Preview Dublin v Cork, LIDL NFL Rd 7
- Apr 05,2019
Lidl Ladies National Football League; Round 7 Preview Dublin v Cork
By Jackie Cahill of LGFA
THE 2019 Lidl National Football League Division 1 semi-finalists have been confirmed – but Round 7 will confirm who plays who in the last four.
In a twist of fate, the counties who have reached the knockout stages are last year’s TG4 All-Ireland Senior semi-finalists – Dublin, Cork, Donegal and Galway.
All four are current provincial champions and the fixtures calendar dictates that Cork will play Dublin on Sunday, with Galway up against Donegal as the semi-final picture takes shape.
Lidl Ladies NFL Division 1 - Round 7
Cork v Dublin, Mallow, (S Mulvihill, Kerry)
Cork and Dublin meet for the first time in a competitive fixture since the 2018 TG4 All-Ireland Senior Final. On that occasion, the Sky Blues roared to victory in front of a record 50,141 attendance at Croke Park, but Cork will have gained much from that experience.
Having ruled the roost for so long, Cork now find themselves in the position of hunters, with Dublin the current Lidl NFL and TG4 All-Ireland champions. Cork will be anxious to put on a big show against the visiting Dubs in Mallow and this might not be the last time they face each other in the League this season.
Dublin are currently top on scoring difference and will stay there if they beat Cork, and Galway see off Donegal. If Dublin and Donegal are locked together on points at the conclusion of the group stages, it’s Donegal who will finish on top on the ‘head-to-head’ rule.
Dublin’s only defeat of the campaign was that opening day reverse against Donegal at Croke Park – but they’ve won five in a row since. Cork lost against Galway and Tipperary on home soil, but four wins have seen them through to the knockout stages.
Cork have made six changes to the team that accounted for Mayo last time out, with Lisa Crowley coming in for goalkeeper Martina O’Brien.
Further out the field, Clare O’Shea, Meabh Cahalane, Laura O’Mahony, Libby Coppinger and Rhona Ní Bhuachalla are named to start, with Melissa Duggan, Niamh Cotter, Emma Spillane, Eimear Scally and Orla Finn dropping out of the team.
Dublin’s team shows eight changes compared to the one that started against Galway in Round 6.
Rachel Fleming is in for Ciara Trant in goal while further out the field, Éabha Rutledge, Emma McDonagh, Sinead Finnegan, Siobhan McGrath, Siobhan Woods, Siobhan Killeen and Hannah O’Neill are all starters. They come in for Martha Byrne, Niamh Collins, Rachel Ruddy, Lauren Magee, Orlagh Nolan, captain Sinéad Aherne and Nicole Owens, a real indication of Dublin’s strength in depth, as manager Mick Bohan makes eight changes in total.
Dublin: Rachel Fleming (Kilmacud Crokes), Éabha Rutledge (Kilmacud Crokes), Olwen Carey (Thomas Davis), Emma McDonagh (Foxrock Cabinteely); Sinead Goldrick (Foxrock Cabinteely), Sinead Finnegan (Fingallians), Aoife Kane (Kilmacud Crokes); Jennifer Dunne (Cuala), Siobhan McGrath (Thomas Davis); Carla Rowe (Clann Mhuire), Siobhan Woods (Raheny), Hannah O’Neill (Foxrock Cabinteely; Siobhan Killeen (Clontarf), Noelle Healy (Mourneabbey), Niamh McEvoy (St Sylvesters).
Cork: Lisa Crowley; Clare O’Shea, Hannah Looney, Eimear Meaney; Daire Kiely, Ashling Hutchings, Eimear Kiely; M O’Callaghan, Meabh Cahalane; Orlagh Farmer, Ciara O’Sullivan, Laura O’Mahony; Libby Coppinger, Doireann O’Sullivan (capt.), Rhona Ní Bhuachalla.