Galway will provide toughest test yet, warns Armagh skipper O’Donnell

ARMAGH recognise they face a huge challenge in Hyde Park this afternoon if they are to qualify for the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Senior Championship final against Cork on October 1.

Winners of the junior title last year, they take on an experienced Galway side (5pm) which won the competition two years ago and were runners-up in last season’s decider.

Team captain Bronagh O’Donnell (Crossmaglen Rangers) admits that the step up from senior to junior has been difficult but adds that playing in Division One of the league proved beneficial.

“It has been a learning curve, but we put in a lot of hard work. I think we have made the transition quite well,’’ she commented.

They had five outings in Ulster, with home-and-away matches with Donegal and Tyrone and a final against Monaghan.

She explained: “We lost one of the games to Tyrone by a point, but beat them on aggregate. We know that we’ll have to perform to the best of our ability if we are to beat Galway. Obviously there is strength in depth there in the team. You could see it in their games with Meath, where they showed great character to win the replay. We know their forwards are lethal and they are strong all over.’’

Galway manager PJ Fahy, back in charge after taking a year out, is leaving nothing to chance. “We saw Armagh the last day against Waterford and they were very impressive — especially in a few key areas. They are in a similar position to ourselves a few years ago, when we won the junior title in 2002 and we got to the senior final the following year.

“We weren’t far away at the time. I’d say they will be much the same.’’

The Galway squad has changed very little over the last few years, with Niamh Fahey one of the major performers at full forward. Fahy, who agreed to get involved again because of his “fondness” for the group, emphasises the need for an improved display if they are to make it back to the final.

“I don’t think we improved a lot from the first game with Meath. We certainly didn’t play the first day.

“The difference in the replay was that we had that bit more heart. And, our work-rate was higher.’’

* The game will be preceded by the junior semi-final at 3.15pm between Leitrim and Longford.