Niamh Hetherton set for Dublin start against Cork

Dublin's Niamh Hetherton

NIAMH Hetherton has earned a start for Dublin as the champions welcome Cork to Croke Park for Saturday’s crucial Lidl NFL Division 1B clash (5.15pm, TG4).

Hetherton replaces Oonagh White in attack and that’s the only change in personnel as the Sky Blues bid to build on their opening day success against Waterford at Fraher Field last Sunday.

For Cork, this is a must-win clash after they lost out to Meath in Round 1 – and a second defeat could prove fatal in their quest for a semi-final spot.

Roisin Phelan and Libby Coppinger come into the starting line-up for this game, with Sarah Leahy and Áine O’Sullivan dropping to the bench as the Rebels prepare for a repeat of the 2021 Division 1 decider.

The other three games in Division 1 this weekend all take place on Sunday – with TG4 All-Ireland Senior Champions Meath making the trip to Fraher Field, Dungarvan, for a 2pm clash against Waterford.

Meath bring in Ciara Smyth for Emma White, with hosts Waterford unchanged following their defeat to Dublin.

In Division 1A, there’s a tasty Connacht derby between old rivals Galway and Mayo pencilled in for Tuam Stadium (2pm).

Galway have handed starts to Fabienne Cooney and Linda Booth for this one, with Shauna Brennan and Kate Slevin dropping to the bench. Mayo are unchanged following a big win over Westmeath at the Connacht GAA Air Dome last Saturday.

Donegal, meanwhile, are unchanged as they make the trip to St Loman’s, Mullingar, for a 2pm start on the 3G pitch.

Westmeath make one change for this one, as Niamh Nolan comes in for Ashley Ruane at midfield.

DUBLIN (v Cork): A Shiels; J Tobin, L Caffrey, H Leahy; A Kane, M Byrne (capt.), O Nolan; J Dunne, K McDaid; C O’Connor, N Hetherton, K Sullivan; J Egan, H Tyrrell, N Owens.

CORK (v Dublin): M O’Brien; M Ambrose, R Phelan, M Cahalane; L O’Mahony, M Duggan (capt.), E O’Shea; A Hutchings, S Kelly; E Cleary, L Coppinger, D Kiely; S O’Leary, K Quirke, O Finn 

GALWAY (v Mayo): A Griffin; S Molloy, E Gavin, A Ní Cheallaigh; K Geraghty, C Cooney, F Cooney; A Davoren, S Ní Loingsigh (capt.); L Coen, M Seoighe, L Finnegan; A O’Rourke, A Trill, L Booth.

MAYO (v Galway): A Tarpey; É Ronayne (capt.), S El Massry, S Lally; T O’Connor, F McHale, N Hession; S Cafferky, A Geraghty; S Mulvihill, L Cafferky, S Howley; R Byrnes, C Whyte, M Reilly.

WESTMEATH (v Donegal): A Temple; M Fagan, L Power, A Alford; C Blundell, F Coyle, C Kelly; N Nolan, T Dillon (capt.); A Jones, L McCartan, K Boyce-Jordan; S Dillon, K Hegarty, S Lyons.

DONEGAL (v Westmeath): R McCafferty; S McFadden, E McGinley, N Boyle; N Carr, F McManamon, T Hegarty; Nicole McLaughlin, R Rodgers; S White, Niamh McLaughlin (capt.), S Twohig; B McLaughlin, K Guthrie, G McLaughlin.

WATERFORD (v Meath): E Gallagher; M Dunford, C McGrath, R Casey; A Mullaney, Karen McGrath, L Cusack; E Murray, L Mulcahy; B McMaugh, H Power, M Wall; K Murray, C Fennell, Kate McGrath.

MEATH (v Waterford): M McGuirk; K Newe, M.K. Lynch, O Duff; S Ennis (capt.), E Troy, A Cleary; M O’Shaughnessy, O Lally; M Thynne, V Wall, E Duggan; C Smyth, S Grimes, N O’Sullivan.