Team news: One change for Royals as they begin TG4 All-Ireland Senior title defence

CHAMPIONS Meath will begin the defence of their TG4 All-Ireland Senior title with a trip to Fraher Field on Sunday – and under the guidance of interim manager Jenny Rispin.

The Royals make the trip south to face Waterford in Group 2 knowing that a win will see them safely through to the quarter-finals.

There’s one change to the Meath team that lost out to Dublin in the TG4 Leinster Final on May 28, which was Davy Nelson’s final game in charge, as Meadhbh Byrne comes in to replace Aoibhín Cleary in the starting 15 for the live TG4 clash (1.30pm).

Waterford, who must win following defeat to Donegal last weekend, have made three changes for the visit of Meath.

Laura Mulcahy, Eve Power and Bríd McMaugh all come in for starts, with Sheena McGuckian, Catherine Hynes and Caragh McCarthy dropping out.

Sunday’s second live TG4 offering is the meeting of hosts Armagh and Mayo at the Box-It Athletic Grounds (3.30pm).

Armagh can book a place in the last eight, and as table-toppers in Group 1, with a victory here.

The Orchard County defeated Laois last weekend, while Mayo are gearing up for a first competitive game since May 7, when they defeated Galway to land the Connacht title.

Ace attacker Aimee Mackin, who came off the bench against Laois, returns to the Armagh starting line-up, with Niamh Marley also coming in, as Niamh Reel, who netted against Laois, and Caitriona Hagan listed among the subs.

There are four changes to the Mayo team that started the Connacht Final victory over Galway, with Ciara Needham, Shauna Howley, Maria Cannon and Sinéad Walsh handed starts.

They come into the green and red line-up for Saoirse Lally, Tamara O’Connor, Sarah Mulvihill and Tara Needham.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Dublin make the trip to Cavan in Group 3 aiming to bounce back from last Saturday’s defeat to Kerry.

The Sky Blues are at Kingspan Breffni for a 2pm start and there are no fewer than seven changes to the team that lined out at Parnell Park against the Kingdom.

Grainne Fitzsimons (sister of Dublin Senior footballer, Mick), Niamh Donlon, Jennifer Dunne, Niamh Hetherton, Annabelle Timothy, Danielle Lawless and Sinéad Wylde are all drafted in as manager Mick Bohan, hampered by some injury issues, shuffles his pack.

Out of the team for this must-win clash go Leah Caffrey, Martha Byrne, Eilish O’Dowd, Lauren Magee, Caoimhe O’Connor, Jodi Egan and Chloe Darby.

Cavan haven’t played since May 14, when they lost out to Armagh in the Ulster Championship, and there are four changes to the team that started on that occasion.

Ciara Brady, Aisling Walls, Geraldine Smith and Geraldine Sheridan are all starters, replacing Ciara Finnegan, Annie Deneher, Sophie Slowey and Lauren McVeety.

And in Group 4 on Sunday, Galway can secure their place in the quarter-finals, and book a home last eight tie, if they get the better of Tipperary in Templetuohy (2pm).

The Tribeswomen are unchanged following last Saturday’s impressive victory over Cork, as Tipp gear up for a first competitive outing since defeat to Kerry in the Munster Championship on May 14.

There are three changes to the starting team that lined out against the Kingdom, with sisters Clara and Sarah English handed slots, along with Nessa Towey.

They come in for Áine Delaney, Marie Creedon and Ava Fennessy, as the hosts look to spring a surprise.

There are two live games from the Senior Championship on TG4 on Sunday – as Waterford welcome Meath to Fraher Field (1.30pm), before Armagh host Mayo at the Athletic Grounds (3.30pm).

Those games can be accessed at https://www.tg4.ie/en/player/watch-live/home/, while Tipperary v Galway and Cavan v Dublin are available to view via the LGFA’s live-streaming portal: https://bit.ly/3oktfD5

Waterford: E O’Brien; C Murray, L Mulcahy, A Murray; E Power, E Murray, Karen McGrath (capt.); A O’Neill, B McMaugh; K Hogan, A Fitzgerald, A Waring; K Murray, Kate McGrath, L McGregor.

Meath: M McGuirk; Á Sheridan, M.K. Lynch, K Newe; M Byrne, S Ennis (capt.), E Duggan; M O’Shaughnessy, A Minogue; M Thynne, V Wall, N Gallogly; O Lally, S Grimes, N O’Sullivan.

Armagh: A Carr; S Grey, C McCambridge, L Kenny; G Ferguson, L McConville, C Towe; N Coleman, E Lavery; B Mackin, A Mackin, E Druse; N Marley, K Mallon (capt.), A McCoy.

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

Tipperary: L Fitzpatrick; E Kelly, L Spillane, E Cronin; M Curley (capt.), L Morrissey, C O’Dwyer; E Morrissey, N Towey; S English, M Murphy, C English; A McGuigan, N Martin, A Moloney.

Galway: K Connolly; K Geraghty, S Ní Loingsigh (capt.), A Ní Cheallaigh; A Molloy, L Ward, S Brennan; N Ward, H Noone; O Divilly, L Coen, L Noone; T Leonard, A Davoren, R Leonard.

Cavan: Róisín O’Reilly; G Faulkner, S Lynch, C Charters; Z Fay, C Brady, Rebecca O’Reilly; N Byrd (capt.), A Cahill; A Walls, A Sheridan, A Halton; G Smith, G Sheridan, A Gilsenan.

DublIn: A Shiels; N Crowley, G Fitzsimons, N Donlon; F O’Connell-Bell, A Kane, O Nolan; J Dunne, N Hetherton; A Timothy, D Lawless, C Rowe (capt.); H Tyrrell, S Wylde, K Sullivan.