TG4 Leinster Junior Championship Semi Finals

Wicklow v Carlow
Date: Saturday 4th July 2009.
Venue: Blessington GAA, club, Wicklow.
Time: 3pm.
Referee: James Flood (Wexford).

Wicklow ladies will start the defence of their Leinster junior championship title when they play host to near neighbours Carlow, to decide who will go forward to the TG4 Leinster junior championship final, to face either Louth or Offaly.
The Wicklow and Carlow players and mentors would appreciate as much support as possible for this crucial TG4 Leinster championship semi final game.
While Carlow took a year out last season, both sides have gone head to head six times in total, in both championship and league competitions over the past four years, with the Floral County winning three, and the Garden County winning on two occasions and the sides could not be separated (2-2 to 0-8) in the same fixture back in 2006.
The Home side have had a reasonable season so far, having already reached the division three final of the Bord Gais Energy NFL, where they were narrowly beaten by Roscommon, the Wicklow ladies go into this game as hot favourites to reach the TG4 Leinster junior final in defence of their title.
Carlow, under manager Geraldine Maher, will be out to upset the current TG4 Leinster Junior champions ambitions, and if they field a full squad, including such experienced players as Margaret Murphy, Grania Cowman, Aoife Kane and Jenny O’ Neill Wicklow will have to work hard if they are to go on to defend their title in the final.
The present hard working Wicklow management team of Louise Allen, Mick O’Rourke, Michael Broderick, Eamonn O’Muircheartaigh and Robert Hollingsworth have probably put together one of the strongest and most focused Wicklow squads for many years, and while there is an air of confidence about the present set up, both mentors and players are well aware that their next sixty minutes of competitive football against Carlow is only their first step to their final destination.
Log on to www.wicklowladiesfootball.com for the latest updates.
The winners of this encounter will face either Louth or Offaly in the final on the 19th of July in Dr. Cullen Park.

Louth v Offaly
Date: Saturday 4th July 2009.
Venue: Haggardstown GAA club, Louth.
Time: 3pm.
Referee: Michael Ryan (Meath).
The Louth ladies, under the leadership of Dermot Agnew go in to this game as the bookies favourites to progress to their second Leinster final in as many years. They performed well in this years Bord Gais Energy NFL, winning three out of four games, only losing out to the eventual division three winners, Roscommon.
Last year Louth were beaten by Wicklow (5-8 to 0-16) in an exciting final, but they will have their sights firmly set on going one step further in this years Leinster championship.

Both Louth and Offaly last met on the 1st of March of this year, in round four of the Bord Gais Energy NFL, and on that occasion the Wee county were comfortable winners, notching up six goals and nine points, with an under powered Faithful county only managing four points in reply.
However, that was then, and this is now, Offaly manager Ger Keyes will be looking for the Offaly ladies to lift their game, and I’m sure Offaly captain Orlagh Heavey will be leading out a determined Offaly side that were narrowly beaten by Wicklow (3-11 to 3-8) in last seasons semi-final, once again as much support as possible for all teams competing this weekend would be greatly appreciated.