Three Suzuki League finals down for decision.

Suzuki Ladies National Football league finals. Three Suzuki League finals down for decision.

This week the Div 2,3 and 4 Suzuki Ladies Football National
League finals take place. After the exciting Div 1 final,
between Mayo and Cork, when Mayo came for 6 points behind
at the break to score a 2 point win, thanks to Cora Stauntons
magnificent 1-9, It looks that we will have 3 equally exciting
finals.

Wexford v Limerick

On Saturday at Cahir at 3.30pm Wexford and Limerick do battle
in the Div 3 final. Both teams will be determined to bring
the title home and judging by previous outings there will
be little between them in the end. Wexford encouraged by their
3-9 to 2-9 win over Dublin in the Championship last week will
start slight favourites on foot of that. They have a very
experienced outfit and will look to the likes of Nicola Scully,
Lorraine O’Grady, Nicki Scallan, May O’Gorman Ali and Liz
Even’s Leone Tector and Maeve Quill to see them through.

Limerick after a mixed campaign have been getting it together
in recent games and also have a wealth of experience as well.
They still rankle after last years Munster Junior loss to
Tipperary and will also be looking to the championship, hoping
to have a good performance on Saturday, to boost their confidence.
The loss of free scoring forward, Dymphna O’Brien no longer
involved will be felt, but girls like Meabh Nash, the Giltene
sisters Rosie and Olivia, Catriona Ambrose and excellent keeper
Dianne Carroll will give their all for the cause. They will
have to pull out all the stops to get the better of Wexford.

Kildare fancied.

There is a double header at Fingalians grounds in Swords on
Sunday. Kildare will be hot favorites against Louth at 5pm
in the Div 2 Final. This game will be preceded by the Div
4 final between Wicklow and Offaly and that should be very
tight. Kildare perennially the bridesmaids but never the bride,
started the year to dispense with that tag. They appointed
former Laois Supremo, Sean Delaney to bring them to the Promised
Land. Tragically Sean was called home before he could achieve
the target and his loss will be sorely felt. The team is in
the hands of Nuala O’Mahony and Peter Dobbyns and they steered
them to an exciting Semi-Final win over Donegal.

Louth started the campaign in great style but their star has
waned in recent weeks. The gap between senior and Junior was
graphically illustrated last week when they lost heavily to
Laois 6-9 to 0-6 in the Leinster Senior first round. Hopefully
for them this reverse will not have done them major physological
damage. They have fine footballers in Grace, Tara and Ann
Marie Lynch, Orla Kirk capt Elaine Rogan, Sharon Drumgoole
and Roisin Hanlon.

On the other hand Kildare have huge experience of the big
day and that will be a huge asset, they have well known players
in Tracy Noone who recently toured New York. Brianne Leahy,
Anne Hughes young Leinster player of the Year Aisling Holton,
Kate Leahy and Noelle Earley. Anything but a Kildare win will
be a surprise

Wicklow v Offaly

At 3.30pm Wicklow and Offaly do battle in the Div 4 decider.
Making this final represents great strides for both counties
and Wicklow will start favorites by virtue of their champions
win over Laois last week-end on a scoreline of 4-7 to 3-3
and if Deirdre O’Riordan can repeat her scoring feat of 2-
2 then Offaly will be in deep trouble. But its all to play
for on the day and hopefully both counties willl look on the
occasion as another upward curve in their progression.

Fr Liam Kelleher PRO