Lidl Ladies' National Football League
Sunday (2pm)
Division Two round four
Monaghan v Cavan (Donaghmoyne)
NEIGHBOURS Monaghan and Cavan find themselves in a crunch match fighting for three vital points that will steer them away from relegation fears when they meet at Páirc Fontenoy on Sunday.
Both sides have one win from their three outings and while Roscommon are below them in the league table with no points, such is the unpredictably of much of this league to have six points on the board might be enough to ensure their second-tier status.
Monaghan lost their first game to Laois before bouncing back with a win over Tyrone, but came up well short against league flyers Armagh last day out.
Cavan lost their first two games to Armagh and Tipperary, but got the result they needed with a win over Westmeath.
As well as the three points at stake so too is pride and there have been some great battles between the two down through the years. It’s a close one to call and one that both sides know is certainly theirs for the taking.
Division Three round four
Down v Longford (Páirc Esler)
DOWN have a great opportunity to take another three points on Sunday and keep their chances of a top-two spot alive with victory over Longford in Newry.
Peter Lynch’s side have bounced back well from their opening defeat to Kildare and recorded back-to-back wins over Sligo and Wexford, the latter victory over one of the main league title challengers.
This is a crucial game for the Mourne county and they know they must follow up those Sligo and Wexfords wins with a third successive win. There is still plenty of football to be played but it would set up them nicely going into the home straight.
Longford have just one win from their three outings, that coming against Offaly last day out and that will have given them some much-needed confidence after losing their first two games to table-toppers Louth and Kildare.
Division Four Group A round two
London v Antrim (Ruislip)
ANTRIM travel to London knowing a win over the Exiles will take them a step closer to a semi-final spot.
With just three group games there is little or no room for error and their fate is very much in their own hands. Emma Kelly’s side got off to a winning start against Fermanagh a couple of weeks ago but were not in action last weekend and need to quickly shake off any cobwebs from travelling against a London side, while beaten in their first game against Carlow, will give the Saffrons a good test.
London need the win if they are to have any hope of making the knock-out stages but with the Division Four title a priority for Antrim, the home side may fall short.
Fermanagh v Carlow (Darver, 2pm)
CARLOW are the early league leaders and put up a big score against London to win their opening game, while Fermanagh lost out to Antrim.
Those first-round games were two weeks ago with neither side in action last weekend, so it’s important for both to get off to a good start.
Fermanagh boss James Daly will hope to have a few players who missed out on the Antrim game through injury back in knowing that they must get something from this game if they are to make the top two in the group and reach the semi-finals.
Fixtures (2pm unless stated)
Saturday
Division One: Meath v Mayo (Pairc Tailteann, Navan), Kerry v Dublin (Austin Stack Park, Tralee, 5pm live on TG4)
Sunday
Division One: Donegal v Waterford (O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny, 1pm), Galway v Cork (Pearse Stadium)
Division Two: Tipperary v Laois (Fethard Town Park), Monaghan v Cavan (Donaghmoyne), Tyrone v Armagh (O’Neills Healy Park, Omagh), Roscommon v Westmeath (Kiltoom)
Division Three: Sligo v Wexford (Connolly Park, Collooney, 1pm), Down v Longford (Páirc Esler, Newry), Offaly v Clare (Bretland Park, Clara)
Division Four Group A: London v Antrim (McGovern Park, Ruislip), Fermanagh v Carlow (Darver)
Division Four Group B: Limerick v Leitrim (The Bog Garden), Wicklow v Kilkenny (Baltinglass)
