Louth bidding for Croke Park date
THERE was always a strong possibility that Louth and Derry would be involved at the business end of this year’s TG4 All-Irteland Junior Championship and there’s a date in Croke Park up for grabs as the sides clash in Aughnacloy on Sunday (1.00).
With Derry very unlucky to lose out to Fermanagh after a replay in last year’s All Ireland final, having led the drawn game by nine points at one stage, the Oak Leaf girls were fancied to emerge from a three-team group containing Carlow and Limerick.
Louth, who competed in the Intermediate grade in the 2017 went into the championship on the back of a very solid league campaign, reaching the season Division 4 final, and they too were hot favourites to negotiate a route through the four-team section.
Both counties were impressive in their respective provincial finals with Derry beating a fancied Antrim by seven points and Louth ending up convincing winners over Carlow.
In the round robin series, the northern side lost their opening game to Carlow but caused a major upset by beating Limerick in their next outing. That win coupled with Limerick’s big victory over Carlow ensured the Oak Leaf county a place in the last four.
Louth in contrast had big wins over Antrim and Kilkenny before concluding the group phase with a hard earned victory in London who take on Limerick in in the other semi-final at the slightly earlier time of 12.30.
This will be only the second time Louth and Derry have met in the championship with Louth coming out on top by 3-10 to 2-10 at the same stage in 2010.
Louth have just one survivor from that encounter in Emyvale, current captain Kate Flood who hit 2-0 that day, the first goal coming inside the first minute.
Louth manager Darren Bishop has a number of injury concerns going into Sunday’s game as his players have had an extremely hectic few weeks with both club and county. Rebecca Carr returned to the team as a sub in London and played the full match for her club Geraldines in their Championship win over St Mochtas on Thursday night, contributing an impressive 3-4 as the Haggardstown side booked their place in the semi-finals.
The sides met in the National League in February, with Louth emerging winners on a 3-13 to 1-9 scoreline with Kate Flood hitting 1-4 of Louth’s total.
Darren Bishop has built on the solid foundations laid by Miceal McKeown with the current panel possessing some very promising young players, including the exciting Cooley Kickhams duo of Niamh Rice and Lauren Boyle who have been a real threat to opposing defences.
Fellow teenagers Aoife Russell and Ciera Nolan have added power and pace and a further scoring threat.
At the other end of the age spectrum Stabannon star Jenni McGuinness has returned to county duty after an absence of four seasons and Bonnie Fleming’s addition after a serious knee injury gives the management team more options upfront.
Bishop and his management team will have been pleased to hear of midfielder Carr’s return to fitness although the current midfield pairing of Sinead Woods and Eimear Byrne have been exceptional in the All-Ireland series to date.
In defence Michelle McMahon another player who has battled back after serious injury is getting back to her best alongside the ever dependable Eimear Murray.
Derry too have some exceptional players to call on with ex-Tipperary star Caith Glass and Anna Morrision among the grade’s best defenders along with Katie Holly whose brother Niall lined out with Derry in this year’s Ulster Championship.
Louth will also be wary of attacker Deirbhaille McNicholl whose father Dermot was a leading forward on the Oak leaf side that won Sam Maguire Cup by beating Cork in 1993.