PROMOTION and relegation matters are heating up across the Lidl National Leagues. A pivotal weekend of action should see the overall picture become clearer – with a full round of 16 games in store. In Division 1, the live TG4 offering is the meeting of Munster rivals Cork and Waterford on Saturday (7.35 pm) at Páirc Uí Rinn in a top-of-the-table clash. Another provincial derby, Kildare against Meath in Leinster, is Saturday’s other top-flight tie, available via live LGFA stream, before attention switches to 14 games on Sunday across the board.
On Sunday, five ties will be live-streamed. A relegation six-pointer between Armagh and Dublin, along with Galway’s trip to Kerry, are the Division 1 games on offer, while promotion chasers Cavan, Mayo and Donegal feature in Division 2 picks, as Mayo host Donegal and Monaghan make the relatively short trip to Cavan.
Kerry v Galway; Austin Stack Park, Tralee, 2 pm SUNDAY
Kerry were left disappointed by their display against Cork last weekend, with the Kingdom held scoreless in the first half. That was a second defeat of the season for the holders but they’re not out of the race for another final slot. Kerry welcome Galway to Tralee, knowing that a win will have them right back in the hunt. Galway themselves would welcome what would be a fourth win of the campaign if they can achieve it. Last year’s Division 2 champions are joint second on nine points alongside Waterford and very much in the hunt. Following victory over Armagh last time out, Galway are unchanged, while Kerry have opted for eight switches. In goal, Mary Ellen Bolger comes in for Ciara Butler, while there are seven changes outfield. Kiera Furey, Deirdre Kearney, Róisín Rahilly, Anna Galvin, Niamh Carmody, Julia Curtin and Danielle O’Leary replace Eabha Ní Laighin, Ava Doherty, Katie Brosnan, Kelli McGrath, Megan O’Connor, Rachel Dwyer and Niamh Quinn.
Kerry: M.E. Bolger; K Furey, E Lynch, D Kearney; R Rahilly, A Galvin, A Dillane; M O’Connell, C Evans; N Carmody, K Enright, N Ní Chonchúir; S O’Shea (capt.), J Curtin, D O’Leary.
Galway: L O’Halloran; R Quinn, S Ní Loingsigh, B Quinn; H Noone, C Trill, A Molloy; N Divilly, A Madden; A O’Rourke, K Slevin, K Thompson; A Trill, L Coen, R Leonard.
Saturday February 28
Lidl NFL Division 1
Kildare v Meath; Manguard Plus Kildare GAA Centre of Excellence, 5 pm. With three rounds of fixtures remaining, Kildare are deep in relegation trouble. The Lilywhites are bottom of the table with just a single point, two adrift of Dublin and Armagh, who play each other on Sunday. This is a vital game for the hosts, who welcome a Meath side still chasing a final place at the top end of the table. The Royals arrive for this Leinster derby three points off Waterford and Galway, who are joint second behind pacesetters Cork in the race for a top-two finish. Kildare are unchanged for this one, following defeat to Dublin last weekend, while Meath have made one change to the side that inflicted a first defeat of the season on Waterford, as Sarah Wall comes in for Amy Gaffney.
Kildare: C Nallen; E Wheeler, L Reilly, M Doherty; H McLoughlin, R Sargent, L Lenehan (capt.); N Murphy, G Wheeler; L Shaw, C Wheeler, M Aspell; A Rattigan, M Doyle, A Prizeman.
Meath: R Murray; Á Sheridan, M.K. Lynch, K Kealy; S Murphy, S Wall, K Bermingham; O Sheehy, N Gallogly (capt.); M Farrelly, C Smyth, M Thynne; E Duggan, R Casserly, O Finnegan.
Cork v Waterford; Páirc Uí Rinn, 7.35pm
Cork are flying high at the top of the table and this Munster derby promises to be a cracker. The Rebels start the day on ten points, just a point clear of visitors Waterford. As Waterford fell to Meath last weekend, Cork took the chance to move top of the table with an impressive win over Kerry. Any fears that Cork would struggle on their return to the top flight have been allayed in style as Joe Carroll’s charges continue to impress. For this TG4 clash, Cork are unchanged, as Waterford bring in Chloe Fennell for Maeve Daly.
Cork: S Murphy; M Duggan, D Kiniry, S Kelly; A Corcoran, S McGoldrick, R Corkery; A Healy, A O’Mahony; R Leahy, G Ní Mhurchú, E Cleary; R O’Regan, K Quirke, L Hallahan.
Waterford: K Gardiner; C Murray, R Casey, A McGrath; K McGrath, E Murray (capt.), L Mulcahy; Á O’Neill, E Power; K Murray, K Hogan, B McMaugh; C Fennell, C Walsh, L McGregor.
Sunday March 1
Lidl NFL Division 1
Armagh v Dublin; BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, 2 pm
Before the season began, it would have been difficult to picture this game as a relegation six-pointer. Sunday’s tie pits Armagh, last year’s Division 1 finalists and winners in 2024, against Dublin, the reigning TG4 All-Ireland senior champions. Such is the competitive nature of the top flight, we now have two of the big guns scrapping to stay afloat. Dublin got off the mark with their first win of the season against Kildare last weekend and they’ve made two changes for the trip to Armagh, with Ellen Gribbin and Jodi Egan coming in for Annabelle Timothy and Orla Keighran. Armagh also make two changes in personnel, with Aoife McCoy and Aimee Mackin handed starts in place of Roisin Mulligan and Maeve Lennon. Armagh’s inside line looks particularly stacked, with evergreen Caroline O’Hanlon flanked by sharpshooters Mackin and Kelly Mallon. This is a first start of the campaign for Mackin.
Armagh: B Mathers; M Ferguson, C McCambridge, C Towe; A Donnelly, L McConville (capt.), E Druse; C Marley, C O’Reilly; L Marsden, A McCoy, B Mackin; A Mackin, C O’Hanlon, K Mallon.
Dublin: A Shiels; N Crowley, H Leahy, C Almeida; S McIntyre, H McGinnis, N Donlon; R Hartnett, O Nolan (capt.); E Gribbin, L Grendon, K Donaghy; M Davoren, N Hetherton, J Egan.
