THE 2020 LIDL Ladies National Football League fixtures have been announced, with a revamp meaning the semi-finals have been scrapped.
The Ladies Gaelic Football Association [LGFA] today confirmed that the top two finishers in each division will progress directly to the final.
Reigning Division 1 champions Cork will open their title defence against Westmeath on home soil on Sunday, 26 January, as the opening round of fixtures gets underway.
Three-in-a-row All-Ireland senior champions Dublin welcome intermediate winners Tipperary to the capital in an intriguing opening day clash, while Donegal and Mayo go head-to-head out west.
Elsewhere, 2018 league and championship finalists Galway welcome newly-promoted Division 2 champions Waterford on day one.
Looking ahead, Mick Bohan’s Dubs have three mouth-watering fixtures to look forward to in rounds two, three and four, when they face Mayo away, before hosting arch-rivals Cork and Galway on successive weekends.
The Rebels will also highlight the visit of Tipperary in round two, after Shane Ronayne’s Premier county beat them on home soil in the 2019 edition.
Another showdown of note is the Connacht derby clash of Mayo and Galway on 29 March.
The Division 2, 3, and 4 fixtures have also been announced with tasty encounters down for decision in the opening round (see below).
Prior to this, the top four teams in each division have contested semi-finals (1st v 4th, 2nd v 3rd) to decide who will advance to the showpiece, but now the top two in each grade will progress straight to finals.
The 2020 Lidl Ladies National Football League Finals will be played on the weekend of 18/19 April, with the Division 1 and 2 deciders usually staged at Parnell Park.
2020 Lidl Ladies National Football League Fixtures in full
Division 1:
Round 1: January 26 2020
Cork v Westmeath, Dublin v Tipperary, Galway v Waterford, Mayo v Donegal
Round 2: February 2 2020
Mayo v Dublin, Tipperary v Cork, Waterford v Donegal, Westmeath v Galway
Round 3: February 9 2020
Donegal v Galway, Dublin v Cork, Mayo v Waterford, Tipperary v Westmeath
Round 4: February 23 2020
Cork v Mayo, Dublin v Galway, Waterford v Tipperary, Westmeath v Donegal
Round 5: March 8 2020
Donegal v Cork, Galway v Tipperary, Mayo v Westmeath, Waterford v Dublin
Round 6: March 22 2020
Donegal v Dublin, Galway v Cork, Tipperary v Mayo, Westmeath v Waterford
Round 7: March 29 2020
Cork v Waterford, Galway v Mayo, Tipperary v Donegal, Westmeath v Dublin
Division 2:
Round 1: January 26 2020
Cavan v Kerry, Clare v Armagh, Meath v Tyrone, Wexford v Monaghan
Round 2: February 2 2020
Armagh v Tyrone, Cavan v Meath, Monaghan v Clare, Wexford v Kerry
Round 3: February 9 2020
Cavan v Wexford, Kerry v Armagh, Meath v Monaghan, Tyrone v Clare
Round 4: February 23 2020
Clare v Meath, Kerry v Tyrone, Moanghan v Cavan, Wexford v Armagh
Round 5: March 8 2020
Armagh v Meath, Clare v Cavan, Kerry v Monaghan, Tyrone v Wexford
Round 6: March 22 2020
Cavan v Armagh, Clare v Wexford, Meath v Kerry, Monaghan v Tyrone
Round 7: March 29 2020
Armagh v Monaghan, Kerry v Clare, Tyrone v Cavan, Wexford v Meath
Division 3:
Round 1: January 26 2020
Fermanagh v Kildare, Laois v Wicklow, Longford v Down, Roscommon v Sligo
Round 2: February 2 2020
Down v Fermanagh, Kildare v Sligo, Roscommon v Laois, Wicklow v Longford
Round 3: February 9 2020
Fermanagh v Roscommon, Kildare v Wicklow, Laois v Longford, Sligo v Down
Round 4: February 23 2020
Down v Roscommon, Longford v Fermanagh, Kildare v Laois, Wicklow v Sligo
Round 5: March 8 2020
Down v Wicklow, Laois v Fermanagh, Roscommon v Kildare, Sligo v Longford
Round 6: March 22 2020
Fermanagh v Sligo, Kildare v Longford, Laois v Down, Wicklow v Roscommon
Round 7: March 29 2020
Down v Kildare, Longford v Roscommon, Sligo v Laois, Wicklow v Fermanagh
Division 4:
Round 1: January 26 2020
Antrim v Offaly, Carlow v Limerick, Derry v Leitrim, Louth – Bye
Round 2: February 2 2020
Antrim v Louth, Limerick v Derry, Offaly v Carlow, Leitrim – Bye
Round 3: February 9 2020
Derry v Offaly, Leitrim v Antrim, Louth v Limerick, Carlow – Bye
Round 4: February 23 2020
Carlow v Derry, Limerick v Offaly, Louth v Leitrim, Antrim – Bye
Round 5: March 8 2020
Carlow v Antrim, Derry v Louth, Leitrim v Limerick, Offaly – Bye
Round 6: March 22 2020
Antrim v Derry, Carlow v Leitrim, Offaly v Louth, Limerick – Bye
Round 7: March 29 2020
Leitrim v Offaly, Limerick v Antrim, Louth v Carlow, Derry – Bye
Relegation/Playoff Dates for each division:
April 4/5
April 11/12
Final for each division
April 18/19.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
