ANOTHER crucial weekend of Lidl National League action will see the semi-final pairings for Division 4 confirmed. In Divisions 1, 2 and 3, the fight for Final places and to avoid relegation continues apace, with plenty at stake. The final round of group fixtures in Division 4 will be played on Sunday, with the […]
ANOTHER crucial weekend of Lidl National League action will see the semi-final pairings for Division 4 confirmed.
In Divisions 1, 2 and 3, the fight for Final places and to avoid relegation continues apace, with plenty at stake.
The final round of group fixtures in Division 4 will be played on Sunday, with the teams in the top three divisions preparing for Round 5 ties.
Lidl NFL Division 4
Longford v Leitrim; Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 12pm
Longford need a win here and then all eyes will turn to the Limerick-Carlow tie at 2pm to determine their fate.
Leitrim are already through to the last four of the competition, along with Fermanagh, and two semi-final slots remain up for grabs ahead of the final round of group fixtures.
Victories for Longford and Limerick would see three teams locked together on eleven points – Carlow, Longford and Limerick – and, in that case, scoring difference will determine which two teams progress.
Longford: R McGrath; O Nevin, E O’Brien, G Kenny; K McKeon, L Shannon, C McCormack (capt.); S Gallagher, S Hagan; Clodagh Lohan, G Shannon, Caoimhe Lohan; C Mulligan, N Brady, K Shannon.
Leitrim: M Monaghan; E Bruen, C Tyrrell, C Owens; S Reynolds, K Bruen, O Flynn; N Tighe, M McGovern; V Egan, L O’Dowd, M Guckian (capt.); A Clancy, L Fox, A Redican.
Limerick v Carlow; Feohanagh/Castlemahon, 2pm
A crucial shoot-out between two sides aiming to squeeze into the semi-final placings.
Victory is a must for Limerick as they aim to move alongside Carlow on 11 points, while a Longford win against Leitrim would see three teams locked together on that total.
Carlow have a scoring difference of +25, compared to Longford’s +10 and Limerick’s +6, and that could well prove crucial at the close of play.
Limerick: S Hennessy; J McGuire, Y Lee (capt.), F Bradshaw; M MacNamara, C Mee, G Lee; R Ambrose, L Ryan; K Heelan, D Murphy, K O’Leary; E Woulfe, C McGrath, I Kennelly.
Carlow: N Hanley; A Carroll, A Roche, S McCullagh; R Bermingham (capt.), N Murphy, N Forde; M Townsend, R Bailey; E Hayden, B Nolan, S Doyle; R Sawyer, M O’Neill, C Ní Shé.
Kilkenny v Wicklow; MW Hire Training Centre, Dunmore
Wicklow’s fate is out of their hands and all they can do is win against Kilkenny and see how results elsewhere pan out.
There is the prospect of Carlow, Longford and Limerick finishing the group phase all locked together on 11 points, while Wicklow can only get to ten at this point.
However, if Longford and Limerick both lose, or draw, a Wicklow victory would see them make the top four.
Kilkenny: E Lawlor; K Hennessy, A O’Neill, S Smith; L Brett, A Galwey, R Roche; K Comerford, E Lawlor (capt.); C Moore, H Brennan, J O’Keeffe; M Gilsenan, S Corcoran, B Roche.
Wicklow: E Griffin; M Corr, S.J. Winders, S Goetelen; N Caffrey, C Murphy, R Byrne; A Gorman, M Healy; S Evans, S McGettigan, A Harmon; E O’Brien, N Cullen, L Dunne.
Fermanagh v Derry; Donagh
Fermanagh conclude the group stages safe in the knowledge that they’re safely through to the semi-finals.
But the Erne County will still be anxious to finish on top of the table, which would see them play the fourth-place finisher in the last four.
Derry recorded their first victory of the season against Kilkenny last weekend and will be keen to finish their season with a positive display in this all-Ulster clash.
Fermanagh: M Maguire; E Douglas, K Murphy, S Gunn; S McQuade (capt.), C Murphy, E Maguire; B Bogue, S Feeley; L Maguire, J Doonan, D Maguire; B Smyth, E Smyth, A McCabe.
Derry: E Conway; O McGough, A McGough, J Corr (capt.); S Hargan, O McGeough, K Holly; M Devine, A Kilpatrick; Erin Doherty, D McKeever, A Martin; Emma Doherty, C Donnelly, L McGonagle.
Note: Venues subject to change depending on weather conditions.
