Lidl NFL Division One: Dublin v Donegal (Today, Croke Park, 5pm live on eir Sport)
THE tie of the opening round of the Lidl National Football Leagues this weekend is undoubtedly the meeting of defending league and All-Ireland champions Dublin and Ulster’s current driving force, Donegal.
Throw in the venue of Croke Park, GAA HQ, - the first time Donegal will have played there since their All-Ireland intermediate final in 2010 - for what is hopefully the first of 13 double-headers where ladies league fixtures will provide curtain raisers to the men’s Allianz Football League games involving the host counties and it makes this tie all the more mouth-watering, and even more so with it being shown live on TV.
Donegal are without a number of familiar faces including Yvonne Bonner who will make her AFLW professional debut tomorrow for Greater Western Sydney Giants against Brisbane Lions, Aoife McDonnell and Ciara Hegarty who are also in Australia and while others have taken a break because of work and study commitments.
But their absence has allowed manager Maxi Curran to bring on board some new faces and as experienced midfielder Katy Herron says, that is a good thing.
“There will be a lot of new names on the teamsheet for both sides. I know here in Donegal, girls put a lot of things on hold last year, and committed themselves like no other year, but with them not being available this year, it has opened the door for new faces to come in, some fresh blood and our pre-season has gone really well. They are keen and eager to get going, to run the ball and inject some youth into the side,” said Herron.
Curran still has the likes of captain Karen Guthrie, All Star defender Treasa Doherty, full back Eimear Gallagher, Niamh Hegarty and sharpshooter Geraldine McLaughlin and Ciara Grant to call on.
“Playing in Croke Park makes it all the more exciting and there is a great buzz and we are really looking forward to it. A few girls have never played in Croke Park before so it is a big moment for them but at the same time we are trying not to get carried away with it,” said Herron.
Dublin have named eight of the team that lined out in last year’s All-Ireland final, although one of which will not be captain Sinead Aherne and instead goalkeeper Ciara Trant will lead the team out that includes Martha Byrne, Niamh Collins, Olwen Carey, Siobhan McGrath, Carla Rowe, Nicole Owens and Niamh McEvoy.
Dublin have got the better of Donegal in the last two league meetings and as Donegal aim to close the gap on the likes of the Dubs and Cork and go one step further in the championship this year after reaching the All-Ireland semi-finals, there is no better way to begin than against the reigning double champions.
“To start off against Dublin, the defending league and All-Ireland champions will be a great benchmark for us. Even with the turnaround of players we don’t want the high standards we have set to slip. A lot of teams are in transition and time will tell with that stance.
“We want to avoid being in a relegation battle and we have a couple of massive games early on in the rounds and we need to make sure we win those and pick up the points. We also want to push our limits and ourselves and we need to be challenging for a top four spot if we are to keep in touch with the top teams likes Dublin and Cork,” added Herron.
Division One
Westmeath v Monaghan (Tomorrow, Kinnegad, 2pm)
NEW Monaghan manager Niall Treanor has only been in the job a couple of weeks but he has cast the net wide in a bid to draw in the county’s talent as they get underway against Westmeath tomorrow afternoon.
The Farney County are a team in transition, struggling in both the league and championship in recent seasons but have managed to retain their division one league status for an incredible 27th season as well as their senior status after coming through a relegation play-off with Cavan last summer.
And while the gap between them and the likes of defending league and All-Ireland champions Dublin, and Cork and even Donegal and Galway might still be too much, Treanor will be hoping not to become embroiled in another relegation battle with Tipperary and tomorrow’s opponents Westmeath, who managed to stay in the top league tier at the expense of Kerry, who were deducted league points because of fielding ineligible players last year, and relegated.
As a former development manager with the Monaghan Ladies County Board, Treanor is in a good position to know what talent is coming through the underage ranks. With Monaghan clubs doing particularly well in provincial club championships – Emmet Og and Corduff also reaching All-Ireland intermediate and junior club finals in the last couple of years – was keen to reach out to all clubs and build the county team.
“We have formed a committed bunch of girls. We are going through some transition, and although there are players who have given their all to Monaghan over the last decade and more who are not available to us, there is still plenty of talent in the county,” said Treanor who has had to plan for the new season without seven seasoned regular Monaghan campaigners but can still call on McAnespie sisters Ciara, Aoife and Eimear, Cora and Rosemary Courtney and Muireann Atkinson.
“Cora Courtney is our captain and Aoife McAnespie vice-captain and we have brought in players from the likes of Magheracloone, O’Neill Shamrocks, Truagh, Scotstown, Emmet Og, Corduff, Latton and with those and our experienced players we are trying to find that balance.
“There will be a lot of players making their senior debut in the league. This is a building exercise and it might take two or three years but the talent is there.
“With limited time to prepare, we are taking it game by game. We want to stay up in Division One, but that is no guarantee and we have to be realistic as well but the girls have been training very hard and we will push them on as far as we can. We certainly are not going down to make up the numbers in Westmeath and will be going there with our best foot forward.”
MATCHBOX
Division Two
Cavan v Tyrone (Tomorrow, Cavan Gaels, Lurganboy, 12.30pm live on LGFA Facebook page)
TWO league contenders come face-to-face at the first hurdle tomorrow afternoon in what will be an intriguing battle. Cavan have made the last two Division Two finals but have missed out on promotion while Tyrone, after coming down in 2016, have not been able to finish in the top four such is the competitiveness of this league – and there are no guarantees both will earn a semi-final spot either with Kerry, Waterford and Armagh all wanting to make it there too.
Cavan have lost a few players from last year and James Daly seems also to be without minors but there is still plenty of experience in this Breffni team from Sinead Greene, the three Sheridan sisters, Donna English, Nessa Byrd and Shauna Lynch.
Tyrone may no longer have Gemma Begley among them after she retired from inter-county football a few weeks ago, but with Gerry Moane in his fourth season, this is a very settled squad and he, especially with senior championship status back, will want to push on with their league intentions and in players like Neamh Woods, Emma Brennan, Chloe McCaffrey, Aine and Maria Canavan they have game winners.
Laois v Armagh (Tomorrow, Emo, 2pm)
ARMAGH will travel to Laois confident but cautious of their Leinster opposition, who cannot be taken for granted. The Orchard County, though, should be too strong - although first game of the season and away from home, nothing is guaranteed. It is, however, these games against intermediate championship sides – Clare and Wexford also, that the points cannot afford to be dropped if they are to firstly reach the league semi-finals.
Co-managers Lorraine McCaffrey and Fionnuala McAtamney have had to plan for the league without captain Caoimhe Morgan who is out with a cruciate injury but they are boosted by the return from injury of her sister Niamh Marley after more than a year on the sidelines and the news that Orchard great Caroline O’Hanlon is not ready yet to hang up her inter-county boots. However, there will be some notable absentees including stalwarts Mairead Tennyson, Sharon Reel, Marian McGuinness and Rebecca O’Reilly, Lauren McConville who is in Australia for a year and Fionnuala McKenna, who has opted out of inter-county football this season. Kelly Mallon will captain the side for the league and in Aimee Mackin, her younger sister Blaithin, Aoife McCoy they have firepower up front while at the back the likes of Sarah Marley, Meabh Moriarty and Clodagh McCambridge provide solid defence.
Division Three
Offaly v Down (St Brendan’s Park, Birr, 2pm)
DOWN are on the road for their opening Division Three game of the year under new managers Peter Lynch and Caoibhe Sloan but after a positive pre-season they will be hopeful of coming back home with a league victory and three points on the table.
Down made the semi-finals of the league last year before going through a difficult championship campaign although they did manage to retain their intermediate status for 2019. With a very young squad, the league will be a big learning curve and as first games go, this is not the worst to get them underway.
Division Four
Antrim v Leitrim (Tomorrow, The Dub, 1pm)
THIS will be a tricky test for Antrim, even with home advantage. Leitrim were relegated from Division Three last year and did not field in the intermediate championship so it is hard to know what they will bring to the table. New Saffrons manager Sean O’Kane will only be concerned about themselves, however, as he aims to inject some self-belief back into an Antrim side that have been struggling to find form of old in the last couple of seasons.
Fermanagh v Derry (Tomorrow, Derrygonnelly, 2pm)
THESE two sides need little introduction to one another have met frequently over the past couple of years and Derry need little reminding of the 2017 All-Ireland junior final defeat after a replay to the Erne County.
The sides met in the first round of the league last season with Fermanagh emerging victorious. Derry manager Paul Crozier has said this year they want to really push for a league semi-final and they will keen to get off to a winning start while for new Fermanagh boss Jonny Garrity, this game will be a good indication of where his side stands as he aims to get right the mix of youth and experience in this squad.
Fixtures
Today (2pm unless stated)
Division One: Dublin v Donegal (Croke Park, 5pm live on eir Sport), Cork v Galway (Mallow, 1pm)
Division Two: Waterford v Wexford (Fraher Field)
Division Three: Sligo v Meath (Cloonacool Community Park), Longford v Kildare (Mostrim, Edgesworthstown), Roscommon v Wicklow (Kiltoom)
Tomorrow (2pm unless stated)
Division One: Mayo v Tipperary (Swinford Amenity Park), Westmeath v Monaghan (Kinnegad)
Division Two: Clare v Kerry (Doonbeg) Laois v Armagh (Emo), Cavan v Tyrone (Terry Coyle Park, Cavan Gaels, Lurganboy, 12.30pm)
Division Three: Offaly v Down (St Brendan’s Park, Birr)
Division Four: Antrim v Leitrim (The Dub, 1pm), Fermanagh v Derry (Derrygonnelly), Limerick v Louth (Askeaton), Carlow v Kilkenny (IT Carlow)
