Waterford Ladies look for third win in National Football League

Waterford Intermediate Ladies Footballers put their unbeaten start to this year’s Tesco Homegrown National Football League on the line on Sunday morning when they take on another unbeaten side after two series of games – Sligo at Fraher Field. The game has an 11-45am throw in.

When the sides met at the Sligo IT grounds in March of 2014, the home side beaten a Waterford side that had been unbeaten up to that stage, one of two defeats the Déise ladies suffered in the league section of the competition, and will be looking for revenge this year on a ground that is much more familiar to them than they had played at in the Yates County.

Waterford have done well so far to record a narrow win in their first game against Wexford at the same ground and again last time out in Fraher Field when they comprehensively beat a Fermanagh side that beat Waterford in the quarter finals of last year’s TG4 Intermediate Championship and who went on to contest the All-Ireland Final against Fermanagh where they were well beaten.

Waterford this year, are under a new Management team and they will no doubt instilling into their charges in the run up to this game that Sligo will provide a serious test to Waterford.

The Yates County Side has been very impressive so far in the lead.

They began beating Longford 1-16 to 0-7 and last time out they had another excellent result, beating Wexford 4-8 to 0-5.

The will bring with them to the Old Boro, a team that is full of talented football. Noelle Gormley will be their most famous player and will line out between the posts where she has excelled all year.

However they are by no means a one player team.

Katie Walsh made her debut in the win over Longford for Sligo and put in an impressive hours work and followed it up with another outstanding display against Wexford.

Stephanie O’Reilly has impressed a lot playing at centre forward as had Sinead McTiernan in the middle of the field alongside Bernie Byrne. Elsie Codd (pictured below) at centre back and Sarah Reynolds at wing forward have all impressed to date in their two games and last time out after missing out on the game with Longford, Emma Hansberry was very impressive in the full forward line against Wexford.

Waterford when they take to the field against Sligo are likely to show a number of changes to the side that played the same opposition last March.

The players filling numbers one to four are all likely to show changes from twelve months ago. Katie Hannon has replaced Aimee Jordan between the posts this year. Nora Dunphy and Mary Foley who filled the corner back positions last year have been replaced by Megan Dunford and Emma Hannon this year, while Karen McGrath who has played in many different positions for Waterford in the last number of years looks set to stay at full back for this game.

The outstanding centre of the field pairing of Michelle McGrath and Elaine Power (pictured above) have moved to positions in the half back line this year and could line out alongside Caoimhe McGrath.

Last time out Mary Kate Morrissey and Mairead Wall lined out in the centre of the field and could well retain their places in this game.

In attack, Waterford manager Pat Sullivan has a host of options open to him.

Team captain Linda Wall and Michelle Ryan look set to remain in the side from last years win.

Grainne Kennelly lined out at centre forward in the win over Fermanagh and impressed hitting two points, could well be excused for this weekends game as she has a big game next weekend, when she will be expected to play a major roll for Lismore against Piltown in the All-Ireland Intermediate Club Final at GAA Head quarters on March 2. Mairead Power who came on as a sub in the win over Fermanagh could well be excused for the same reason, as she will be lining out with Piltown in that same game.

Hannah Landers would be expected to again line out in attack or even in the middle of the field as would Sinead Ryan who is a valuable addition to the team this year after a spell away from the inter county scene. Maria Delahunty is also impressing this year and she too would be expected to start.

All this means that there could be one place up for grabs from the side that played Fermanagh. Aileen Wall, Shauna Dunphy, Liz Devine, Ciara Hurley, Margaret Revins, Aoife Dunne and Lauren McGregor are the players that would be expected to challenge strongest if as expected Grainne Kenneally may be left out with the camogie game a week later in mind.

Something has to given by about 1pm on Sunday afternoon at Fraher Field. At least one of the unbeaten sides in the third division of the National ladies football league will have to loose points.

It has to be taken that the visitors will travel down the evening before the game. To be down for an 11-45am throw staying at home the night before would be a big ask. Sometimes when players travel to big games, they like to sleep in their own beds the night before, so as to be rested properly for the game.

With this in mind, Waterford get the nod to collect a third lot of three points in this game, but it could be close.