THE race for the coveted Final slots in Divisions 1 and 2 of the Lidl National League will intensify over the coming weekend as the top two Divisions take centre stage, while many counties have relegation worries on their minds.
There’s a full round of fixtures scheduled for Divisions 1 and 2, with seven games down for decision on Sunday, while Kerry and Cork will go head to head on Monday in a Munster derby in a Tralee, a game that will be televised on TG4.
The LGFA is also pleased to confirm that six of Sunday’s seven scheduled fixtures will be available to purchase on a new live-streaming service.
Visit https://page.inplayer.com/streamsportireland/ for full details.
All games 2pm unless stated
All you need to know ahead of the Bank Holiday weekend @lidl_ireland National League action
How to watch➡️ https://t.co/HkWWKYuSBu
Previews➡️ https://t.co/l2M4MHmvAb
Tickets➡️ https://t.co/wQgQ2KhyO6
Need help? ➡️ https://t.co/WdlCHI6axp#SeriousSupport pic.twitter.com/1g4iekW0pF— Ladies Football (@LadiesFootball) February 2, 2024
Sunday February 4
Lidl NFL Division 1
Armagh v Galway; BOX-IT Athletic Grounds
Armagh are flying high on their return to Division 1 with two wins from two.
The Orchard County have home advantage for the visit of 2023 runners-up Galway, who are pointless on the back of two defeats and in early relegation trouble.
Galway are one of three teams yet to register a point, alongside Dublin and Waterford, and with two teams facing the drop from the top flight this year, the pressure is on.
Armagh are unchanged following their victory over Cork last weekend, as Galway make three changes to the side that started in defeat to Mayo.
Caoimhe Cleary, Linda Booth and Roisin Leonard are handed starts, as Meabh Walsh, Ciara McCarthy and Aoife Molloy drop out for this crucial tie.
Armagh: A Carr; G Ferguson, C McCambridge (capt.), R Mulligan; C Towe, L McConville, D Coleman; N Coleman, C O’Hanlon; E Druse, A McCoy, S Quigley; A Mackin, L Kenny, K Mallon.
Galway: D Gower; M Jordan, S Ni Loinsigh, E Gavin; K Geraghty, C Trill, A Ní Cheallaigh; M Glynn, L Coen; C Cleary, A Davoren (capt.), S Hynes; L Booth, A O’Rourke, R Leonard.
Mayo v Dublin; Ballina Stephenites
Mayo lost out on the opening day to Meath but bounced back with a vital win against Galway last weekend.
The Westerners narrowly avoided the drop last year but they’ll need to keep picking up points to avoid similar worries this time.
Opponents Dublin have a greater need to get off the mark after losing their opening two matches.
The TG4 All-Ireland champions, who make the trip to Ballina, have made one change to the starting team that lost out to Meath, with Ashling Nyhan replacing Jodi Egan.
Mayo boss Liam McHale has also made one change to his starting line-up following the Galway win, with Alana Fitzpatrick handed a start in attack ahead of Sinead Walsh.
Mayo: L Reid; L Wallace, N O’Malley, S Lally (capt.); K Sullivan, D Caldwell, J Mortimer; A Geraghty, H Reape; F McLaughlin, A Fitzpatrick, M Cannon; T Needham, F McHale, L Cafferky.
Dublin: R Fleming; N Crowley, L Caffrey, N Donlon; L Magee, M Byrne, H Hegarty; N Hetherton, O Carey; C O’Connor, O Nolan, A Nyhan; A Timothy, C Rowe (capt.), E Gribben.
Waterford v Meath; Fraher Field, Dungarvan
Meath, Division 1 champions in 2022, will aim to maintain their 100 per cent start to the 2024 campaign when they make the trip to Dungarvan on Sunday.
The Royals have been impressive in their wins against Mayo and Dublin to date and will now look to make it three from three.
Waterford need to get off the mark after losing their opening two fixtures and will hope that home advantage can stand to them.
The Déise have come up short against Armagh and Kerry but they’ve netted twice in both games and there have been encouraging signs.
Both teams are unchanged from their previous outings.
Waterford: E O’Brien; H Power, E Power, A Murray; C McCarthy, A McNulty, A O’Neill; E Murray, K Hogan (capt.); K McGrath, C Carroll, M O’Brien; B McMaugh, K Murray, L McGregor.
Meath: M McGuirk (capt); K Newe, A Sheridan, N Troy; N Gallogly, M.K. Lynch, A Cleary; M O’Shaughnessy, S Melia; M Thynne, E Moyles, C Smyth; M Byrne, M Farrelly, E Duggan.
Lidl NFL Division 2
Cavan v Kildare; Rory O’Moore Park, Belturbet
Kildare have adapted brilliantly to life in Division 2 after landing the Division 3 title last year.
With the top two finishers in the second tier gaining promotion to the top flight for 2025, the Lilywhites have their sights set on another big campaign.
Cavan have a victory and defeat from their first two games and will be keen to pick up more points along the way to avoid any potential relegation worries.
Cavan: E Baugh; C Brady, Á Brady, L Crowe; H Gilsenan, R Dolan, R Gilsenan; Á Smith, C Halpin; Z Fay, S McCabe, D McCaffrey; C Charters, N McCorry, S Levingstone.
Kildare: N Barnes; F Troute, L Lenehan, A Clifford; M Doherty, R Sargent, L Gilbert; G Clifford (capt.), C Sullivan; A Rattigan, E Dowling, S Munnelly; N Dooley, R Byrne, L Curran.
Donegal v Westmeath; Letterkenny
Donegal won their opening fixture but lost out to Kildare in Round 2.
Relegated from Division 1 last year, the Ulster side will be keen to bounce back at the first attempt but it won’t be easy.
Westmeath are also on three points in a congested Division and a win for either side here would represent a massive boost.
Donegal: C Friel; S McLaughlin, A Temple Asokuh, E McGinley; C Keon, N Gordon, T Hegarty; R Rodgers, N Boyle; E Gallagher, N McLaughlin (capt.), K Dowds; S White, K Long, A Boyle Carr.
Westmeath: L McCormack (capt.); L Kiernan, L Power, L McCartan; C Kelly, F Coyle, R Dillon; K Boyce Jordan, V Carr; A Ruane, A Jones, C Clarke McMahon; K Hegarty, L Slevin, T Dillon.
Laois v Tipperary; Crettyard
Laois are bottom of the Division 2 standings after losing their opening two fixtures and they need to start winning games.
Opponents Tipperary would harbour promotion hopes but they lost out to Tyrone in Round 2 and will be keen to get back to winning ways.
Tipp make the relatively short trip to Crettyard for this one.
Laois: A Shanahan; S Farrelly, C Dunne (capt.), Sarah Delaney; Susie Delaney, A Moran, C Malone; A Moore, A Lalor; R Allen, E Lacey, K Donoghue; M Nerney, A Fitzpatrick, O Hennessy.
Tipperary: C Dwan; K Downey, L Spillane, E Cronin; N Martin, M Curley (capt.), N Martin; L Morrissey, A.R. Kennedy; N Towey, M Creedon, E McCarthy; E Morrissey, A McGuigan, A Moloney.
Tyrone v Monaghan; Moortown
Monaghan are the other team in Division 2 yet to get off the mark this year, following two defeats.
But they showed enough in defeat against Westmeath last time out to suggest that better times may be around the corner.
Tyrone are flying at the other end of the table and with two wins from two, another victory here would have them dreaming of promotion.
Tyrone: C Donnelly; J Lyons, J Barrett, C Daly; C Campbell, E Mulgrew, M Corrigan; M Mallon, A McHugh (capt.); A Grimes, A Horisk, A Strain; C McCaffrey, M Canavan, E Conroy.
Monaghan: Ó Kelly; A Bannigan, B McNally, S Brady; M Monaghan, J Duffy, E Clerkin; J McQuillan, Á Loughman; A Garland, L Maguire, C Treanor; C McBride, É Sherry, S Tierney.
PREVIEWS
Some cracking action lies in store in Divisions 1 and 2 of the @lidl_ireland National League on Sunday and Monday, including a @MunsterLGFA derby between @kerryladiesfoot and @CorkLGFA https://t.co/l2M4MHlXKD#SeriousSupport— Ladies Football (@LadiesFootball) February 2, 2024
Monday February 5
Lidl NFL Division 1
Kerry v Cork; Austin Stack Park, Tralee, 3pm – Live on TG4
Kerry enjoyed a brilliant 2023 season but Cork beat them in League and Championship last year.
The Rebels can match up to Kerry on any given day and they’ll be keen to bounce back from defeat to Armagh last weekend.
Kerry, the Lidl NFL Division 1 champions, are motoring well again in the early stages of the season and they’ve collected maximum points from their opening two games, after scoring victories over Dublin and Waterford.
Cork have made one change in personnel to the team that lost to Armagh, with Shauna Cronin coming in for Sarah Leahy.
There are wholesale changes in the Kerry team, meanwhile, as joint-managers Declan Quill and Darragh Long make seven alterations.
In come Eilís Lynch, Aishling O’Connell, Cáit Lynch, Ciara McCarthy, Mary O’Connell, Anna Galvin and Hannah O’Donoghue, with Aoife Dillane, Eilís O’Connor, Kayleigh Cronin, Ciara Murphy, Lorraine Scanlon, Keri-Ann Hanrahan and Jadyn Lucey held in reserve.
This Bank Holiday Monday fixture will be live from Austin Stack Park in Tralee on TG4.
Kerry: M.E. Bolger; E Lynch, D Kearney, C O’Brien; A O’Connell, C Lynch, C McCarthy; A Harrington, M O’Connell; N Carmody (capt.), N Ní Chonchúir, A Galvin; K Brosnan, E Dineen, H O’Donoghue.
Cork: S Murphy; M Duggan, L Coppinger, D Kiniry; A McDonagh, M O’Callaghan (capt.), D Kiely; A Healy, S Cronin; E Jack, K Quirke, S O’Leary; L McDonagh, H Looney, E Cleary.
