The TG4 Ladies Football Championships continue this weekend with action across this country, starting with the Munster meeting of Cork and Kerry on Friday evening.

Friday, June 17th

TG4 Munster Senior Football Championship

Cork v Kerry, Macroom, 7:30pm

The action gets underway this weekend with the mouth watering clash of Cork and Kerry. Cork have one foot in the Provincial decider after recording a narrow victory over Waterford in their provincial opener. Questions remain over the availability of their captain, Ciara O'Sullivan, who suffered injury in their victorious league final. Orla Finn has stepped in to take on the scoring burden but she will need to take yet more responsibility should O'Sullivan not be available. Kerry are the defending Munster champions and will be determined not to relinquish their crown. Louise Ní Muircheartaigh should return to the starting line up in what would be a massive boost for their cause.

There is never very much between these two sides and it will be expected that whoever wins will do so by a small margin. Cork are traditionally vulnerable in the early rounds but Ephie Fitzgerald will be sure to guard against underperformance in his first provincial championship campaign  in charge of the Rebellettes.

Saturday, June 18th

TG4 Ulster Intermediate Football Championship

Down v Fermanagh, Galbally (Tyrone), 2:00pm

Fermanagh pushed Tyrone very close when the sides met in the previous round but they will need to find a winning performance when they face a Down side that are starting to look more like the team that won the Intermediate Championship only 2 years ago. Aileen Pyers is the marquee forward for Down so Fermanagh will need to be at their very best if they are not to fall victim of another great performance from the 2014 All Star.

TG4 Ulster Senior Football Championship Semi Finals

Cavan v Donegal, Killyclogher (Tyrone), 5:00pm

Ulster is probably the most competitive province with any of the four teams in the semi finals capable of winning the title. Donegal are the defending champions and were the Lidl Division 2 champions defeating Cavan in the semi final of that competition. However, this is a vastly different side to that which triumphed in May with several players being unavailable including their ace attacker, Geraldine McLaughlin. Cavan are a very talented unit that have been knocking on the door of major success at adult level in recent years. The Breffni county have leaders all over the pitch including Grainne McGlade, Donna English and Aisling Sheridan. However, the burden of getting the necessary scores will fall to Aisling Doonan and Roisin O'Keefe who are class attackers.

If Donegal are to retain their provincial championship it will probably depend on Yvonne McMonagle producing another big performance. In the absence of several players Donegal will probably start as underdogs but with plenty of class in their ranks like McMonagle they may yet return to the Ulster decider.

Armagh v Monaghan, Killyclogher (Tyrone), 7:00pm

For so long Monaghan had been the standard bearers in Ulster but this is no longer the case as first Armagh and then Donegal have claimed the last two Ulster titles. Monaghan are a much changed outfit from the one that dominated Ulster and pushed Cork so close in successive years but there is still plenty of winning experience in their ranks. The Courtney sister, the McAnespie twins and Ellen McCarron are no strangers to winning big matches and they will be full of determination to ensure that they recapture that winning feeling. On the other side is this Armagh team that have emerged as one of the very best in recent years. Armagh competed well in Division 1 of the League this season and have a great mix of youth and experience with established stars like Caroline O'Hanlon and Sinead Kernan joined by young guns like Aimee Mackin and her sister Blaithín.

Ronan Clarke has introduced some new young stars to compliment his established stars and they will face their first real test when they take on this experienced Monaghan team. There will be very little between these two teams at the final whistle as both of these sides will have ambitions of being involved in the championship late into the Summer.

Sunday, June 19th

TG4 Leinster Senior Football Championship

Westmeath v Dublin, Cusack Park, Mullingar, 2:00pm

These two sides enjoyed big wins last weekend but both will have known that this weekend will present a very different challenge. Dublin are looking to make it a fifth title in a row but the team that has presented the biggest challenge throughout their run of titles has been Westmeath who have been improving steadily. Dublin will go into this match as favourites, a tag they have become more than used to. The Sky Blues are packed full of All Star players like Noelle Healy, Sinead Goldirck, Sinead Aherne, Carla Rowe and Lyndsey Davey. Dublin are likely to give some fringe players an opportunity to stake a claim for a place on the starting 15 this weekend as they will have an eye on more than likely facing the same opposition in the Leinster Final. Westmeath need to produce a big performance to boost their confidence if they are to mount a serious campaign to dethrone Dublin.

There can be little doubt that Westmeath have plenty of quality with which they can trouble Dublin and there may not be a better chance to get a win over their great rivals this weekend. Players like Johanna Maher, Maud Anne Foley and Leona Archibald will need to produce big performances if they are to score what would be a morale boosting victory.

TG4 Leinster Intermediate Football Championship

Wicklow v Offaly, Newtownmountkennedy GAA Grounds, 3:00pm

Wicklow will be expecting their recent upturn in fortunes when they meet Offaly in the TG4 Leinster Intermediate Championship this weekend. Offaly had a very difficult championship opener last weekend and a meeting with a Wicklow side that are coming off a good showing in the Lidl NFL and who pushed a good Wexford side very close last weekend, could prove to be a very difficult challenge for the Faithful County.

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