Two Donegal changes ahead of crunch Mayo clash

By Jackie Cahill

DONEGAL boss Maxi Curran has made two changes in personnel from the team that lost to Dublin last time out for Sunday’s relegation crunch against Mayo in Division 1 of the Lidl Ladies National Football League.

Donegal must win in Letterkenny (2pm) to preserve their top-flight status, having contested a Division 1 Final last year.

A draw or victory will be good enough for Mayo to survive but if Donegal win, they’ll stay up on the head to head rule.

Donegal have drafted Susanne White and Ciara McGarvey in for starts in place of Sophie McFeely and Evelyn McGinley, while Mayo have gone with an unchanged starting line-up following their Connacht derby loss to Galway.

With progress to the Division 1 Final already secured, Galway and Kerry meet in a dress rehearsal at Tuam Stadium on Sunday (2pm).

From the team that lost out to Cork on St Patrick’s Day, Kerry have made five changes in personnel and have gone with a strong starting 15.

Aishling O’Connell, Lorraine Scanlon, Niamh Ní Chonchúir, captain Síofra O’Shea and top scorer Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh return to the team, with Ciara O’Brien, Aoife Dillane, Amy Harrington, Rachel Dwyer and Hannah O’Donoghue sitting this one out.

Galway have made just one change from the team that beat Mayo to secure their Final place, with Aoife O’Rourke replacing Roisin Leonard in the full-forward line.

Also on Sunday, Dublin welcome Waterford to Parnell Park for a 2pm start.

Dublin have made two changes to the team that accounted for Donegal in their last outing, with Aoife Kane and Jodi Egan coming in for Danielle Lawless and Hannah Tyrrell.

Waterford, fresh from victory against League and TG4 All-Ireland champions Meath, have made just one change, with Hannah Power replacing Kate McGrath in the half-back line.

The live TV game is on Saturday, when Cork welcome Meath to Páirc Uí Rinn for a 12.45pm start.

Cork have made four changes to the team that handed Kerry their first defeat of the season, with goalkeeper Sarah Murphy, Erika O’Shea, Dara Kiniry and Doireann O’Sullivan replacing Meabh O’Sullivan, Maire O’Callaghan, Rachel Leahy and Katie Quirke.

The Meath starting line-up shows just one change, with Monica McGuirk replacing Robyn Murray in goal.

Cork v Meath is live to view on TG4 on Saturday at https://www.tg4.ie/en/player/watch-live/, while Donegal v Mayo, Galway v Kerry and Dublin v Waterford will be live on the LGFA’s live-streaming portal: https://bit.ly/3k9k8CB

Cork (v Meath): S Murphy; M Duggan, E Meaney, R Phelan; E O’Shea, S Kelly, D Kiniry; H Looney, S Leahy (capt.); L Coppinger, D O’Sullivan, E Cleary; O Cahalane, E Kiely, C O’Sullivan.

Meath (v Cork): M McGuirk; A Sheridan, M.K. Lynch, K Newe; N Gallogly, S Ennis (capt.), A Cleary; M O’Shaughnessy, A Minogue; M Thynne, A Sherlock, C Smyth; A O’Leary, S Grimes, N O’Sullivan.

Donegal (v Mayo): A McColgan; C Keon, E Gallagher (capt.), N McLaughlin; R Rodgers, A Temple Asoko, T Hegarty; S Twohig, S McGroddy; N Carr, K Long, K Dowds; S White, K Herron, C McGarvey.

Mayo (v Donegal): L Brennan; É Ronayne, D Caldwell, S Lally; T O’Connor, C Needham, K Sullivan (capt.); A Geraghty, S Cafferky; S Walsh, S Howley, F McHale; L Cafferky, R Kearns, T Needham.

Galway (v Kerry): K Connolly; K Geraghty, S Ní Loingsigh (capt.), E Gavin; C Cooney, N Ward, A Molloy; A Davoren, O Divilly; L Coen, E Noone, L Noone; A O’Rourke, L Ward, K Slevin.

Kerry (v Galway): C Butler; É Lynch, K Cronin, C Murphy; A O’Connell, E Costello, C Lynch; L Scanlon, M O’Connell; N Carmody, N Ní Chonchúir, A Galvin; F Tangney, S O’Shea (capt.), L Ní Mhuircheartaigh.

Dublin (v Waterford): A Shiels; N Crowley, L Caffrey (capt.), J Tobin; L Magee, M Byrne, A Kane; J Dunne, E O’Dowd; C O’Connor, O Nolan, E Gribben; K Sullivan, N Hetherton, J Egan.

Waterford (v Dublin): E O’Brien; C Murray, M Dunford, A Murray; E Power, E Murray, H Power; K Hogan, A Waring; A O’Neill, A Fitzgerald, C McCarthy; Karen McGrath (capt.), B McMaugh, L McGregor.