Spotlight on Bord Gáis Energy Ladies NFL Finals

Ladies Football takes centre stage this weekend with the Bord Gáis Energy Ladies National Football League finals being played as a televised triple header in Roscommon.

 

The captains of the six teams competing in Saturday’s finals gathered at Croke Park where Bord Gáis Energy unveiled details of the Team of the League awards scheme. A team for each division will be selected by competing team managers and feature players who have excelled in this year’s league campaign. The three Teams of the League will be announced following the finals.

 

Cork will look to retain the NFL title when they take on Mayo in the Division 1 decider. Both teams uncharacteristically dropped points in pool games on their way to the final but once they reached the knock-out stage of the competition they showed their pedigree. Cork have won three of the last four Division 1 titles while Mayo won the league in 2007 beating Cork in the semi-final.

 

The Division 2 final sees All-Ireland Intermediate champions Tipperary take on Down. Both sides topped their respective groups and comfortably advanced to the final. Tipperary won the first ever Ladies National Football League competition in 1979 but their last league silverware came in the shape of the Division 3 title in 2005. Down have never won a league title but are in great form having scored an aggregate of 8-33 between their quarter-final and semi-final victories.

 

In the Division 3 decider, Wicklow take on Roscommon. Roscommon are unbeaten on their way to the final and this is the county’s fourth time in a National League final but the Rossies have yet to claim a title in the competition. Wicklow won the Division 4 title in 2005 and have surprised a few people this season by beating both Louth and Limerick on their way to the final.

 

Pat Quill, President, Ladies Gaelic, said, “This will be a great day for ladies football. To have all three finals played at the same venue as a triple header and to have each game televised live on TG4 is fantastic for the profile of the national league. I would like to thank our sponsors Bord Gáis Energy who have invested a huge amount of resources into supporting the National Leagues and we look forward to working closely with them in promoting the league competitions in the years to come.”

 

At Croke Park today, Ger Cunningham of Bord Gáis Energy, said, “There is a feast of ladies football ahead of this weekend and Bord Gáis Energy is proud to be a part of what is sure to be a great day for players and supporters alike. This is the climax to the first year of our sponsorship of the Ladies National Football League and Bord Gáis Energy is looking forward to continuing its support of ladies football and all those involved in the sport over the coming years. ”

 

All three finals will be televised live on TG4.

 

Paths to the Final

Division 1

CORK: Cork 2-12 Kildare 0-4; Cork 3-16 Galway 2-3; Cork 3-11 Clare 1-5; Cork 1-9 Dublin 1-10; Cork 0-13 Monaghan 2-8. Quarter-final: Cork 2-14 Kerry 1-7 Semi-final: Cork 4-11 Armagh 0-8
2009 League Record: W5 L2 D0

 

MAYO: Mayo 1-7 Tyrone 1-9; Mayo 5-11 Kerry 0-6; Mayo 4-13 Donegal 2-13; Mayo 0-12 Armagh 0-8; Mayo 1-12 Laois 1-12 Quarter-finals: Mayo 3-12 Clare 1-7 Semi-final: Mayo 3/10 Laois 0-13
2009 League Record: W4 L2 D1

 

Division 2

TIPPERARY: Tipperary 2-10 Sligo 2-9; Tipperary 1-9 Waterford 1-8; Tipperary 2-17 Leitrim 2-10; Tipperary 2-7 Westmeath 1-6; Tipperary 2-12 Wexford 2-9. Quarter-final: Tipperary 1-12 Longford 2-5 Semi-final: Tipperary 3-13 Waterford 1-8
2009 League Record: W7 L0 D0

 

DOWN: Down 6-12 Cavan 3-9; Down 1-9 Meath 1-4; Down 1-7 Longford 1-10; Down 1-11 Fermanagh 0-3 Quarter-final: Down 4-23 Wexford 0-5. Semi-final: Down 4-10 Sligo 3-7
2009 League Record: W5 L1 D0

 

Division 3

ROSCOMMON: Roscommon 2-14 Offaly 0-2; Roscommon 3-13 Limerick 0-11, Roscommon 1-22 Carlow 0-1; Roscommon 4-5 Louth 1-5 Quarter-final: Roscommon 5-15 Kilkenny 0-5 Semi-final: Roscommon 2-11 Derry 0-5
2009 League Record: W6 L0 D0

 

WICKLOW: Wicklow 3-6 Antrim 4-6; Wicklow 2-9 Kilkenny 1-6; Wicklow 1-11 Derry 3-6 Quarter-final: Wicklow 3-8 Louth 1-12 Semi-final: Wicklow 1-14 Limerick 1-9
2009 League Record: W3 L2 D0

 

Fixtures

Saturday 9th May

Division 3 Final
Roscommon v Wicklow
Kiltoom, Roscommon; 1.45pm

 

Division 2 Final
Tipperary v Down
Kiltoom, Roscommon; 3.30pm

 

Division 1 Final
Cork v Mayo
Kiltoom, Roscommon; 5.15pm