Mick Bohan looks to make it three wins in a row as captain Sinead Aherne returns to the lineup this weekend.
BY JACKIE CAHILL
Dublin boss Mick Bohan has made five changes in personnel as he shuffles his pack for Saturday evening’s Lidl NFL Division 1B clash with Tipperary at Semple Stadium (Live on TG4, 6.30pm).
As Dublin aim to make it three wins from three in the group phase, Bohan has drafted Niamh Collins, Hannah Leahy, Lauren Magee, Niamh McEvoy and captain Sinead Aherne into a strong starting line-up.
That quintet replace Laura McGinley, Aoife Kane, Siobhan McGrath, Niamh Hetherton and Lyndsey Davey, who all started in the victory over Cork at Páirc Uí Chaoimh last weekend.
There are three changes to the Tipperary team defeated by Waterford, as the relegation-threatened Premier County aim to avoid a third consecutive defeat.
Edith Carroll, Marie Creedon and Aine Delaney replace Laura Dillon, Roisin Howard and Ava Fennessy as Declan Carr’s charges gear up for the visit of the TG4 All-Ireland Senior champions.
The other game in the group has plenty riding on it, with rejuvenated Waterford knowing that victory over Cork would earn them a semi-final slot as they prepare to welcome the Leesiders to Fraher Field on Sunday (2pm).
Cork, the League holders, will look to bounce back from that home defeat against Dublin and secure a place in the last four, and manager Ephie Fitzgerald has made five changes from the team that lined from the start against the Sky Blues.
Eimear Meaney, Méabh Cahalane, Emma Spillane, Bríd O’Sullivan and Katie Quirke are all handed starts, with Roisin Phelan, Clare O’Shea, Abbie O’Mahony, Daire Kiely and Libby Coppinger droppint out of the team.
Hosts Waterford have opted for two changes – with Kellyann Hogan and Niamh Power coming in for Caoimhe McGrath and Emma Murray.
Semi-final slots are also up for grabs in Division 1A, where Donegal lead the way on six points, followed by Mayo and Galway on three each.
Mayo make the trip to St Loman’s in Mullingar for a clash with Westmeath, in what is a fixture with consequences at both ends of the table.
Westmeath could avoid a relegation play-off with a victory, and drag Mayo into the mire, while the Connacht outfit might not even be sure of a semi-final place with a victory.
In that instance, a Galway victory over Donegal would see Donegal, Mayo and Galway all locked together on six points – with score difference then coming into play to decide the semi-finalists.
In the event that Mayo and Galway both draw their games – leaving them together on four points in the table – Mayo would advance having won the head-to-head clash between the sides.
Westmeath have made one change for a game that has a 2pm start, with Niamh Spellman coming in for Lorraine Duncan.
In contrast, Mayo boss Michael Moyles has opted for seven changes, with Amy Halligan, Fiona Doherty, Maria Reilly, Ciara Whyte, Tara Needham, Grace Kelly and Amy Dowling all called up.
They replace Ella Brennan, Orla Conlon, Marie Corbett, Fiona McHale, Deirdre Doherty and the Cafferky sisters, Lisa and Sinéad.
Galway and Donegal’s clash at Tuam Stadium will have a 2pm start, with unchanged Donegal coming up against a Galway team showing three changes in personnel.
Home manager Gerry Fahy has included Sophie Healy, Sarah Gormally and Laura Ahearne in his team, with Jemma Burke, Shauna Molloy and Kate Geraghty dropping out of the team that defeated Westmeath in Round 2.
Dublin (v Tipperary): A Sheils; M Byrne; N Collins, H Leahy; O Nolan, O Carey, L Caffrey; L Magee, J Dunne; L Collins, S Killeen, C O’Connor; N McEvoy, H Tyrrell, S Aherne (capt.).
Tipperary (v Dublin): L Fitzpatrick; L Spillane, M Curley, E Cronin; R Daly, C Kennedy, E Kelly; A.R. Kennedy, E Fitzpatrick; E Carroll, A Moloney (capt.), E Morrissey; C O’Dwyer, M Creedon, A Delaney.
Westmeath (v Mayo): L McCormack; N Spellman, J Rogers, E Kelly; F Coyle, L Power, T Fagan; V Carr, T Dillon; F Claffey (capt.), L Archibold, A Jones; L McCartan, K Hegarty, S Dillon.
Mayo (v Westmeath): A Tarpey; A Halligan, C McManamon, F Doherty; É Ronayne, M Reilly, K Sullivan; T O’Connor (capt.), C Whyte; N Kelly, T Needham, G Kelly; A Dowling, S Howley, R Kearns.
Galway (v Donegal): D Gower; S Healy, S Lynch, S Gormally; L Ahearne, C Cooney, H Noone; S Divilly, O Divilly; E Reaney, M Glynn, N Ward; M Seoighe (capt.), A Trill, K Slevin.
Donegal (v Galway): A McColgan; N Carr, E McGinley, E Gallagher; A.M. Logue, Nicole McLaughlin, R Rodgers; K Herron, S Twohig; B McLaughlin, Niamh McLaughlin (capt.), N Boyle; N Hegarty, K Guthrie, G McLaughlin.
Waterford v Cork: R Landers; M Dunford, L Mulcahy, R Casey; A Mullaney, Karen McGrath, M Wall (capt.); Kate McGrath, C Fennell; K Hogan, A Wall, K Murray; E Fennell, N Power, M Delahunty.
Cork v Waterford: M O’Brien (capt.); S Kelly, E Meaney, A Hutchings; E O’Shea, M Cahalane, E Spillane; M O’Callaghan, M Duggan; H Looney, C O’Sullivan, B O’Sullivan; S O’Leary, K Quirke, O Finn.
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