BREFFNI PARK PLAYS host to an exciting All-Ireland ladies football semi-final double-header tomorrow, with four sides vying for All-Ireland final places.
The main event is a mouth-watering All-Ireland senior semi-final meeting of Cork and Mayo (throw-in 4.45pm, live on TG4) to decide who will face Dublin in the decider on 24 September.
Reigning champions Cork have made one change to the side which steamrolled Galway in their quarter-final two weeks ago, as they go in search of their seventh All-Ireland title in-a-row.
2016 Player of the Year Bríd Stack is set to return from a hamstring injury, which ruled her out of action against the Tribeswomen the last day. Niamh Cotter is the player to make way.
Ephie Fitzgerald has decided to reshuffle the pack, with several positional changes in place. Stack slots into full-back, while Mourneabbey’s Eimear Meaney moves out to the half-back line with Annie Walsh and Melissa Duggan forming the midfield partnership.
Frank Browne meanwhile, has named an unchanged Mayo side, with the same fifteen starting that did in their quarter-final victory over Ulster champions Donegal.
It’s the first time the two sides will meet in the championship since the Rebels claimed an All-Ireland quarter-final win in 2014.
The Westerners will be hoping to end a 14-year wait to lift the Brendan Martin Cup, while Cork will be aiming to reach their 12th final in 13 years — all of which they have won.
In the preceding intermediate semi-final, Sligo and Tyrone will go head-to-head (throw-in 3pm, live on TG4), with an All-Ireland final date with Tipperary on the line.
The Connacht and Ulster sides beat Roscommon and Leitrim respectively to book their last four spots.
The four starting sides are listed below, and you can see each panel in full in the embedded tweet.
Cork
1. Matina O’Brien (Clonakilty)
2. Emma Spillane (Bantry Blues)
3. Bríd Stack (St Mary’s)
4. Róisín Phelan (Aghada)
5. Aishling Hutchings (Fermoy)
6. Eimear Meaney (Mourneabbey)
7. Shauna Kelly (Araglen Desmonds Buí)
8. Annie Walsh (Inch Rovers)
9. Melissa Duggan (Dohenys)
10. Ciara O’Sullivan (Mourneabbey) – captain
11. Doireann O’Sullivan (Mourneabbey)
12. Orlagh Farmer (Midleton)
13. Áine O’Sullivan (Beara)
14. Eimear Scally (Éire Óg)
15. Orla Finn (Kinsale)
Mayo
1. Yvonne Byrne (Ballyhaunis)
2. Orla Conlon (Castlebar Mitchells)
3. Sarah Tierney (Hollymount) – captain
4. Martha Carter (Carnacon)
5. Marie Corbett (Carnacon)
6. Rachel Kearns (CL McHale Rovers)
7. Fiona Doherty (Moy Davitts)
8. Aileen Gilroy (St Brigids)
9. Fiona McHale (Carnacon)
10. Doireann Hughes (Carnacon)
11. Niamh Kelly (Moy Davitts)
12. Ciara Whyte (Kilmoremoy)
13. Sarah Rowe (Kilmoremoy)
14. Cora Staunton (Carnacon)
15. Grace Kelly (Moy Davitts)
Here are the teams for Saturday's double header at Kingspan Breffni Park with the game being shown live on @TG4TV #properfan pic.twitter.com/mCRLo52XB3
— Ladies Football (@LadiesFootball) August 31, 2017
Sligo
1. Noelle Gormley (St Nathy’s) – captain
2. Etna Flanagan (St Nathy’s)
3. Gráinne O’Loughlin (St Michael’s)
4. Jacqui Mulligan (St Farnan’s)
5. Lauren Boles (St Michael’s)
6. Eilise Codd (St Michael’s)
7. Ruth Goodwin (Coolrea/Strandhill)
8. Bernice Byrne (Geevagh)
9. Sarah Reynolds (Geevagh)
10. Áine Gormley (St Nathy’s)
11. Stephanie O’Reilly (Geevagh)
12. Laura-Ann Laffey (Coolrea/Strandhill)
13. Ciara Gorman (St Nathy’s)
14. Rachel Monaghan (Drumcliffe/Rosses Point)
15. Denise McGrath (Ballymote)
Tyrone
1. Shannon Lynch (Mná Na Deirge)
2. Emma Brennan (Trillick)
3. Joanne Barrett (Drumragh)
4. Caoileann Conway (Sperrin Óg)
5. Neamh Woods (Drumragh) – captain
6. Emma Louise Mulgrew (Cill Íseal)
7. Christiane Hunter (Omagh St Enda’s)
8. Méabh Mallon (Aodh Ruadh)
9. Emma Jane (Aodh Ruadh)
10. Niamh Hughes (Aodh Ruadh)
11. Maria Canavan (Errigal Ciarán)
12. Emma Smyth (St Dympna’s Dromore)
13. Niamh O’Neill (Sperrin Óg)
14. Gemma Begley (An Charraig Mhór)
15. Gráinne Rafferty (Cill Íseal)
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