Ladies team news: Fitzgerald makes three changes for Cavan clash

July 19, 2019

Cork's Libby Coppinger and manager Ephie Fitzgerald celebrate. ©INPHO/Bryan Keane.

Compiled by Jackie Cahill

CORK manager Ephie Fitzgerald has made three changes in personnel from the team that started against Waterford in the TG4 Munster Final, ahead of Saturday’s Group 1 All-Ireland qualifier against Cavan.

The clash with the Breffni County is live on TG4 from TEG Cusack Park, with a 3.15pm throw-in, and Fitzgerald has drafted Emma Spillane, Maire O’Callaghan and Áine O’Sullivan into his starting line-up.

The Kiely twins, Daire and Eimear, drop to the bench, while influential midfielder Niamh Cotter is ruled out of this one with a hand injury.

All eyes will be on Cork, one of the All-Ireland favourites and Lidl NFL Division 1 champions, as they begin their round-robin phase of the competition.

Cavan, meanwhile, are unchanged following their epic and high-scoring one-point victory over Armagh in Round 1 last weekend, a result that could well be good enough to see them through to the quarter-finals.

And a victory for Cavan against Cork would guarantee top spot in Group 1, should James Daly’s charges spring a surprise in Mullingar.

The first game on the live TG4 double-bill is the meeting of Ulster rivals Donegal and Tyrone at 1.15pm.

The teams have already met in this year’s Championship – when Donegal beat the Red Hands in the preliminary round in Ulster.

Donegal went on to claim provincial silverware and are now preparing for their first outing in the All-Ireland series, with Tyrone hoping to bounce back from last Saturday’s three-point defeat against Mayo in Group 4.

Donegal’s starting line-up shows two changes to the team that lined out against Armagh, with Anna Marie McGlynn and Niamh Hegarty named to start in place of Megan Ryan and Niamh McLaughlin.

It should be noted, however, that Niamh McLaughlin wasn’t named to start in the Ulster Final victory over Armagh, but she was sprung from the start and scored 2-2.

Tyrone, meanwhile, are unchanged ahead of what is a must-win encounter for Gerry Moane’s charges.

Also on Saturday, the meeting of Monaghan and Waterford in Group 2 will revive memories of classic encounters between counties who met in All-Ireland Senior Finals in 1994, 1995, 1997 and 1998.

This is Monaghan’s first outing since losing the Ulster semi-final to Armagh on June 9 – and manager Niall Treanor has handed starts to Karla Lambe, Lisa Flynn and Louise Kerley, who come in for Casey Treanor, Rosemary Courtney and Muireann Atkinson.

In a group with Dublin, this is a must-win encounter for both sides, as Waterford suffered defeat against the Sky Blues last weekend.

Déise boss Ciaran Curran has named an unchanged team, but dual player Caoimhe McGrath is listed among the subs and could earn a start.

Sunday’s only tie in the senior championship is the meeting of Galway and Westmeath in Group 3 (TEG Cusack Park, 1pm). 

Galway, the Connacht champions, dug out a four-point victory over Kerry in Round 1, and a second win would ensure that the Tribeswomen finish on top of the pool.

Manager Tim Rabbitt has handed a vote of confidence to the 15 that started against the Kingdom, while Westmeath have handed starts to Lucy Power, Fiona Coyle and Leanne Slevin, as manager Sean Finnegan makes three changes in personnel to the team that lined out against Dublin in the Leinster Final.

The aforementioned trio come in for Lucy McCartan, Annie Dolan and Sarah Dillon, who are not in the matchday panel.

Westmeath won’t need reminding that the suffered a big loss to Galway in the All-Ireland round-robin series last year, going down by 1-6 to 6-17.

Cork (v Cavan): M O’Brien; E Meaney, H Looney, S Kelly; E Spillane, M Duggan, A Hutchings; M O’Callaghan, O Farmer; Á O’Sullivan, C O’Sullivan, O Finn; E Scally, S Noonan, L Coppinger.

Cavan (v Cork): E Walsh; K McIntyre, R Doonan, S Reilly; S Greene, S Lynch, M Sheridan; N Byrd, S O’Sullivan; D English, A Maguire, A Gilsenan; C Finnegan, A Sheridan, L Fitzpatrick.

Donegal (v Tyrone): A McColgan; T Doherty, E Gallagher, E Keeney; N Carr, N McLaughlin, A.M. McGlynn; K Herron, E McGinley; K Guthrie, N Hegarty, A Boyle Carr; S McGroddy, G McLaughlin, N Boyle.

Tyrone (v Donegal): S Lynch; C Hunter, J Barrett, C Conway; E Brennan, T McLaughlin, N McGirr; E.J. Gervin, S McCarroll; N Hughes, M Canavan, A McHugh; N O’Neill, C Kelly, C McCaffrey.

Monaghan (v Waterford): B Tierney; K Lambe, S Boyd, L Flynn; A McAnespie, H McSkane, N Kerr; A McCarey, E McAnespie; S Coyle, C Courtney, C McBride; E Woods, L Kerley, C McAnespie.

Waterford (v Monaghan): R Landers; C Murray, E Murray, Kate McGrath; R Tobin, Karen McGrath, A Mullaney; K Murray, C Fennell; A Wall, K Hogan, B Valuntaite; E Fennell, M Ryan, M Delahunty.

Galway (v Westmeath): D Gower; S Molloy, S Burke, O Murphy; N Ward, B Hannon, C Cooney; L Ward, Á McDonagh; O Divilly, M Glynn, M Seoighe; T Leonard, L Hannon, L Coen.

Westmeath (v Galway): L McCormack; R Dillon, J Rogers, L Power; K Boyce Jordan, K McDermott, F Coyle; J Maher, M.A. Foley; S Dolan, A Jones, N Feery; L Slevin, F Claffey, V Carr.

Follow the hoganstand.com match tracker this weekend for live coverage of Dublin v Roscommon, Cork v Tyrone, Kerry v Donegal and Mayo v Meath from the Super 8s.


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