Dublin Team named for Semi Final

  • Jun 27,2014

TG4 Leinster Senior Championship semi-final

Sunday, June 29th

Naomh Mearnog GAA club, 1pm

Referee: Colm McManus (Meath)

 

Same again for Dublin versus Westmeath

 

Dublin has announced their line up for this Sunday’s Leinster semi-final clash with Westmeath.

 

Gregory McGonigle has remained faithful to the same starting fifteen which saw off the challenge from Kildare last Sunday by 20 points.

 

Martha Byrne and Niamh McEvoy both of whom were second half substitutes in the Kildare game will be somewhat disappointed not to feature from the start versus Westmeath having done well when introduced.

 

Similar to their male counter parts Dublin Ladies also possess a strong bench besides the fore mentioned duo of Byrne and McEvoy, Ballyboden St Endas, Natalia Hyland and Olivia Leonard of St Maurs are also vying hard for first team positions.

 

McGongile is fortunate to have such a strong panel as the Derry native will once more have to plan without the services of Dublin Captain, Sinead Goldrick. The Foxrock Cabinteely star is reported to be making good progress with her rehabilitation from a troublesome knee injury that she picked up whilst training.

 

Denise Masterson, Siobhan McGrath and Nicole Owens are listed amongst the substitutes although all three players are carrying hand injuries all are available for selection if required.

 

Westmeath reached the TESCO Homegrown NFL division 2 final back in May only to lose out to a strong Galway side. This is the first time that the two Counties have meet in the senior championship in a long while as Westmeath where of Intermediate status until three years ago.

 

Westmeath won promotion to the senior ranks back in 2011 having captured the Intermediate crown following a replayed All Ireland final versus Cavan.

 

A number of that All Ireland winning squad are still involved with the 2014 panel including team Captain, Aileen Martin, midfielder Maud Annie Foley and forwards Johanna Maher and the Dublin based Fiona Claffey, who plays her club football with Foxrock Cabinteely.

 

Martin Flanagan's side are however missing inspirational forward Laura Walsh from their panel for 2014 with the Na Fianna ace tied up with the IRFU women’s sevens squad.

 

Walsh was one of a number of Ladies Gaelic footballers spotted by the IRFU via their Talent Identification Programme. The (TID) programme which has received an investment of over €1.1 million per annum from the IRFU was set up to create a high performance squad with the aspiration to qualify and successfully compete in Rio in 2016.

 

Walsh recently competed in the FIRA / AER European Women’s Sevens grand prix alongside former Dublin goal keeper, Hannah Tyrell.

 

The winner of Sunday’s semi -final will play either Meath or Laois in the TG4 Leinster Senior final on July 13th in Dr Cullen Park, the loser will head into the qualifiers.

 

Dublin LGFA will have LIVE updates from Sunday’s game in Portmarnock via their Twitter account @dublinladiesg

 

Dublin XV v Westmeath:

Cliodhna O’Connor, Rachel Ruddy, Sorcha Furlong, Leah Caffrey, Deirdre Murphy, Sinead Finnegan, Colleen Barrett, Sarah McCaffrey, Molly Lamb, Noelle Healy, Siobhan Woods, Carla Rowe, Lyndsey Davey, Sinead Aherne, Lindsay Peat.

 

End.