WITH CORK AND Dublin already assured of their places in the last four of the Division 1 Lidl Ladies National Football League, three counties will battle it out for the remaining spots in the last round of group games this weekend.
Galway, Mayo and Donegal are all chasing those last two places, with Mayo currently best placed to take one of them as they sit in third place on the table with a two-point advantage over Galway and Donegal.
They will be looking for a victory against Monaghan to put that beyond doubt, and if Donegal lose that will also be enough to secure Mayo’s passage to the semis.
Meanwhile, Donegal need to win and hope that Galway slip up against Westmeath for them to claim the other semi-final berth.
If both Donegal and Galway finish on level points, the Connacht side will progress to the semi-finals having scored more points in their clash against Donegal in round 2 of the campaign.
The situation could become complicated if both Galway and Donegal win, and Mayo draw against Monaghan. This will mean that all three teams would be level on 13 points each and score difference will come into play.
Donegal currently have the best score difference (+50), compared to Mayo (+9) and Galway (+8) ahead of the weekend’s fixtures.
Donegal have arguably the toughest task of the three counties as they prepare to welcome reigning league champions Cork to Letterkenny.
Maxi Curran has named a strong side for that encounter with Yvonne Bonner, Niamh Hegarty and Geraldine McLaughlin providing the scoring power in Donegal’s attack.
Ciara Hegarty will be expected to marshal the defence from her centre-back position.
Galway travel to take on Westmeath with an experienced starting team.
Sinéad Burke and Nicola Ward will provide defensive strength among the backs, while Olivia Divilly can impose herself on the contest from midfield to feed the ball into the forwards.
Westmeath’s defenders will have to keep a watchful eye on Tracey Leonard who has been selected to start at centre-forward.
Mayo are aiming for a win in their home tie against Monaghan following a mixed campaign which consisted of three wins, two defeats and one draw.
Manager Peter Leahy is putting out an experienced side out to face the Ulster side, with Fiona McHale, Sarah Rowe and the Kelly sisters Niamh and Grace all forming a formidable attack for Mayo.
Dublin have something of a dead rubber contest against the already relegated Kerry at DCU on Saturday, although a win would see them temporarily secure top spot on the table ahead of Cork’s clash against Donegal.
Ciarán McCabe from Southern Gaels will take charge of the Kerry side who are making the trip up to the capital, after manager Graham Shine stepped down from his position earlier this week.
Fixtures
Saturday April 7
Donegal v Cork, 6pm, O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny
Dublin v Kerry, 4pm, DCU
Sunday April 8
Westmeath v Galway, 2pm, St Loman’s
Mayo v Monaghan, 2pm, Swinford
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It’d be brilliant if she wins the title and so does Roger Federer, since that’ll set us all back 10 years.
Sky Sports reporting ‘Australian Konta beaten’.
@Séamus Ó Lochlainn: She was born in Australia but of course the Brits claim her her for their own. Sorry state of English tennis players, they need something to shout about.
@Enda McCallion: people in glasshouses shouldn’t throw stones cj stander,Jared payne even rory mcilroy about as Irish as bananas,and the list doesn’t stop with them three
Would love to see her win it. Big fan of the Williams sisters. Unbelievable that Venus is back in a final, on the biggest stage of all, at this point in her career. I hope she goes all the way.
Very poor performance by Konta. Match lasted only 70 minutes. Barker, Tim “semi final ” Henman etc can’t be happy. Wade was pleased.
@John Ryan: I do hate Tim Henman. The way he goes on you’d swear he’d been a big deal at one time. He can be quite cutting about very big players. Andrew Castle does this too.
@Titus Groan: fair play to her
Oldest Women’s singles* finalist. Navratilova was in the mixed doubles finals in her 40s.
@Brian: mixed doubles is about as serious as snap
Konta’s forehand really let her down
@Sorcha Ní Shúilleabháin: I read that as her forehead let her down ha ha.
@Dave Murray: so did I :)
Women’s tennis has come a long way in 20 years, oh wait.
@Minom Pnom: now now in fairness the women do get paid the same, so an amazing step forward for them, the next step is to play the 5 setter, otherwise I’m sure the ladies feel it’s demeaning and sexist to get the same pay for less work
Women’s tennis is a shambles.