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Lidl National League: All You Need to Know

Katie Quirke of Cork in action against Emma Costello of Kerry during last year's league clash between the counties
Katie Quirke of Cork in action against Emma Costello of Kerry during last year's league clash between the counties

It's action in Divisions 1 and 2 this Bank Holiday weekend, with Kerry and Cork meeting on Monday in a Munster derby in Tralee.

The LGFA has confirmed that six of Sunday's seven scheduled fixtures will be available to purchase on a new live-streaming service.

Visit Stream Sport Ireland (inplayer.com) for full deatils.


ONLINE
Reports, round-ups and results on RTÉ.ie and the RTÉ News app.

RADIO
Live updates on RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport

TV
Live coverage of Kerry v Cork on TG4

WEATHER

Saturday: It be mostly cloudy for many with scattered outbreaks of rain and drizzle. Some mist and hill and coastal fog too. It'll be mostly dry though in Ulster and north Connacht, with some bright spells likely and just a few isolated light showers. Highest temperatures of 9-12C in mostly light to moderate westerly winds.

Sunday: Cloudy for a time with rain and drizzle, becoming mostly confined to Ulster into the afternoon, where it'll be persistent in parts. Drier and becoming a little brighter elsewhere with some sunny spells, the best chance across Munster and south Leinster. Highest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees in moderate to fresh and occasionally gusty southwest winds.

For more go to met.ie

SUNDAY 4 FEBRUARY

Division 1

Armagh v Galway, BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, 2pm

Armagh are flying high on their return to Division 1 with two wins from two.

The Orchard County have home advantage for the visit of 2023 runners-up Galway, who are pointless on the back of two defeats.

The westerners are one of three teams yet to register a point, alongside Dublin and Waterford, and with two teams facing the drop from the top flight this year, the pressure is on.

Armagh are unchanged following their victory over Cork last weekend, as Galway make three changes to the side that started in defeat to Mayo.

Caoimhe Cleary, Linda Booth and Roisin Leonard will line out in attack, as Meabh Walsh, Ciara McCarthy and Aoife Molloy drop out for this crucial tie.

Armagh: A Carr; G Ferguson, C McCambridge (capt.), R Mulligan; C Towe, L McConville, D Coleman; N Coleman, C O'Hanlon; E Druse, A McCoy, S Quigley; A Mackin, L Kenny, K Mallon.

Galway: D Gower; M Jordan, S Ni Loinsigh, E Gavin; K Geraghty, C Trill, A Ní Cheallaigh; M Glynn, L Coen; C Cleary, A Davoren (capt.), S Hynes; L Booth, A O’Rourke, R Leonard.

Mayo v Dublin, Ballina Stephenites, 2pm

Mayo lost out on the opening day to Meath but bounced back with a vital win against Galway last weekend.

The Westerners narrowly avoided the drop last year but they'll need to keep picking up points to avoid similar worries this time.

Opponents Dublin have a greater need to get off the mark after losing their opening two matches.

The All-Ireland champions, who make the trip west, have made one change to the starting team that lost out to Meath, with Ashling Nyhan replacing Jodi Egan.

Mayo boss Liam McHale has also made one change to his starting XV, with Alana Fitzpatrick handed a start in attack ahead of Sinead Walsh.

Mayo: L Reid; L Wallace, N O’Malley, S Lally (capt.); K Sullivan, D Caldwell, J Mortimer; A Geraghty, H Reape; F McLaughlin, A Fitzpatrick, M Cannon; T Needham, F McHale, L Cafferky.

Dublin: R Fleming; N Crowley, L Caffrey, N Donlon; L Magee, M Byrne, H Hegarty; N Hetherton, O Carey; C O’Connor, O Nolan, A Nyhan; A Timothy, C Rowe (capt.), E Gribben.

Waterford v Meath, Fraher Field, Dungarvan, 2pm

Meath, Division 1 champions in 2022, will aim to maintain their 100% start to the 2024 campaign when they make the trip to Dungarvan

The Royals have been impressive in their wins against Mayo and Dublin to date.

Waterford need to get off the mark after losing their opening two fixtures and will hope that home advantage can stand to them.

The Déise have come up short against Armagh and Kerry but they've netted twice in both games and there have been encouraging signs.

Both teams are unchanged from their previous outings.

Waterford: E O’Brien; H Power, E Power, A Murray; C McCarthy, A McNulty, A O’Neill; E Murray, K Hogan (capt.); K McGrath, C Carroll, M O’Brien; B McMaugh, K Murray, L McGregor.

Meath: M McGuirk (capt); K Newe, A Sheridan, N Troy; N Gallogly, M.K. Lynch, A Cleary; M O’Shaughnessy, S Melia; M Thynne, E Moyles, C Smyth; M Byrne, M Farrelly, E Duggan.

Division 2

Cavan v Kildare; Rory O'Moore Park, Belturbet, 2pm

Kildare have adapted brilliantly to life in the second tier after gaining promotion last year.

With the top two here gaining promotion to the top flight for 2025, the Lilywhites have their sights set on another big campaign.

Cavan have a victory and defeat from their first two games and will be keen to pick up more points along the way to avoid any potential relegation worries.

Cavan: E Baugh; C Brady, Á Brady, L Crowe; H Gilsenan, R Dolan, R Gilsenan; Á Smith, C Halpin; Z Fay, S McCabe, D McCaffrey; C Charters, N McCorry, S Levingstone.

Kildare: N Barnes; F Troute, L Lenehan, A Clifford; M Doherty, R Sargent, L Gilbert; G Clifford (capt.), C Sullivan; A Rattigan, E Dowling, S Munnelly; N Dooley, R Byrne, L Curran.

Donegal v Westmeath, Letterkenny, 2pm

Donegal won their opening fixture but lost out to Kildare in round two.

Relegated from Division 1 last year, the Ulster side will be keen to bounce back at the first attempt but it won't be easy.

Westmeath are also on three points in a congested section and a win for either side here would represent a massive boost.

Donegal: C Friel; S McLaughlin, A Temple Asokuh, E McGinley; C Keon, N Gordon, T Hegarty; R Rodgers, N Boyle; E Gallagher, N McLaughlin (capt.), K Dowds; S White, K Long, A Boyle Carr.

Westmeath: L McCormack (capt.); L Kiernan, L Power, L McCartan; C Kelly, F Coyle, R Dillon; K Boyce Jordan, V Carr; A Ruane, A Jones, C Clarke McMahon; K Hegarty, L Slevin, T Dillon.

Laois v Tipperary, Crettyard, 2pm

Laois are pointless after their opening two games

Opponents Tipperary would harbour promotion hopes but they lost out to Tyrone last weekend and will be keen to get back to winning ways.

Tipp make the relatively short trip to Crettyard for this one.

Laois: A Shanahan; S Farrelly, C Dunne (capt.), Sarah Delaney; Susie Delaney, A Moran, C Malone; A Moore, A Lalor; R Allen, E Lacey, K Donoghue; M Nerney, A Fitzpatrick, O Hennessy.

Tipperary: C Dwan; K Downey, L Spillane, E Cronin; N Martin, M Curley (capt.), N Martin; L Morrissey, A.R. Kennedy; N Towey, M Creedon, E McCarthy; E Morrissey, A McGuigan, A Moloney.

Tyrone v Monaghan, Moortown, 2pm

Monaghan are pointless after their opening fixtures but they showed enough in defeat against Westmeath last time out to suggest that better times may be around the corner.

Tyrone are flying at the other end of the table and with two wins from two, another victory here would have them well placed for promotion.

Tyrone: C Donnelly; J Lyons, J Barrett, C Daly; C Campbell, E Mulgrew, M Corrigan; M Mallon, A McHugh (capt.); A Grimes, A Horisk, A Strain; C McCaffrey, M Canavan, E Conroy.

Monaghan: Ó Kelly; A Bannigan, B McNally, S Brady; M Monaghan, J Duffy, E Clerkin; J McQuillan, Á Loughman; A Garland, L Maguire, C Treanor; C McBride, É Sherry, S Tierney.

SUNDAY 5 FEBRUARY

Division 1

Kerry v Cork, Austin Stack Park, Tralee, 3pm

Kerry enjoyed a brilliant 2023 season but Cork beat them in league and championship last year.

The Rebels can match up to their neighbours on any given day and they'll be keen to bounce back from defeat to Armagh last weekend.

Kerry, the rerigning Division 1 champions, are motoring well again in the early stages of the season and they’ve collected maximum points from their opening two games, after scoring victories over Dublin and Waterford.


Nadine Doherty: Liam McHale effect already evident for Mayo


Cork have made one change in personnel to the team that lost to Armagh, with Shauna Cronin coming in for Sarah Leahy.

There are wholesale changes in the Kerry team, meanwhile, as joint-managers Declan Quill and Darragh Long make seven alterations.

In come Eilís Lynch, Aishling O’Connell, Cáit Lynch, Ciara McCarthy, Mary O’Connell, Anna Galvin and Hannah O’Donoghue, with Aoife Dillane, Eilís O’Connor, Kayleigh Cronin, Ciara Murphy, Lorraine Scanlon, Keri-Ann Hanrahan and Jadyn Lucey held in reserve.

Kerry: M.E. Bolger; E Lynch, D Kearney, C O’Brien; A O’Connell, C Lynch, C McCarthy; A Harrington, M O’Connell; N Carmody (capt.), N Ní Chonchúir, A Galvin; K Brosnan, E Dineen, H O’Donoghue.

Cork: S Murphy; M Duggan, L Coppinger, D Kiniry; A McDonagh, M O’Callaghan (capt.), D Kiely; A Healy, S Cronin; E Jack, K Quirke, S O’Leary; L McDonagh, H Looney, E Cleary.

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