DUBLIN BOSS MICK Bohan rings the changes as his side open the defence of their TG4 All-Ireland senior ladies football title — and five-in-a-row bid — against Tyrone tomorrow at Kingspan Breffni Park [throw-in 2pm].
The starting team shows five changes in personnel to the side that started last month’s Division 1 league final win over Cork, and seven survivors from last December’s All-Ireland decider.
Coming into the side are goalkeeper Ciara Trant, Laura McGinley, Lucy Collins, Niamh McEvoy and Carla Rowe, with Abby Shiels, Niamh Collins, Siobhan McGrath, captain Sinead Aherne and Lyndsey Davey sitting this one out.
Collins, McGrath, Davey and Aherne are among those missing from the 2020 All-Ireland final line-up along with Sinead Goldrick, Nicole Owens, Aoife Kane, and the retired Noelle Healy.
Eight-time All-Star Goldrick, who underwent surgery in Australia after sustaining a hamstring injury in AFLW action for Melbourne FC, is named on the bench for the first time this summer.
“Working her way back from injury,” as the LGFA report, Goldrick is joined by Owens among the experienced replacements for the Group 3 opener, the first time Dublin and Tyrone meet in senior championship since the 2010 All-Ireland final.
HERE is the @dublinladiesg team that will begin the defence of their TG4 All Ireland crown this coming Saturday versus Tyrone #COYGIB pic.twitter.com/qri1QlvSLd
— DublinLGFA (@dublinladiesg) July 9, 2021
The Red Hand, hoping to bounce back from last weekend’s Ulster semi-final defeat to Armagh and a disappointing Division 2 league campaign, have named a strong side to challenge the reigning champions.
Galway and Kerry open the championship this evening at Cusack Park, Ennis [throw-in 7.30pm, live on TG4], both sides making plenty of changes for the Group 4 showdown.
Tomorrow, along with Dublin v Tyrone, it’s Cork v Meath, Armagh v Monaghan and Cavan v Mayo.
Here is our Starting 15 for Tomorrow’s 1st Rd of the @TG4TV @LadiesFootball 2021 Senior Championship Vs @meathladiesMLGF taking place in Birr @ 2pm.
— Cork LGFA (@CorkLGFA) July 9, 2021
Remember it will be streamed LIVE@eastcorklgf @mid_cork @NorthCorkLF @westcorkladies @germccarthy74 @RnRor @PaudieP @SuperValuIRL pic.twitter.com/xPGanlbqvE
Cork manager Ephie Fitzgerald goes with one switch to the side that started the league final against Dublin, Katie Quirke coming in for Áine O’Sullivan, the latter having struggled with injury of late. Doireann O’Sullivan remains absent from the matchday panel, also on the comeback trail.
Meath, back up in the senior ranks having recently won the Division 2 crown, have also kept change to a minimum for the Birr clash [thr0w-in 2pm] with Shelly Melia replacing Orlagh Lally in attack.
All of the teams are listed below.
Galway (v Kerry): D Gower; H Noone, S Lynch, S Molloy; K Geraghty, N Ward, S Hynes; L Ward (capt.), S Divilly; A Davoren, M Glynn, L Coen; M Seoighe, O Divilly, K Slevin.
Kerry (v Galway): C Butler; C O’Brien, A Desmond (capt.), C Murphy; A O’Connell, K Cronin, C Lynch; L Scanlon, N Carmody; M O’Connell, E Dineen, L Galvin; H O’Donoghue, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh, D O’Leary.
Armagh (v Monaghan): A Carr; S Marley (capt.), C McCambridge, G Ferguson; E Lavery, L McConville, T Grimes; N Marley, N Coleman; B Mackin, C O’Hanlon, F McKenna; A Mackin, A McCoy, A Clarke.
Monaghan (v Armagh): E Corrigan; M Monaghan, N Fahy, A McAnespie; S Coyle, A McCarey, E Traynor; C Courtney, M Atkinson; L McEnaney, E McCarron (capt.), L Garland; C Treanor, C McAnespie, A Garland.
Cavan (v Mayo): E Walsh; R Doonan, S Lynch, M Smith; S Greene, L Fitzpatrick (capt.), M Sheridan; C Dolan, N Byrd; A Kiernan, C Finnegan, N Keenaghan; G Sheridan, A Sheridan, A Gilsenan.
Mayo (v Cavan): A Tarpey; S Lally, C McManamon (capt.), E Brennan; T O’Connor, É Ronayne, K Sullivan; C Needham, S Cafferky; F Doherty, R Kearns, M McHale; G Kelly, S Howley, T Needham.
PREVIEWS!
— Ladies Football (@LadiesFootball) July 9, 2021
12 games on the weekend agenda as 2021 @TG4TV All-Ireland Championships get underway!
The action begins with @GalwayLgfa v @kerryladiesfoot this evening - Live on TG4 (throw-in 7.30pm)#ProperFan https://t.co/WTHbMGYtZy@SportTG4
Cork (v Meath): M O’Brien (capt.); M Cahalane, R Phelan, E Meaney; E O’Shea, A Hutchings, M Duggan; M O’Callaghan, H Looney; L Coppinger, C O’Sullivan, O Finn; S O’Leary, B O’Sullivan, K Quirke.
Meath (v Cork): 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.
Dublin (v Tyrone): C Trant; L McGinley, M Byrne, H Leahy; L Caffrey, O Carey, L Collins; J Dunne, L Magee; H Tyrrell, N McEvoy, C Rowe; C O’Connor, N Hetherton, S Killeen.
Tyrone (v Dublin): L Kane; M Kerr, T McLaughlin (capt.), E Mulgrew; E Brennan, C Kelly, D Gallagher; A McHugh, E.J. Gervin; N Hughes, N Rafferty, N McGirr; N O’Neill, G Rafferty, C McCaffrey.