TG4 All-Ireland Ladies’ JFC Group A, round three (Sunday, 2pm)
Fermanagh v Sligo (Donagh)
ULSTER champions Fermanagh begin their All-Ireland campaign against Sligo and manager CJ McGourty believes it will be a good test for his side.
The Yeats county are new opposition for the Erne county having been relegated from the intermediate tier last season. They also plied their trade in Division Three this year but were relegated after finishing bottom.
“Sligo are a formidable outfit at junior level and have been at intermediate level over the last 10 years,’’ says McGourty.
“We haven’t crossed paths over the past number of years. Sometimes it’s good to play someone fresh, where you don’t know everything about them and you just try and go play your own game,” he said.
“We have done a bit of homework on them but we are also trying to focus on ourselves and getting our own game right.
“We truly believe that with the group we have, when we play to the best of our ability and come with the correct attitude and workrate that we are a match for anybody at junior and intermediate level.
“Sligo will be a massive test this weekend and it will be interesting to see where we are in relation to playing a Division Three team and an intermediate championship side from the last number of years.
“It will be a big step up for our girls but one that we are looking forward to and one that we are using to try and improve and target to see how well we have improved in the last six months.”
Fermanagh have not been in competitive action for almost a month following their Ulster final win over Derry, having had a bye in the first round before their second-round game against Derry last weekend was postponed.
“We are very excited about getting our All-Ireland campaign underway this weekend. We had the first weekend off because of the odd number in our group and then, circumstances that you would wish on nobody took place last weekend and our thoughts and prayers are with the immediate family and friends. It just puts football in perspective last weekend.”
Derry v Carlow (Owenbeg, 2pm)
DERRY welcome Carlow to Owenbeg on the back of a first championship win in three years after their recent victory over London.
However, the ladies’ football circle in the county, and indeed the entire GAA family in Derry and beyond, were left saddened by the tragic passing of four-year-old Fianna Grace Harkin, sister of senior team player Shannon McCorriston and daughter of Ballinascreen club stalwart Karen Harkin, just a week ago and Fianna and her family will most certainly be at the forefront of Derry’s thoughts this weekend.
Derry’s game against Ulster champions Fermanagh last Sunday was postponed while Carlow made it two wins from two with victory over London to follow up on their opening win over Sligo.
The sides met earlier this year in the league, with Carlow winning, but Derry will hope they have closed the gap on their opposition since then and will be keen to put together good back-to-back performances to continue their progression.
