Pressure on Galway and Mayo to open accounts

15 July 2023; Rachel Kearns of Mayo in action against Tracey Leonard of Galway during the TG4 Ladies Football All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final match between Galway and Mayo at Pearse Stadium in Galway. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Galway and Mayo meet on Saturday for the first time in a competitive game since the 2023 TG4 All-Ireland quarter-final, won by Mayo with a dramatic late point from Shauna Howley.

Both Connacht rivals began their Division 1 campaigns with defeats on the opening day.

Galway lost out to Cork in Bishopstown, as Mayo came up short against Meath in a high-scoring encounter at the University of Galway Connacht GAA Air Dome.

The pressure is on both sides now to pick up valuable Lidl National League points, with the bottom two teams in Divisions 1, 2 and 3 set for relegation this year.

Mayo narrowly avoided the drop in 2023 and they’ll be anxious to ensure there are no similar worries this time, while Galway contested last year’s top flight Final against Kerry.

Both Galway and Mayo have named unchanged starting line-ups for this Connacht derby.

Cork and Armagh renew acquaintances for the first time since last year’s TG4 All-Ireland quarter-final, won by Cork away from home.

Both sides began their campaigns with victories last Sunday, Cork getting the better of Galway as Armagh impressively accounted for Waterford.

Weather conditions should be more benign for both sides this time around and an intriguing tie lies in store.

Armagh look well equipped to do well on their return to the top flight, while Cork will also be anxious to make an impression and push for a top two finish and a place in the Final on Sunday April 7 at Croke Park.

Both sides are unchanged from their opening games for this Round 2 fixture.

Meath and Dublin have developed quite a rivalry in recent times and they meet on Sunday for the first time since the 2023 TG4 Leinster Final, won by the Sky Blues.

Meath looked good against Mayo last weekend, with the University of Galway Connacht GAA Air Dome proving conducive to good football.

Dublin lost out at home to Kerry at Parnell Park but they suffered a similar fate against the Kingdom in League and Championship last year and were still crowned All-Ireland winners at the end of the season.

Dublin manager Mick Bohan won’t be in the mood for panic but as he experiments throughout the League, he’ll be keen to avoid getting dragged into any relegation problems at the same time, with the bottom two teams in the top flight facing the drop to Division 2.

Meath are unchanged following their win against Mayo, as Bohan makes five changes in personnel.

All Star goalkeeper Abby Shiels replaces Rachael Fleming, with Aishling Nyhan, Annabelle Timothy, captain Carla Rowe and Ellen Gribben also earning starts. Chloe Darby, Jodi Egan, Katie Murphy and Laura Grendon also drop to the bench

Champions Kerry got the defence of their Lidl National League Division 1 crown off to a perfect start with victory against Dublin last Saturday in the capital.

Now the Kingdom will aim to make it two wins from two outings against visitors Waterford, who will make the trip to Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney.

The sides last met in competitive football in the Munster Championship last year, a fixture won by Kerry, and Waterford will be determined to give a good account of themselves here.

The Déise need to start picking up points in their coming fixtures to avoid a relegation scrap, while Kerry will be targeting continued progress and another Final spot in April potentially.

Kerry have made four changes in personnel for this home tie, with Ciara Butler replacing Mary Ellen Bolger in goals, while Eilís O’Connor, Ciara Murphy and Lorraine Scanlon are also handed starts, as Ciara McCarthy, Aishling O’Connell and Anna Galvin are listed among the substitutes.

There’s one change on the Waterford team, as Bríd McMaugh comes in for Tao Behan.

GALWAY: D Gower; M Jordan, S Ní Loingsigh, E Gavin; K Geraghty, C Trill, A Ní Cheallaigh; M Glynn, L Coen; M Walsh, A Davoren (capt.), S Hynes; C McCarthy, A O’Rourke, A Molloy.

MAYO: L Reid; L Wallace, N O’Malley, S Lally (capt.); K Sullivan, D Caldwell, J Mortimer; A Geraghty, H Reape; F McLaughlin, A Fitzpatrick, M Cannon; T Needham, F McHale, L Cafferky.

CORK: S Murphy; M Duggan, L Coppinger, D Kiniry; A McDonagh, M O’Callaghan (capt.), D Kiely; A Healy, S Cronin; E Jack, K Quirke, S O’Leary; L McDonagh, H Looney, E Cleary.

ARMAGH: A Carr; G Ferguson, C McCambridge (capt.), R Mulligan; C Towe, L McConville, D Coleman; N Coleman, C O’Hanlon; E Druse, A McCoy, S Quigley; A Mackin, L Kenny, K Mallon.

MEATH: M McGuirk (capt.); K Newe, A Sheridan, N Troy; N Gallogly, M.K. Lynch, A Cleary; M O’Shaughnessy, S Melia; M Thynne, E Moyles, C Smyth; M Byrne, M Farrelly, E Duggan.

DUBLIN: A Shiels; N Crowley, L Caffrey, N Donlon; L Magee, M Byrne, H Hegarty; N Hetherton, O Carey; C O’Connor, O Nolan, A Nyhan; A Timothy, C Rowe (capt.), E Gribben.

KERRY: C Butler; C O’Brien, D Kearney, A Dillane; E O’Connor, K Cronin, C Murphy; A Harrington, L Scanlon; K.A. Hanrahan, N Ní Chonchúir, N Carmody (capt.); K Brosnan, E Dineen, J Lucey.

WATERFORD: E O’Brien; H Power, E Power, A Murray; C McCarthy, A McNulty, A O’Neill; E Murray, K Hogan (capt.); K McGrath, C Carroll, M O’Brien; B McMaugh, K Murray, L McGregor.