Compiled by Jackie Cahill

Division 4 of the Lidl National League takes centre stage on Sunday – as the push for semi-final places heats up. 

Fermanagh are currently top of the table as they prepare to face Limerick in a repeat of the 2023 TG4 All-Ireland semi-final.

Elsewhere, fellow promotion contenders Carlow and Leitrim get Sunday’s action underway, while bottom two Derry and Kilkenny meet in Desertmartin.

Longford will play host to Wicklow in another game with big promotion consequences.

Longford are fourth in the current standings and on course for a semi-final slot, while Wicklow can’t afford any more slip-ups if they’re to have any chance of squeezing into the top four.

The 2024 Lidl National League Division 4 semi-finals will be played on Sunday March 24.

The top team following the groups stages will play the fourth-place finisher, with the teams in second and third places facing off against each other in the semi-finals.
 

Sunday February 25

Lidl NFL Division 4

Carlow v Leitrim; SETU Carlow Campus, 12.30pm

A crucial top of the table clash pits unbeaten Carlow, in third place, against Leitrim, just a point ahead in second.

This is a pivotal round of fixtures for the teams chasing semi-final spots, with both Carlow and Leitrim strongly in contention.

A win for either will guarantee a top four finish and the stakes are high at the SETU Carlow Campus for a 12.30pm start.

Even a defeat for Carlow or Leitrim would still leave them in a very strong position ahead of the final round of group fixtures. 

Carlow: N Hanley; A Carroll, A Roche, S McCullagh; R Bermingham (capt.), N Murphy, N Forde; M Townsend, R Bailey; E Hayden, B Nolan, S Doyle; R Sawyer, M O’Neill, C Ní Shé.

Leitrim: M Monaghan; E Bruen, C Tyrrell, C Owens; S Reynolds, K Bruen, O Flynn; N Tighe, M McGovern; V Egan, L O’Dowd, S Quinn; A Clancy, L Fox, B O’Rourke.

Derry v Kilkenny; St Martin's GAC, Desertmartin, 2pm 

Derry and Kilkenny meet at St Martin’s GAC in Desertmartin eager to get off the mark in Division 4.

Both counties have lost all of their games to date but that will all change on Sunday.

Derry won when the counties met in the 2023 Lidl National League and the Oak Leafers will be confident of a similar result on home soil.

Kilkenny have been battling hard in their fixtures to date and will be confident of giving a good account of themselves.

Derry: E Conway; H Mullan, A McGough, J Corr (capt.); S Hargan, B Donnelly, A Frizelle; M Devine, C O’Kane; Erin Doherty, D McKeever, A Ni Lochlainn; Emma Doherty, C Donnelly, C Moore.

Kilkenny: N Gillen; L Brett, A O’Neill, S Smith; K Ryan, A Galwey, R Roche; K Comerford, E Lawlor (capt.); C Moore, H Brennan, J O’Keeffe; M Gilsenan, K Purcell, B Roche.

Limerick v Fermanagh; Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale, 2pm 

Fermanagh are flying high at the top of the table and a positive result here would guarantee a semi-final slot.

Limerick are currently fifth on eight points alongside Longford and, as things stand, the race for a fourth place finish looks to be a straight fight between these counties.

But the picture could well change on Sunday depending on results, as Limerick are just three points behind third-placed Carlow, who face a tough home fixture against Leitrim.

We’ll have a clearer idea on Sunday about Limerick’s semi-final prospects, while even a defeat for Fermanagh doesn't look like affecting their last-four prospects. 

The counties meet for the first time since last year’s TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship semi-final, when Limerick were triumphant.

Limerick: C Bateman; M MacNamara, J McGuire, F Bradshaw; D Murphy, Y Lee, G Lee; R Ambrose (capt.), L Ryan; E Woulfe, C Mee, K O’Leary; I Kennelly, A O’Sullivan, R Browne.

Fermanagh: R Gleeson; C Clarke, M McGloin, N Johnston; S McQuade (capt.), J Doonan, S McCarville; C Murphy, B Bannon; E Smyth, N McManus, E Maguire; B Bogue, C Bogue, L Maguire.

Longford v Wicklow; Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 3.30pm

Wicklow will need to win their last two games to have any chance of making the semi-finals.

Longford, too, need a strong finish to maintain their push for a knockout spot.

Wicklow are sitting on four points, with one win, three defeats and a draw, and simply cannot afford any more slip-ups.

A win for Longford at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park would boost their chances of making the last four. 

They’re on eight points at the start of play – just three adrift of Carlow, who are in third place.

Longford: R McGrath; O Nevin, E O’Brien, G Kenny; K McKeon, L Shannon, C McCormack (capt.); S Gallagher, S Hagan; Clodagh Lohan, G Shannon, Caoimhe Lohan; K Burke, N Brady, K Shannon.

Wicklow: E Griffin; M Corr, S.J. Winders (capt.), S Goetelen; N Caffrey, C Murphy, R Byrne; A Gorman, M Healy; S Evans, S McGettigan, A Harmon; E O’Brien, N Cullen, L Dunne.

Note: Venues subject to change depending on weather conditions.

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