Jackies targeting seventh straight All-Ireland Final
By Daire Walsh
THE Dublin ladies footballers will be looking to reach their seventh straight All-Ireland Senior Championship decider at Kingspan Breffni in Cavan on Saturday.
Standing in their way are 2006 finalists Armagh, who provide the opposition to the Sky Blues in the first of the two penultimate round encounters in this year’s competition (throw-in 4.30pm). Due to a clash with their county’s camogie side, Cork’s last-four showdown against Galway will not take place until December 6 at the LIT Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.
By then, Dublin will know if their quest for a fourth successive Brendan Martin Cup title is still alive.
In comparison to their devastating march to the same stage last year, Mick Bohan’s side have been forced to dig deep thus far in a truncated 2020 campaign. Whereas their four wins prior to the 2019 semi-finals yielded a combined winning tally of 71 points, the champions have faced a much stronger resistance in recent times.
Helped by a fortuitous Sinead Aherne goal, Dublin earned a 2-13 to 2-10 triumph over Donegal in the opening game of Group Three on October 31. Seven days later, Waterford were accounted for in Baltinglass but with just four points to spare (0-17 to 1-10).
While perhaps not performing to the same level as previous championships, Dublin will be battle-hardened ahead of their trip to the Breffni county. They will certainly need to be at their best against an Armagh side that amassed 10-28 in group stage wins over Tyrone and Mayo.
Although marked absent for the Waterford game, Thomas Davis’ Siobhan McGrath played the full 60 minutes of Dublin’s success over Donegal. The All-Star Football of the Year in 2019 brings considerable versatility to the Metropolitans in the crucial middle-third of the pitch.
Despite already having Leinster and All-Ireland medals to her name, Ballinteer St John’s footballer Orlagh Nolan has had to bide her time for a championship start. She was finally given a chance to showcase her worth against Waterford and responded by kicking a fine point to cap an all-action display in the half-back line.
Veterans of several All-Ireland campaigns, team captain Aherne, Niamh McEvoy, Noelle Healy, Niamh Collins and Sinead Goldrick remain key leaders in this Dublin team. Top displays from this quintet could go a long way towards securing another All-Ireland final date for the Jackies.