There are three crucial championship games this weekend.
 

Saturday, 23^rd July

TG4 Ladies Senior Football Championship Preliminary Round

Armagh v Waterford, Clane, 2:00pm (N. McCormack)

When the draw was made for the TG4 Ladies Senior Football Championship it threw up some brilliant matches and none will whet the appetite for championship action then the meeting of Armagh and Waterford this Saturday in Clane. These two sides have plenty of recent history. It was Waterford that Armagh defeated in Croke Park in 2012 to seal their return to the Senior ranks and they defeated the same opposition in the Division 3 League final in 2014 as they began their ascent to the top division. Waterford have since followed suit with their own TG4 All Ireland victory last year and Lidl NFL Division 3 promotion this year but memories of those defeats will be sure to motivate the Déise.

Armagh had been enjoying a very positive 2016 but then the wheels came off when they were knocked out of the TG4 Ulster championship by a rejuvenated Monaghan side in the semi final. They will be forced to line out without the injured Sinead Kernan and the unavailable Lauren McConville this weekend but there is still loads of talent in this team. Mairead Tennyson leads the team from corner back with Fionnuala McKenna reprising her playmaking role at centre back. Caroline O'Hanlon will, as always, be expected to provide the inspiration from midfield whilst Kelly Mallon and the excellent Aimee Mackin have the potential to unlock any defence.

Waterford had a tough introduction to senior football losing out to both Cork and Kerry in the TG4 Munster Championship but they will be very encouraged by the displays that they gave. Their defence is particularly strong with the Ballymacabry trio of Mairead and Linda Wall along with Michelle McGrath forming a watertight full back line. Emma Murray and her sister, Katie, will provide youthful exhuberance whilst Maria Delahunty is excellent from placed balls. Aileen Wall is their ace in the hold as she will start the match from the bench.

This will be a very intense and tight match as neither team will want to be the first to be knocked out of the championship. There will be very little between the sides but Armagh will have the upper hand in terms of Senior Championship experience.

 

TG4 Ladies Intermediate Football Championship Preliminary Round

Roscommon v Wicklow, Kinnegad, 1:30pm (A. Gallagher)

Roscommon will be disappointed not to have reached the TG4 Connacht Championship Final after enjoying a promising Lidl NFL campaign. The Connacht side will have real ambitions of playing late into the Summer but they will need to be on top form against this Wicklow team. The Garden County were impressive throughout their Lidl NFL Division 4 campaign and will be disappointed not to have secured promotion. Roscommon will go into this match as favourites having played in the higher division but they will have to be at their best to beat this determined Wicklow side.

Offaly v Limerick, Nenagh, 1:30pm, (S. Joy)

Offaly are a side that are capable of beating any team in the TG4 Intermediate division on their day and they have proven this as recently as last Summer when they defeated Limerick to clinch promotion to Division 3 of the Lidl NFL. However, results in the TG4 Leinster championship have gone against them with some big losses on the way. Their star player, Mairead Daly, is not in the panel but they will be buoyed by the return of the excellent Róisín Egan who is named on the bench. Limerick have been in great form and although they failed to reach the TG4 Munster Intermediate Final they will still be confident against a very familiar opponent. Niamh Richardson would make any team in the country and will drive the team from the middle of the field whilst Dymphna O'Brien will be the focal point of their attack as always. Limerick will be expected to win against this out of form Offaly team but the Faithful are always at their best when the odds are against them.

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