Dublin & Donegal looking forward to Croke Park league opener
- Jan 31,2019
LIDL NFL Div 1, Round 1
Saturday 2nd February 2019
Croke Park, 5pm
Dublin v Donegal
“Donegal are BUZZING ahead of Saturday’s Croke Park clash with the Dubs”
Dublin will get their 2019 NFL campaign underway this coming Saturday when they take on Donegal in Croke Park. This fixture is just one of 13 league double bills that the LGFA have secured this season with their GAA counterparts. At 7pm, Dublin and Galway will lock horns following the women’s fixture in their second round Allianz NFL tie. Jim Gavin’s side will be hoping to bounce back from last Sunday’s 3 point defeat to Monaghan in Clones.
The Six nations meeting of Ireland v England (16.45pm kick off) will no question have an impact on the number of patrons making their way early to Croke Park this coming Saturday but the chance of a double bill in GAA HQ was simply too good an opportunity for the LGFA to turn down. While Dublin have been fortunate to play in Croke Park now on several occasions since 2014 this will be Donegal’s first time to play on the hallowed turf since they won the Intermediate All Ireland final back in 2010.
Donegal Captain, Karen Guthrie told Jerome Quinn at the LIDL NFL launch on Tuesday last “that they (Donegal) were buzzing ahead of Saturday’s game. We’re really looking forward to it. It’s going to be fantastic to play at Croke Park in the league opener”.
So looking at the game itself, Dublin have enjoyed two victories over Donegal during Mick Bohan’s tenure as manager. Ulster champions, Donegal are without question an experienced and talented side who will relish the opportunity to get one over on the Dubs. The fore-mentioned Karen Guthrie, along with the Hegarty sister Ciara and Niamh will have no fear taking on the reigning NFL champions. Up front, Geraldine McLaughlin is a major scoring threat and one to be watched closely. Donegal will however have to do without the services of key forward Yvonne Bonner for their entire NFL campaign. Bonner is currently in Australia playing Women's AFL with Greater Western Sydney Giants (GWS).
In their last two league meetings it has been Dublin who have enjoyed the spoils on both occasions. Dublin saw off the challenge from Donegal last year enjoying a 4 point victory while the year previous the margin between the two sides was 7.
Dublin will name their starting 15 for Saturday’s clash tomorrow (Friday) around lunchtime. Dublin manager, Mick Bohan is expected to hand a number of his up and coming panellists some valuable game time and indeed experience throughout the course of Dublin’s 2019 league campaign.
When they meet previously …..
LIDL NFL Div 1 Rd 1
(28th January 2018)
Donegal 0-7 (7) Dublin 2-5 (11)
Dublin: Ciara Trant, Martha Byrne, Katie Murray, Laura McGinley, Leah Caffrey, Muireann Ni Scanaill, Niamh Collins; Lauren Magee, Olwen Carey, Carla Rowe, Lyndsey Davey, Eabha Rutledge, Sarah McCaffrey, Niamh McEvoy, Oonagh White.
Dublin scorers: Niamh McEvoy, Rebecca McDonnell 1-0 each, Carla Rowe 0-2f, Lyndsey Davey, Eabha Rutledge, Oonagh Whyte 0-1 each
Dublin subs: Rebecca McDonnell for McCaffrey (20), Aoife Kane for Ni Scanaill (39), Nicole Owens for Rowe (39), Danielle Lawless for McGinley (45), Lucy Collins for Magee (48), Sinead Aherne for Whyte (50), Emily Flanagan for Murray (50), Hannah O’Neill for McDonnell (53), Julia Buckley for Rutledge (57), Kate Fitzgibbon for McEvoy (57).
Donegal: Laura Gallagher; Theasa Doherty, Nicole McLaughlin, Olive McCafferty, Anna Marie McGlynn, Ciara Hegarty, Aoife McDonnell, Katie Herron, Emer Gallagher; Karen Guthrie, Niamh Hegarty, Blathnaid McLaughlin, Bridget Gallagher, Yvonne Bonner, Sarah Jane McDonald.
Donegal scorers: Karen Guthrie 0-5 (3f), Yvonne Bonner 0-2 (1f).
Donegal subs: Ciara Grant for B. Gallagher (28), Eilish Ward for McDonald (45), Amy Boyle-Carr for Grant (48), Grainne Houston for McCaffrey (53)
LIDL NFL Div 1 Rd 4
(26th February 2017)
Dublin 2-17 (23) Donegal 3-7 (16)
Dublin: Ciara Trant, Fiona Hudson, Olsen Carey, Leah Caffrey, Martha Byrne, Noelle Healy, Tarah O'Sullivan, Lauren Magee, Molly Lamb, Kate McKenna, Sarah McCaffrey, Carla Rowe, Rebecca McDonnell, Lyndsey Davey, Sinead Aherne.
Dublin scorers: Lyndsey Davey 1-04, Sinead Aherne 0-7 (4f), Carla Rowe 1-2, Lauren Magee 0-02, Sarah McCaffrey, Hannah O'Neill 0-1 each
Dublin subs: Hannah O'Neill for McKenna, Sinead Finnegan for Tarah O'Sullivan, Kate Fitzgibbon for Sarah McCaffrey, Aoife Curran for Martha Byrne, Olivia Leonard for Carla Rowe, Lauren McGinley for Kate Fitzgibbon.
Donegal: Laura Gallagher, Theasa Doherty, Ciara Hegarty, Kate Keeney, Therese McClafferty, Nicole McLaughlin, Emer Gallagher, Katie Herron, Karen Guthrie, Grainne Houston, Niamh Hegarty, Eilish Ward, Roisin Friel, Geraldine McLaughlin, Paula McGroarty.
Donegal scorers: Geraldine McLaughlin 2-02 (1P, 1f), Niamh Hegarty 1-02, Grainne Houston, Eilish Ward, Paula McGroarty 0-01 each
Donegal subs: Kniesha McKinney for Therese McClafferty, Deirdre Foley for Emer Gallagher, Shannon McGruddy for Paula McGroarty