Players welcome new Ladies League format

THE revamped format for the Ladies Football National League has been welcomed by players, managers and officials, all of whom are hoping that the changes will usher in a more competitive era.

The Bord Gáis sponsored competition had consisted of three divisions, each divided into two sections (A and B) featuring four divisions with eight teams, all of whom will face one another.

Quarter-finals have been abolished with the top four counties from each division proceeding to their grade’s respective semi-finals. Association president Pat Quill believes the alterations will prove to be a huge success.

“We have been looking at it over the past two years really and we just felt that it needed restructuring to reflect the strength of the counties. Counties have to be playing competitive games and be in with a chance of winning something. Some of the games in the leagues have been too one-sided. We put these changes out to the counties and the feedback has been very good.

“So, we reorganised this year according to what we felt was the strength of the counties and I think it will be a very good, very competitive league and that the changes will benefit teams in all the new divisions.”

The new structure looks appealing on paper. Division One will feature six counties – Cork, Dublin, Galway, Laois, Mayo and Monaghan – who have appeared in All-Ireland finals inside the last ten years.

Kerry and Tyrone complete the line-up while Armagh, Donegal, Clare and Donegal have been redirected to the second tier where they will also face Down, Meath, Sligo and Tipperary.

“It definitely is a good idea because we have Dublin in our first league game and then we have Kerry and Monaghan,” said Cork’s Mairead Kelly.

“The changes should improve the quality of the games, give more of a challenge to teams and give people more of an insight into what to expect later in the championship.”

The reigning All-Ireland champions will be involved in the tie of the opening round this Sunday when they face a Dublin side in Fermoy that is still smarting after September’s defeat in the All-Ireland final when they looked to be on the way to claiming the Brendan Martin Cup for the first time before succumbing to the Rebelettes who were chasing the five-in-a-row.

Cork sailed to their fourth league title in five years earlier in the year, beating Dublin by 15 points in the semi-final. Twelve of the 30 group games in Division One were won by double-digit scores. Dublin’s 29-point massacre of Clare was the worst of those and no-one wants to see a repeat.

“There were a couple of matches like that,” said Dublin’s Cliodhna O’Connor, “and I don’t think that does either team any good. It demoralises them and you want to be pushing yourself against the top teams all the time.

“It encourages you to get your season off on the right foot. You will be competing every weekend.”