It’s the final countdown.
All roads lead to Croker this coming weekend for a triple-header of ladies football action as the TG4 All-Ireland finals get underway from 11.45am on Sunday.
In a repeat of last year’s senior final, Dublin and Cork will go head-to-head once more for that coveted title in the senior game at 4pm.
Dublin’s Noelle Healy and Geraldine O’Flynn of Cork
In what is one of the most-anticipated games of the year, the clash between the two stalwarts of ladies football is set to be a must-watch for fans and neutral supporters alike.
Last year, it was Cork who took the honours – doing the double in football and camogie – and will be aiming to repeat this achievement this weekend and claim another historic double after their camogie counterparts, and dual players Briege Corkery and Rena Buckley, scooped the All-Ireland camogie title two weeks’ ago.
Cork’s Valerie Mulcahy and Leah Caffrey of Dublin
Last year, Cork launched the comeback of all comebacks against Dublin in the final, as the capital led by ten with just 15 minutes to go when Cork came back in force to take the trophy on the smallest of margins, 2-13 to 2-12.
Leinster champions Dublin will have learned a lot of lessons from that game and will be looking to avenge that final in what is gearing up to be an absolutely epic encounter.
Dublin last won an All-Ireland back in 2010 when they overcame Tyrone in the final, while Cork have bagged nine of the last ten All-Ireland trophies.
Dublin’s Lyndsey Davey and Deirdre O’Reilly of Cork
Division 1 league champions Cork, who were defeated in the Munster final by Kerry, will be looking to players such as Valerie Mulcahy, Briege Corkery, Aine O’Sullivan and Eimear Scally to drive them to victory.
However, Gregory McGonigle’s charges will certainly be up for the encounter, with stalwarts including Lyndsey Davey, Noelle Healy and Carla Rowe ready to lead them into battle.
It is truly set to be a fantastic clash of wills and a superb display of football, and kicks off in Croker at 4pm.
Cork’s Valerie Mulcahy and Rachel Ruddy of Dublin
Ahead of that will be the intermediate clash between Kildare and Waterford.
The two counties met in the camogie All-Ireland final two weeks’ ago, where Waterford took the honours, but ahead of this Sunday, the Lily Whites are the favourites for many.
Kildare were regraded from senior football at the start of the year, and it seems like the year at intermediate has served them well in this year’s championship.
Ellen Dowling, Kildare and Lorraine Keena, Offaly
They dished up an emphatic win over Offaly in this year’s semi-final, driving to a 5-5 to 0-6 win over the Faithful and will be hoping that goalscoring master Eadaoin Connolly and the talented Aisling Holton are on top form against Waterford in this Sunday’s game.
Waterford meanwhile have had a fantastic championship campaign to date in what has been an outstanding year for the county across both codes.
Aisling Holton, Kildare, was the Player of the Match in the semi-final.
This weekend, they will be looking to key performers such as Aileen Wall to lead them to glory and it’s certainly going to be one to watch when it kicks off at 1.45pm.
Finally, the junior final will get the action underway at 11.45am and sees Scotland take on Louth in what is set to be another close encounter.
Scotland paved their way to the final with a 1-13 to 2-5 win over Derry in the semis while Louth drove to an emphatic 6-11 to 2-6 win over Lancashire in the final.
Louth and Scotland will now go head-to-head in the final, and interestingly, the Scottish side will be captained by former Louth star Roseanna Heeney.The game kicks off at 11.45am.
Video via YouTube/LadiesFootballTV/Jerome Quinn
