Jackies looking to secure early Christmas present
By Daire Walsh
AN ALL-IRELAND Final five days before Christmas is not something anyone could possibly have envisaged, but that is the position the Dublin and Cork ladies footballers will find themselves in at Croke Park on Sunday (throw-in 3.30pm).
The Jackies are currently in the midst of a 20-game championship winning streak under the stewardship of Mick Bohan and will be hell-bent on maintaining their 100 per cent record against the Leesiders.
This will be the fifth decider between the two counties in the space of seven years, with Dublin getting the better of the Munster women in their last showpiece meeting in 2018.
Before that, the Rebelettes had the measure of their Metropolitan counterparts in three consecutive finals from 2014-2016.
Since then, however, Dublin have been sitting at the top table – defeating Mayo, Cork and Galway to complete a three in-a-row of All-Ireland final wins.
In last year’s defeat of the latter in torrential conditions, Thomas Davis’ Siobhán McGrath lined out alongside Lauren Mageee in midfield.
Her consistent performances throughout the championship earned her the All-Star Footballer of the Year accolade.
The decision of her club-mate Olwen Carey to step away from the panel has seen McGrath moving to left half-back – a position she previously filled in the 2018 All-Ireland showdown against Cork. While Ballyboden St Enda’s defender Rachel Ruddy moved into retirement after making a cameo appearance in the 2019 final, there is still a strong local contingent within the squad.
Though she is yet to see action in this year’s All-Ireland series, another of McGrath’s Thomas Davis colleagues – Ciara McGuigan – is a regular name amongst the Dublin substitutes.
Ballinteer St John’s footballer Orlagh Nolan started at wing-back in a group stage victory against Waterford and appeared off the bench in the semi-final win over Armagh.
Niamh Sweeney (Ballinteer St John’s) and Abby Shiels (Lucan Sarsfields) are also part of the extended squad and – due to a relaxing of restrictions – will be able to join the rest of the panel in Croker on Sunday.
Whilst Dublin will be favourites to claim a fourth All-Ireland in succession, Ephie Fitzgerald’s Cork are not to be dismissed lightly.
Despite the controversy surrounding the fixture, they were most impressive in their 2-17 to 0-13 semi-final victory over Galway with Orla Finn, Ciara O’Sullivan and Melissa Duggan all in fine form.