This weeks Ladies Gaelic Round Up

Laois face a tough task this weekend as they attempt to reach
their first Senior All Ireland final since 2001. On that occasion
the O’Moore County beat Mayo to claim their only Senior All Ireland
title but if they want to walk out at Croke Park on the 23rd September
they will have to overcome the defending champions Cork in Saturday’s
semi-final. Laois have dominated Leinster football in recent years
but captain Mary Kirwan remains uncertain as to where her side
stands in the overall pecking order of ladies football. “Its hard
to know what level we are at, at the moment. We have played against
a lot of Leinster sides this year and even during the group stages
we were up against a couple of the Ulster teams so we have not
played against the top sides from either Munster or Connacht,”
said Kirwan. “Every year you start out with the aim of reaching
an All Ireland final but we are just going to focus on Saturday.
We realise we are up against it playing the champions of the last
two years but we have to have belief. We were in the same position
last year and they beat us well so we are under no illusions as
to the task at hand.

The Cork defence is very strong and they move the ball so quickly
from defence to attack with the likes of Briege Corkery and Rena
Buckley outstanding at pushing forward. I suppose the key to beating
Cork is just to score more than they do,” said Kirwan

The first semi-final of the new look Intermediate Championship
will precede the senior semi-final between Cork and Laois in a
doubleheader at Portlaoise. Tipperary and Wexford will square
off for a place in the first ever Intermediate final. Both games
will be televised live on TG4.

Saturday 25th August, 2007 TG4 Senior Ladies Football Championship
Semi-final Portlaoise, Laois; Cork v Laois 7.00 (TG4 Live) TG4
Intermediate Championship Semi-final Portlaoise, Laois; Tipperary
v Wexford 5.15 (TG4 Live)