Dubs name team for opening NFL fixture vs Monaghan
- Jan 30,2015
Dublin Team named for opening round of TESCO Home Grown NFL
Dublin this evening announced their starting XV for their opening fixture of the 2015 TESCO Home Grown NFL.
Last season’s division 1 runners up Dublin will commence their campaign with a home tie versus the 2012 champions, Monaghan. Monaghan are managed by former Mayo boss, Peter Clarke. Clarke was previously involved with Monaghan back in 2011 along-side current Dublin boss Gregory McGonigle. He also managed Dublin for one season back in 2012 and is currently involved with UCD and Foxrock Cabinteely.
Both management teams will therefore be very familiar with the oppositions set ups thus giving Sunday’s dual an added mix of spice. It is anticipated that Monaghan will produce a strong line out for Sunday’s contest. Sharon Courtney, Grainne McNally, Cora Courtney along with Catriona McConnell and Caoimhe Mohan are all expected to feature in their starting team selection.
On Sunday just six Dublin players who started last September’s All Ireland final versus Cork will line out against Monaghan in DCU. Due to various reasons a number of senior players are currently unavailable to McGonigle for team selection.
The Dubs management team has used this opening to give a number of up and coming players from previous minor and U21 squads the opportunity to make the break through into the senior line up.
In fact 14 of the 34 named panel for Sunday’s NFL opener are U21 this includes five of last year’s minor squad which won the Leinster title under new Cavan boss, Conor Barry.
Dubs Manager Greg McGonigle has handed Ciara Trant, Olwen Carey, Lucy Collins and Sarah McCaffrey a starting place in Sunday’s clash with the Farney Army. All four players were members of last year’s All-Ireland winning U21 team while Collins and McCaffrey also played key roles for Dublin during the 2014 senior championship campaign.
Ciara Trant is named in goal while Olwen Carey and Lucy Collins are listed in the blues defence. Sarah McCaffrey starts at midfield where she partners Amy Connolly of Foxrock Cabinteely.
Connolly is making a welcome return to the Inter County scene after being away from top flight football for a couple of seasons. Along with Connolly, experienced duo Kim Flood and Fiona Hudson are also making a welcome return to the Dublin senior set up. Flood is named at corner forward alongside Niamh McEvoy and senior debutant Eabha Rutledge.
Hannah Noonan will also make her Dublin senior County debut on Sunday she is named on the half forward line along- side newly appointed team Captain Lyndsey Davey and U21 captain, Carla Rowe.
Colm McManus of Meath will give proceedings under way in DCU at 2pm, live score updates will be available on Twitter simply follow @dublinladiesg
Dublin XV:
1 Ciara Trant (St Brigids), 2 Rachel Ruddy (Ballyboden St Endas), 3 Sorcha Furlong (St Brigids), 4 Olwen Carey (Thomas Davis), 5 Sinead Goldrick (Foxrock Cabinteely), 6 Lucy Collins (Na Fianna), 7 Sinead Finnegan (Fingallians), 8 Amy Connolly (Foxrock Cabinteely), 9 Sarah McCaffrey (Clontarf), 10 Hannah Noonan (Foxrock Cabinteely), 11 Lyndsey Davey (Skerries Harps), 12 Carla Rowe (Clann Mhuire), 13 Eabha Rutledge (Kilmacud Crokes), 14 Niamh McEVoy (St Sylvester’s), 15 Kim Flood (Clanna Gael Fontenoy).
Dublin panel:
16 Serena Hannon (Clanna Gael Fontenoy), 17 Muireann Ni Scanaill (St Margaret’s), 18 Katie Murray (Clontarf), 19 Margaret Mohan (Clontarf), 20 Fiona Hudson (Fingallians), 21 Niamh Rickard (Fingallians), 22 Leah Mullins (St Brigids), 23 Niamh Collins (Foxrock Cabinteely), 24 Maria McGrath (Ballyboden St Endas), 25 Philippa Greene (Kilmacud Crokes), 26 Olivia Leonard (St Maurs), 27 Molly Lamb (Kilmacud Crokes), 28 Fiona Tuite (Na Fianna), 29 Noelle Healy (St Brigids), 30 Lindsay Peat (Parnells), 31 Colleen Barrett (St Brigids), 32 Ciara Ruddy (Ballyboden St Endas), 33 Emer Nà Éafa (Fingallians), 34 Nicole Owens (St Sylvester’s).
End.