TG4 Ladies All Ireland Football Final Launched
September 23, 2014
Intermediate finalists, Down's Kyla Trainor and Niamh McGowan, Fermanagh's Aisling Moane and Marita McDonald. Senior finalists, Cork's Vera Foley and Roisin Phelan with Dublin's Sinead Goldrick and Carla Rowe. Front, Wexford's Ciara Donnelly and Alisha Jordan from New York
The TG4 Ladies All Ireland Football Finals were launched at Croke Park by the captains of the 6 competing counties along with the President of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association.
The 41st TG4 All Ireland Finals will take place at Croke Park on Sunday, September 28th, with three matches taking place during an action packed day.
The All Ireland Junior Final will take place first with throw in at 11:45 as Wexford return to the All Ireland Final after losing out to Offaly in last year's decider. This year it will be unfamiliar opposition as they meet a New York team that is travelling across the Atlantic for this final. New York are no strangers to Croke Park having taken Wicklow to a replay in the 2011 final.
The Intermediate final is going to be an All-Ulster encounter as Down and Fermanagh meet for the fourth time this year and the third time in the championship. Down have held the upper hand in every encounter winning all 3 matches to date but since their last meeting, in the Ulster Final, Fermanagh have improved dramatically and are more than capable of walking away with the Championship.
The TG4 Senior All Ireland final features the only two counties that have won the title since 2005. Cork have won this title every year since 2005 with the exception of 2010 when Dublin were the victors. Cork's record is remarkable and their manager, Eamonn Ryan, will surely go down in history as one of the greatest managers in gaelic games as his team will also be remembered as one of the greatest teams of all time. Dublin are under new management in 2014 as Gregory McGonigle took over after guiding Monaghan to the All Ireland final in 2013. Dublin have been revitalised under his stewardship and they will take great confidence from their Aisling McGing Under 21 All Ireland earlier this year.
Speaking about the TG4 All Ireland Finals LGFA President, Pat Quill said 'We are very much looking forward to this year's All Ireland finals. There are 3 fantastic games in prospect with 6 evenly matched teams competing. I am particularly pleased that, for the first time, all three referees for the finals will be female. This is a historic moment that will help to break down more barriers, Yvonne Brady, Mags Doherty and Maggie Farrelly are all top ranking referees that have all officiated in All Ireland Finals previously. I would like to wish all 6 counties, their management teams, their players, county boards and their supporters the very best of luck on Sunday. I would also urge supporters to log on to www.tickets.ie to get their tickets for what could easily be the best games that Croke Park will see this year.'
TG4 Ardstiúrthóir, Pól Ó Gallchóir, said that Sunday's All-Ireland Finals have now established themselves as one of the mainstays in his channel's sporting calendar. "As TV content, this sport is hard to beat, " he said. "The colour and spectable, the fast pace of the play and the emphasis on playing the ball and getting scores, all of these elements make Peil na mBan unique and attractive. Its availability free to view on TG4 in Ireland and also worldwide on our Player, www.tg4.tv has also been a factor in promoting the games and giving them a special place in people's hearts. Nár laga Dia sibh. "
Useful Information:
The 2013 TG4 All Ireland Finals attracted 25,103 supporters to Croke Park.
A record number of viewers watched the TG4 All Ireland Finals live on TG4 with over 600,000 tuning in throughout the day.
Cork have won the TG4 All Ireland Final in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013. They had never reached the All Ireland Final before their first All Ireland win in 2005.
Dublin have won the TG4 All Ireland Final only once, in 2010, when they defeated Tyrone.
Dublin and Cork met in the 2009 All Ireland Final, Cork won 1-09 to 0-11 despite trailing by 2 points with 8 minutes to play.
Player Stats supplied by Avenir Sports (Based on TG4 All Ireland Semi Finals)
Ciara O'Sullivan had most possessions for Cork having the ball on 35 occasions, next was fellow half forward, Annie Walsh with 22 possessions and third was midfielder, Briege Corkery.
Sinead Aherne had most possessions for Dublin having had the ball on 30 occasions with fellow full forward, Lyndsey Davey coming second with 26 and half back Siobhan McGrath had the ball on 25 occasions.
Cork's centre forward is the assist leader for the champions with 6 whilst Sinead Aherne had 3 assists for Dublin.
Angela Walsh tops the list of most turn overs from the semi finals with 6, she is followed by Roisin Phelan and Deirdre O'Reilly both on 5. The highest turnovers for Dublin were from Siobhan McGrath with 4 whilst Denise Masterson and Rachel Ruddy had three each.
Dublin lead Cork in possession having had the ball on 250 occasions but Cork were only 3 behind on 247.
Cork carry the ball more than Dublin with 86 solos runs compared to Dublin's 68 with Dublin kicking the ball 68 times, 20 more than Cork.
There is nothing between the sides for passing accuracy with Cork on 93% and Dublin on 91% but Cork hold an edge with score conversion having 62% accuracy compared to Dublin's 52%
Cork turn over their opponents more often than Dublin although again there is nothing in it, 24 compared to 22 and Dublin lose possession more often than the champions having been turned over 21 times by Galway compared to Cork's 15 against Armagh.
TG4 Ladies All Ireland Football Finals
TG4 All Ireland Junior Football Final
New York v Wexford
Croke Park, 11:45am
Referee: Yvonne Duffy (Cavan), Stand by Referee: Colm McManus (Meath), 4th Official: Seamus Mulvihill (Kerry)
TG4 All Ireland Intermediate Football Final
Down v Fermanagh
Croke Park, 13:45
Referee: Mags Doherty (Wexford), Stand by Referee: Mel Kenny (Mayo), 4th Official: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow)
TG4 All Ireland Senior Football Final
Cork v Dublin
Croke Park, 16:00:
Referee: Maggie Farrelly (Cavan), Stand by Referee Terence McShea (Donegal), 4th Official Gerry Carmody (Mayo)
Tickets for all 3 finals are available through www.tickets.ie and www.ladiesgaelic.ie. Tickets cost €25 for adults, €10 for students/senior citizens & €8 for Under 16's. For details about group discounts contact the LGFA on 01 836 3156.
The TG4 Ladies All Ireland Football Finals; Be the Difference. Be There. #BetheDiff
For further information contact Derek Kinnevey (LGFA) on 087 7389386
Or for further statistics contact Avenir Sports at [email protected]
