Who will hold their nerve to reach senior ladies' football final?
The St. Brigid's senior ladies' football management team of Eddie Nestor and Laura Harrison have seen their team scorch their way through the group stages of the championship. Picture: Bernie O'Farrell
The semi-finals of the Dermot Hughes Cars Roscommon LGFA Senior Championship semi-finals take place on Saturday...
For last year’s intermediate champions Éire Óg to make the semi-final represents an excellent achievement for all involved.
They’ve been competitive in every game they’ve played, and that includes their opening round game against St. Brigid’s in Loughglynn where the visitors’ ability to get goals — their trump card this season — was the difference between the sides.
Michelle Mulrennan, Roisín McDonagh, Claire Flanagan, Amanda Creighton, Rebecca Finan and Amy Doory have enjoyed a stellar season, and they’ll be tasked with taking the game to Brigid’s next Saturday.
But Brigid’s have carried their league form into the championship where they’ve blitzed every team they’ve played. It seems that the club want to mark the 20th anniversary of their All-Ireland intermediate triumph with a county title at least.
While Kate Nolan’s loss may well hurt them as the air becomes thinner later in the season, Keeley Sammon, Ria Lennon, Ciara Walsh, Abby Curran, Claire Crehan, Áine O’Brien and Marian Nolan will ensure that their star midfielder’s absence doesn’t become a major factor here.
If there is to be a shock this weekend, Johnstown might be the place to find it.
Clann aren’t near the levels they were when they won the 2021 and 2022 county finals, while St. Dominic’s have shown plenty of improvement throughout this year’s championship.
There’s little doubt that the absence of key players, especially Caoimhe Lennon, robs Clann of their best 15. The return of Jenny Higgins and Orla O’Neill in recent weeks has been a boon, as have been a string of impressive performances from Róise Lennon, but there appears to be a spark missing.
When the sides met in Johnstown in the opening round, Aoife Gavin’s tour-de-force enabled Dominic’s finish with a flourish to rescue a draw. Arguably she has been the player of the championship so far, and it was her two goals that swung the pendulum Dominic’s way in what was a potentially tricky trip to Loughglynn last time out.
Of course, one of St. Dominic’s main issue has juggling camogie commitments, so the threat of tired minds and bodies is always real.
Despite Niamh Fitzgerald’s absence, Áine O’Meara, Lily Murray, Aimee O’Connor and Niamh Watson can provide the supporting cast to Gavin, enabling the visitors to spring a surprise.
