WITH THE OTHER Gaelic games codes back already, ladies football returns this weekend.
The 2021 Lidl Ladies National Football Leagues get up and running on Friday evening, with Cork and Tipperary kicking us off at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
A new managerial reign will begin there and then, with all eyes on Premier boss — and former All-Ireland hurling winning captain — Declan Carr.
The following evening brings another highly-anticipated Division 1 clash with two more new managers cutting their teeth and going head-to-head at MacHale Park. Michael Moyles’ Mayo welcome Gerry Fahy’s Galway to Castlebar in what should be a thrilling encounter between two neighbouring rivals. Both of these matches are live on TG4.
While it’s as you were in Dublin (Mick Bohan), Cork (Ephie Fitzgerald), Donegal (Maxi Curran), Westmeath (Sean Finnegan) and Waterford (Ciaran Curran), these are three big names who will be interesting to keep an eye on through the top-flight campaign.
Michael Moyles (Mayo)
Moyles is the new man at the Mayo helm, having replaced Peter Leahy in January.
A former Mayo player and 2001 All-Ireland senior club winner with Crossmolina Deel Rangers, Moyles has enjoyed a colourful coaching journey so far and was previously involved with the team in 2015. Moyles was Mayo junior men’s manager in 2013 and has held various other posts in the men’s game within the county and further afield.
With a strong backroom team in place, he will now steer the ship as the Green and Red look to bounce back from a disappointing 2020 championship exit at the hands of Armagh, and a turbulent few years off the pitch.
Gerry Fahey (Galway)
Another with a strong background in the men’s game, Fahy takes the Tribe reins from Tim Rabbitt. There’s some continuity there, Fahy part of Rabbitt’s 2020 backroom team.
The Glinsk native is certainly familiar to those in Galway Gaelic football circles, having garnered plenty of experience of working with county and club teams through the years.
He led the Tribe U21s to Connacht glory and the All-Ireland final in 2017, guided NUIG to Sigerson Cup success in 2003, and has fulfilled plenty of other backroom team roles in the past — including working under Val Daly with the seniors in ’97. Fahy also spent a stint in charge of the Offaly senior team, and steered them to the Division 2 National Football League crown in 2004.
With 2004 All-Ireland winning captain Annette Clarke on board as a selector, Galway will now look to build on their 2019 final and ’20 semi-final appearances.
Declan Carr (Tipperary)
The Premier appointment was another high-profile one, former All-Ireland hurling winning captain Carr succeeding now-Waterford men’s boss Shane Ronayne in the role.
The Holycross man, a brother of former Dublin football manager Tommy, was part of Tipp’s 1989 All-Ireland winning squad and skippered the team to a further All-Ireland success in ’91. Carr previously managed Holycross-Ballycahill and the Tipp U21 hurlers, guiding the young guns to a Munster title in ’09.
Having won four national titles in as many years of late, Tipp will be looking to drive on now under Carr, with former Carlow hurling manager Colm Bonner in a strong backroom team.
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There’s plenty more new managers to keep an eye on down the divisions with Tyrone All-Ireland intermediate winning boss Gerry Moane, for one, taking the reins in Cavan after James Daly’s departure.
Aishling Sheridan, just home from her second season with Collingwood in the Australian Football League Women’s [AFLW], gave some insight into her new manager and what he’s brought to the Breffni set-up ahead of their Division 2 campaign.
“So far, Gerry has been great — and Barry [Grimes, Moane's right-hand man with the Red Hand], our trainer,” the Mullahoran foward said.
“They’ve really encouraged us to not be afraid to make mistakes, which I think is something really needed, especially with new management. You’re always worried if you make a mistake, they might see it and you want to get your starting place.
“So far, I’ve been back training two weeks and I’ve loved it. They bring a new style to the game we probably haven’t played, which is brilliant again, and they’ve really given every player confidence to go out, be themselves and play themselves. There’s a lot of new faces as well this year so it will be interesting to see how our team lines up for the next few weeks.”
Elsewhere, Kevin Mc Crystal fills the Tyrone vacancy for his second term, Diane O’Hora’s tenure at the Roscommon helm begins, as does that of Emma Kelly and Kyla Trainor with Antrim, and renowned Sligo coach and 2012 U21-winning Connacht manager Anthony Brennan takes charge of the Yeats county.
OPENING WEEKEND FIXTURES
Lidl Ladies National Football League 2021
21 May 2021
Division 1B – Round 1
- Cork (H) v Tipperary, 7.30pm, Pairc Uí Chaoimh, The Marina, – Live on TG4
22 May 2021
Division 1A – Round 1
- Mayo (H) v Galway, 7.30pm, MacHale Park, Castlebar — Live on TG4
23 May 2021
Division 1A – Round 1
- Donegal (H) v Westmeath, 1pm, Sean MacCumhaills, Ballybofey
Division 1B – Round 1
- Dublin (H) v Waterford, 2pm, Parnell Park, Donnycarney
Division 2A – Round 1
- Meath (H) v Kerry, 3pm, Pairc Tailteann, Navan
- Clare (H) v Wexford, 2pm, Cusack Park, Ennis
Division 2B – Round 1
- Monaghan (H) v Cavan, 2pm, St Tiernach’s Park, Clones
- Tyrone (H) v Armagh, 2pm, Healy Park, Omagh
Division 3A – Round 1
- Down (H) v Sligo, 3pm, Teconnaught GAC, Downpatrick
- Roscommon (H) v Fermanagh, 2pm, Dr. Hyde Park
Division 3B – Round 1
- Laois (H) v Kildare, 5.30pm, MW Hire O’Moore Park
- Longford (H) v Wicklow, 2pm, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park
Division 4A – Round 1
- Leitrim (H) v Louth, 2pm, Ballinamore Sean O’Heslin Park
- Derry (H) v Antrim, 2pm, Celtic Park Stadium, Lone Moor Road
Division 4B – Round 1
- Carlow (H) v Offaly, 2pm, IT Carlow.
- Non-televised matches will be available to watch at https://page.inplayer.
Shameful stuff today from guys who backed themselves into a corner with their “a shag the league it’s all about may 22nd” talk. No touch no pride and no balls. Yet again Kingston is silent post match. I wish tipp well but they beat nothing.
Is it not just a case of cork not having the hurlers
It’s a very worrying time to be a cork fan. We use to be a period dual county challenging for final and hurling honours every year. Now we will be lucky to get one day out in croke park a year. Before we know it we will be like Offaly reliving part glories
Problems stem from county board
Excuse me Offaly are on a winning streak!
County teams thrive when town teams go well. When the town clubs struggle the county struggles… Bar Dublin that’s the fact of the matter that the gaa needs to tackle
Cork reaping what they sow. They neglected underage structures, assuming that they would just find hurlers, like they have always done in the past. Have sorted it out underage now though, won a clean sweep of underage titles last year, u14,u15,u16 so the sleeping giant is waking up, might take 20 years to come through but then watch out.
Kingston read the first half of the book on sweepers. Extra man back, mop up ball ala DeBurca, other defenders just hold off Tipp forwards. But once the sweeper actually got the ball he was clueless. No idea how to utilise the possession up front. No idea how to pick out an out numbered forward. Hitting balls to team mates in the middle of the park, that were in 50/50 positions at best. Painful stuff to watch, Tipp never had to break a sweat and just picked off the easy points
Spot on and it’s destroyed club hurling as well.
Black mark also against Cork juvenile “supporters” for persistant jeering of Tipp freetakers. Where did that example come from?
It was a hard day to hurl with the wind and rain but having watched the game I think Tipp can go a long way this year .
Tipp on a dry day will be better
Shambolic. And I bet .. To add insult to injury Frank Murphy told them that they were only getting ham sandwiches no butter and to make their own way home..
The sweeper system work in that the didn’t concede a goal but my god how brain dead were they using a sweeper for our own puck outs. I would be surprised if we won any of our own puck outs.
I’m sure cork people aren’t interested in the opinions of a Kilkenny man, but here goes. Certain teams ( not just Cork) are applying these new tactics in hurling , sweeper system , flood the break down areas etc…..but it doesn’t get away from the fact the two most successful teams in the last number of years Tipp and KK still stick to the standard positions in Hurling . When Cork were last successful playing more of a running/ short passing game , it was still 15 on 15 , with each player in a battle with his opposite man with the belief that if you won the majority of the battles you won the match … And I think it still stands true today.
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it .
As a Cork man I am more than happy to hear your opinion. In fact I agree with you 100%. We have a suspect defence, and a very good forward line – until new players come into our defence to improve it I would much rather we try outscore teams and leak scores than deprive our forwards and play a muck brand of hurling. Sweeper systems may suit Clare, WFord etc, but I know Cork fans are horrified at the thought of us having it. And as you said, KK and Tipp don’t use them. I just hope we stop using it and start playing our own brand again.
Something seriously wrong with Cork GAS.
With this sweeper abomination hurling is danger of turning into that awful snore fest lacking basic skills that is Gaelic football
Cork GAA.
The rot starts with Murphy, Cork’s President-for-life.
How bloody boring is gaa. Every day on rte news they go through all the boring divisions of minor this and that. Has a disproportionate coverage.
Shock horror biggest sport in the country gets lions share of the coverage. Don’t turn on sky news for fear your head will explode
am i the only one who thinks it was a good idea for Cork to continue with the sweeper. The cork backline needed to be shored up and the more time William Egan gets in that role the better he’ll get, Cork would’ve been destroyed had they not used a sweeper. it’ll take time for this Cork team to fully acclimatise to the sweeper system but they’ll be better for it.
There are an amount of that Cork team not good enough for inter county hurling. Cork will not contest for major honours again for a very long time irrespective of the system they play.
Hurling needs Cork to play the old game and consign this negative ‘sweeper’ system to history. It’s just an admission of inferiority in the traditional skills and when Cork go down that road it’s fair to say that Hurling is in serious trouble.
I’m hoping that the big two, Tipp and Kilkenny beat the daylights out of the ‘sweeper’ counties, who are having great, but boring, games against one another and at least we’ll see some serious Hurling this year.
Same conditions for both teams but in saying that Cork are very poor.
This ‘sweeper’ fad is destroying open hurling.. If you can pick off points and take your frees you’ll win. Goals win games and create excitement. Obviously winning is everything for inter county teams but sacrificing excitement for results is ruining the game for spectators.
The better team will win the majority of the time but the fans want open, exciting and if possible goal fest hurling.. If this trend continues I can see more armchair spectators …
Well done to Tipp senior and intermediate teams. Having witnessed majestic Cork teams down through the years it’s sad to now see a Cork senior hurling team that’s afraid to play hurling.