Cork and Galway have both named unchanged starting XV’s for their TESCO NFL Division 1 final replay tomorrow in O’Moore Park, Portlaoise at 7:30pm.
The two sides played out an entertaining draw at Parnell Park last weekend which finished 3-08 to 1-14.
Galway boss Kevin Reidy has kept the faith with the starting 15 who performed so well last weekend.
Lorna Joyce, who scored the equalising point, will have to be content with a place on the bench along with Aoibheann Daly, who also had a big impact on her introduction to the action.
Emer Flaherty will again lead the defence from full back with young star Nicola Ward hoping to have a big impact from centre half back.
Annette Clarke and captain Geraldine Conneally are partnered again in the middle of the field where they contested so well last weekend against Briege Corkery and Rena Buckley.
Patricia Gleeson will again start at centre forward where her physical presence caused plenty of trouble in the drawn game.
Louise Ward will hope to build on her goal-scoring performance in the replay, where she will again be detailed to curb the influence of Geraldine O’Flynn.
There is sure to be plenty of attention paid to Tracey Leonard in the full forward position as the prolific forward was outstanding in the drawn game scoring eight points, six from play, and was named as the Player of the Match.
Cork’s Eamonn Ryan has also resisted the urge to make changes with his starting line-up despite the impact of some of his substitutes in the drawn match.
Roisín Phelan will again take on the task of marking Tracey Leonard and she will be supported by Bríd Stack.
Cork’s strong halfback line of Vera Foley, Roisín O’Sullivan and Geraldine O’Flynn will hope for an improved performance against Galway where, unusually, they failed to register a score of their own.
Experience and drive will be supplied by Buckley and Corkery from the centre of the field. And whichever county achieves dominance in this area should go on to claim the victory.
Ciara O’Sullivan is the team captain and was one of the top performers last week, scoring a vital goal to get Cork back into the game.
Annie Walsh lines up on the opposite wing where her hard work is vital to the team but there is no doubt that the main scoring threat for Cork is carried by Valerie Mulcahy who lines out at full forward having scored 1-05 in the drawn match.
Goal scorer Rhona Ní Bhuchalla must be content with a place on the bench alongside Eimear Scally, who made a huge impact when introduced in Parnell Park.
Cork XV: 1 Martina O’Brien, 2 Marie Ambrose 3 Roisín Phelan, 4 Bríd Stack 5 Vera Foley 6 Roisín O’Sullivan 7 Geradline O’Flynn 8 Rena Buckley 9 Briege Corkery 10 Ciara O’Sullivan (capt.) 11 Aisling Hutchings 12 Annie Walsh 13 Doireann O’Sullivan 14 Valerie Mulcahy 15 Orla Finn
Galway XV: 1 Johanna Connolly 2 Sarah Gormally 3 Emer Flaherty 4 Áine Seoighe 5 Noelle Connolly 6 Nicola Ward 7 Sinead Burke 8 Annette Clarke 9 Geraldine Conneally (capt.) 10 Barbara Hannon 11 Patricia Gleeson 12 Louise Ward 13 Olivia Divilly 14 Tracey Leonard 15 Edel Concannon
