TG4 Leinster Championship Semi Final Review

This weekend eight counties will compete for places in both Senior and Junior TG4 Leinster championship finals, Westmeath have already being crowned Intermediate champions when they beat Longford by six points 2-09 0-09 in Cusack Park, Mullingar on the 25th of June .

Dublin v Meath

Naomh Mearnogs GAA club,

Portmarnock,

Co. Dublin.

Referee: Des McEnery ( Westmeath)

Throw in 1pm

First in to action on Sunday next will be Dublin and Meath, the game has been fixed for Naomh Mearnogs, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin, with a throw in time of 1pm. The referee in charge will be Des McEnery from Westmeath.

The Royals will meet Dublin for the third time this season, the sides met twice in the National League, where Dublin recorded a ten point victory in round five, and then again in the National League Final where Meath really improved but were still on the wrong side of the score line – Dublin winning the Division Two title by 3-15 to 2-09. Meath lost out to Loais in last years semi final, however this season the Royals have been improving all year and are making steady progress under the management from Monaghan – Paula Cunningham and her team.

Dublin are the reigning Leinster and All Ireland Champions and will not want to give up these titles without a fight. Dublin have talented players across the pitch and are served well by their ace forward Sinead Ahearne. Meath’s Aedin Murray who had marked Ahearne in the Final did a superb job will need to be at her best once again while at the other end Meath need to take their scores as regularly as possible through Elaine Duffy, Mary Sheridan and the rest of the Meath forwards.

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Kildare v Laois

St. Conleth GAA club,

County Kildare.

Referee: Keith Tighe (Dublin)

Throw in 2pm

Laois and Kildare will contest the second TG4 Leinster Senior championship semi final, the last time both counties went head to head in a Leinster semi final was back in 2009, on that occasion the Lillies came out on top with a six point winning margin to book their place in the final against Dublin. The Dubs handed out a heavy defeat to Meath in their semi final clash, and were in a similar mood then they came up against Kildare in the 2009 final, running out comfortable winners with eleven points to spare.

That was then, this weekend Laois travel to St. Conleth GAA club, County Kildare, to take on the home side in what will be an exciting encounter. Referee Keith Tighe (Dublin) will get this under way at 2pm. The O’Moore County who lost out to Cork in this years Bord Gais Energy div. 1 NFL final will be a stern test for Kildare at this level, but based on their recent league performances there is not a great divide between the sides, a quick glance at the league stats, will reveal that the Laois defence conceded 107 points while Kildare shipped 132, however the Kildare forwards had a better return notching up 116 points compared to 102 for Laois.

On Sunday next both counties start with a clean sheet, the prize will be a place in the TG4 Leinster senior championship final, to face either Dublin or Meath. I am sure The result of that semi final game will be winging its way along the wires to the Kildare venue to add to the excitement long before Keith Tighe blows full time.

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The four counties battling for a place in the TG4 Leinster Junior championship final are Carlow, Wexford, Wicklow and Offaly.

3rd July 2011

Carlow v Wexford

Dr. Cullen Park,

County Carlow.

Referee; Sean Duane (Kildare)

Throw in 2pm.

The four Counties remaining in this years TG4 Leinster junior championship are, Carlow, Wexford, Wicklow and Offaly. Carlow and Wexford are neighbouring counties but they have not competed against each other at this level in recent years and while a full strength Wexford side would be favourites to progress, Carlow will provide stern enough opposition for the model county.

Wexford manager Larry Doyle, will be hoping to successfully steer his side through this semi final game to set up a meeting with either Wicklow or Offaly in the final. Doyle, who took over the reigns at the start of this year did not have the best of runs in this years NFL, finishing in sixth spot in division three, but he will be hoping to get an improved performance from the Wexford squad in this years championship campaign.

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3rd July 2011

Wicklow v Offaly

Eire Og GAA club

Greystones

Co. Wicklow

Referee: Joe Murray.

Throw in. 2.30pm

Out of the four remaining counties Wicklow and Offaly have already been in action in this years TG4 Leinster Junior championship preliminary round. The faithful county survive a second half nightmare to defeat Louth in a hotly contested game in Edenderry on Sunday last. Louth were eleven points in arrears at the break 1-09 to 0-01, the Wee county upped their game in the second half closing the gap to three points however Offaly held their nerve to claim the victory and a semi final place against Wicklow. The Garden county who are the reigning TG4 Leinster junior champions had a comfortable run out against Kilkenny in their preliminary round game, and although Kilkenny never gave up the chase, Wicklow had too much fire power on the day to set up a semi final meeting with Offaly.

Offaly have struggled to make an impact in recent times but the success of their club champions Rhode in winning this years Leinster Junior club League and the appointment of Greg Farrelly as manager, the Faithful county will provide strong opposition for Dominic Leech’s Wicklow side on Sunday next. Leech steered Wicklow to a NFL title back in 2005, in 2011 the Wicklow side were unlucky to lose out to a strong Clare side in this years division three NFL semi final. With that behind them, Leech, along with Martin Fitzgerald and Orla O’Donohue have put together a strong squad for this years championship campaign, with their focus on retaining their TG4 Leinster junior championship title. (Michael Forde Leinster PRO)

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