CHANGES ARE AT a minimum for tomorrow’s Lidl National League Division 1 final between arch-rivals Dublin and Cork at Croke Park [throw-in 7.30pm, live on TG4].
Dublin boss Mick Bohan has made just one change for the top-flight showdown – a repeat of December’s All-Ireland final – with title holders from 2019, Cork, showing an unchanged side.
2019 Footballer of the Year Siobhán McGrath returns to the Dubs’ starting line-up, as Orlagh Nolan drops to the bench. Ballinteer St John’s star Nolan was forced off through injury last time out, but is fit to be named among the replacements for tomorrow night.
The four-in-a-row All-Ireland champions are eying just a second-ever Division 1 crown in their third decider appearance, having triumphed in 2018, while league specialists Cork are targeting title number 13.
Dublin have won four from four in this campaign so far, just edging out Cork in a seven-goal thriller in Páirc Uí Chaoimh in the group stages while they saw off Mayo in the semi-final.
The Rebels impressed against Donegal in their last-four win and Ephie Fitzgerald has put his faith in the same 15 to start again. Injury-stricken Doireann O’Sullivan, as expected, is not included in the matchday panel.
We have named a unchanged starting 15 for our @lidl_ireland @LadiesFootball Div 1 NFL Final Vs Dublin ,taking place Tomorrow @ 7:30 in @CrokePark & of course it’s LIVE on @TG4TV @eastcorklgf @mid_cork @NorthCorkLF @westcorkladies @germccarthy74 @RnRor @BigRedBench @SuperValuIRL pic.twitter.com/T12dtPy9EE
— Cork LGFA (@CorkLGFA) June 25, 2021
Dublin’s bench, meanwhile, is stacked, with serial All-Ireland winners Ciara Trant (goalkeeper), Carla Rowe, Nicole Owens and Niamh McEvoy, all included. Sinéad Goldrick, rehabilitating a hamstring injury which required surgery after her Aussie Rules season, is again absent.
Spectators will be present at Croke Park tomorrow – the final is being staged there rather than its traditional home of Parnell Park – and tickets remain on sale, with the Division 2 decider down for decision beforehand.
2020 All-Ireland intermediate champions Meath take on Kerry, another team on the rise [5pm, live on TG4], with promotion to the top flight the big prize.
Both sides have made one change in personnel — Shelly Melia starts for Meath ahead of dual star Megan Thynne, with Niamh Ní Chonchúir coming into the Kingdom attack in place of Andrea Murphy.
The Division 3 and 4 finals take place on Sunday — Laois v Kildare in Baltinglass, 4pm, and Leitrim v Louth in St Tiernach’s Park, Clones, 2pm — with all four sides also showing their respective hands [both games are live on the Spórt TG4 YouTube Page]:
Cork
1. Martina O’Brien (Clonalkilty) – captain
2. Shauna Kelly (Araglen Desmonds Bui), 3. Roisin Phelan (St Brigid’s, Dublin), 4. Eimear Meaney (Mourneabbey)
5. Erika O’Shea (Macroom),6. Aisling Hutchings (Fermoy), 7. Melissa Duggan (Doheny’s)
8. Máire O’Callaghan (Mourneabbey), 9. Hannah Looney (Aghada)
10. Emma Spillane (Bantry Blues), 11. Bríd O’Sullivan (Mourneabbey), 12. Orla Finn (Kinsale)
13. Sadhbh O’Leary (Kinsale), 14. Ciara O’Sullivan (Mourneabbey), 15. Libby Coppinger (St Colums)
Cork subs in tweet above.
Dublin
1. Abby Shiels (Lucan Sarsfields)
2. Martha Byrne (Cuala), 3. Niamh Collins (Foxrock Cabinteely), 4. Hannah Leahy (Scoil Uí Chonaill)
5. Leah Caffrey (Na Fianna), 6. Olwen Carey (Thomas Davis), 7. Lauren Magee (Kilmacud Crokes)
8. Siobhain McGrath (Thomas Davis), 9. Jennifer Dunne (Cuala)
10. Hannah Tyrrell (Na Fianna), 11. Lyndsey Davey (Skerries Harps), 12. Siobhain Killeen (Clontarf)
13. Sinéad Aherne (St Sylvesters) – captain, 14. Niamh Hetherton (Clontarf), 15. Caoimhe O’Connor (Clontarf)
Dublin subs available here.
Kerry: C Butler; J O’Sullivan, A Desmond (capt.), C Murphy; A O’Connell, K Cronin, C Lynch; L Scanlon, N Carmody; L Galvin, E Dineen, A Galvin; N Ní Chonchúir, H O’Donoghue, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh.
Meath: M McGuirk; E Troy, M.K. Lynch, K Newe; A Leahy, A Cleary, O Byrne; V Wall, M O’Shaughnessy; S Ennis (capt.), S Grimes, N O’Sullivan, S Melia, E Duggan, B Lynch.
Kildare: D McGinn; C Sullivan, L Lenehan, M Doherty; L Murtagh, L Gilbert, H McLoughlin; S O’Sullivan, G Kenneally; C Wheeler, L Curran, G Clifford (capt.); E Dowling, N Dooley, A Rattigan.
Laois: E Barry; C Dunne, A Potts, A Kelly; R Williams, E Healy, L Nerney (capt.); F Dooley, J Moore; A Healy, E Galvin, E Fitzpatrick; M Nerney, S.A. Fitzgerald, L Tarpey.
Leitrim: M Monaghan; M.A. Maguire, S Tighe, S McCartan; A Quinn, C Owens (capt.), C La Guen; Á Heslin, V Egan; L O’Dowd, M Guckian, E Brun; L Fox, A Clancy, R McHugh.
Louth: U Pearson; E Hand, S Quinn, E Murray; M McMahon, S McLaughlin (capt.), C Nolan; Á Breen, N Rice; A Russell, K Flood, R Carr; L Collins, L Boyle, D McKenna.
