dublin in their last outing and their starting team for the Galway fixture shows two changes, with Aoife Geraghty and Maria Cannon coming in for Clodagh McManamon and Hannah Reape.

Donegal v Dublin and Cork v Kerry are both live on TG4 on St Patrick’s Day https://www.tg4.ie/en/player/watch-live/, while Meath v Waterford and Mayo v Galway are available to view on the LGFA’s live-streaming portal: https://bit.ly/3k9k8CB

Donegal (v Dublin): A McColgan; S McFeely, E McGinley, E Gallagher (capt.); R Rodgers, N McLaughlin, T Hegarty; S Twohig, C Keon; N Carr, K Long, K Dowds; J McFadden, K Herron, C McGarvey.

Dublin (v Donegal): A Shiels; N Crowley, L Caffrey (capt.), J Tobin; L Magee, D Lawless, M Byrne; J Dunne, E O’Dowd; C O’Connor, O Nolan, E Gribben; K Sullivan, N Hetherton, H Tyrrell.

Cork (v Kerry): M O’Sullivan; M Duggan, E Meaney, R Phelan; S Kelly, M O’Callaghan (capt.), R Leahy; H Looney, S Leahy; L Coppinger, K Quirke, E Cleary; O Cahalane, E Kiely, C O’Sullivan.

Kerry (v Cork): C Butler; C O’Brien, E Lynch, A Dillane; C Lynch, E Costello, C Murphy; K Cronin, M O’Connell; N Carmody, A Galvin (capt.), A Harrington; F Tangney, R Dwyer, H O’Donoghue.

Meath (v Waterford): M McGuirk; A Sheridan, M.K. Lynch, K Newe; N Gallogly, S Ennis, A Cleary; M O’Shaughnessy, A Minogue; M Thynne, S Melia, C Smyth; A O’Leary, S Grimes, N O’Sullivan.

Waterford (v Meath): E O’Brien; C Murray, M Dunford, A Murray; E Power, E Murray, H Power; K Hogan, A Waring; A O’Neill, A Fitzgerald, C McCarthy; Karen McGrath (capt.), B McMaugh, L McGregor.

Mayo (v Galway): L Brennan; É Ronayne, R Flynn, D Caldwell; C Needham, F McHale, K Sullivan (capt.); A Geraghty, S Cafferky; S Walsh, S Howley, M Cannon; L Cafferky, R Kearns, T Needham.

Galway (v Mayo): K Connolly; K Geraghty, S Ní Loingsigh, E Gavin; C Cooney, N Ward, A Molloy; A Davoren, O Divilly; L Coen, E Noone, L Noone; R Leonard, L Ward, K Slevin.