Hetherton to make SFC starting debut for Jackies

Dublin manager Mick Bohan has named 11 of the team that started in the 2018 TG4 All-Ireland Senior Final for Sunday’s Leinster decider against Westmeath at Netwatch Cullen Park in Carlow (4.0).

Two-time All Star Rachel Ruddy, who returned to the fold this year, Aoife Kane, Jennifer Dunne and championship debutante Niamh Hetherton are the four additions to the starting 15 when compared to the line-up that helped the Sky Blues to a second successive All-Ireland crown in front of 50,141 spectators.

Carla Rowe, two-goal star against Cork last September, misses out through injury but six-time All Star Sinead Goldrick has been named to start at centre-half-back, after suffering a broken arm in the build-up to the Lidl NFL Division 1 semi-final loss to Cork.

That clash on April 21 was Dublin’s last competitive outing, and Bohan has made four changes to the team that started at Nowlan Park.

Goldrick, Siobhán McGrath, Lauren Magee and Hetherton come into the team in place of Éabha Rutledge, Sinead Finnegan (injured), Lyndsey Davey and Rowe.

Westmeath’s last competitive match saw the Lake County end their Lidl NFL Division 1 campaign on a high, with victory over Tipperary on April 7.

Manager Sean Finnegan has made five changes to his starting line-up for a clash that will see Westmeath aim to halt Dublin’s drive for an eighth successive Leinster crown.

Lucy Power, Maud Annie Foley, Sarah Dolan, Lucy McCartan and Annie Dolan are all named to start, with Fiona Coyle, Laura Brennan, Nicole Feery, Leanne Slevin and Megan Brick dropping to the bench.

Sunday’s provincial decider will be streamed LIVE on the LGFA’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LadiesGaelicFootball/, with Jerome Quinn on commentary duty alongside Waterford star Michelle Ryan.

The 30 Dublin players named in their match-day squad have 131 Leinster Championship medals between them ahead of Sunday's game, with captain Sinéad Aherne seeking her 13.

Sunday will also see Armagh and Donegal battle it out for the TG4 Ulster Ladies Senior crown, at St Tiernach’s Park in Clones (3.45pm).

This is a repeat of the 2018 decider between the counties, which Donegal won comprehensively by 9-21 to 4-8.

The gap between the counties had closed considerably, however, when they met in the All-Ireland quarter-final, with Donegal winning out by just three points, 0-19 to 1-13.

Armagh advanced to the 2019 provincial decider with a comfortable victory over Monaghan, and joint-managers Lorraine McCaffrey and Fionnuala McAtamney have made just one change to their starting 15, with captain Caoimhe Morgan recalled at full-back in place of Eve Lavery.

Donegal, who are chasing a third successive Ulster title, needed extra-time to see off Cavan in a classic semi-final.

Manager Maxi Curran has made just one change in personnel for the Final, as Deirdre Foley replaces Niamh Boyle in the half-back line.

The Ulster Final is also LIVE on the LGFA Facebook Page, with Marcus Ó Buachalla on commentary alongside former Monaghan star Niamh Kindlon.

In total, there are four TG4 Championship games being streamed LIVE on a ‘Super Sunday’ for the LGFA.

In addition to the two Senior Provincial Finals in Leinster and Ulster, the Leinster Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/LeinsterLadiesGaelicFootballAssociation/ will stream the Junior and Intermediate Finals from Netwatch Cullen Park.

For the Junior game between Carlow and holders Louth (12pm), Jerome Quinn will be joined on commentary by Laois native Niamh Dunne, who is one of the participants on the PR/Media Strand of the LGFA’s Female Leadership programme.

For the Intermediate Final meeting of Meath and Wexford, (2pm), former Dublin captain Denise Masterson, who lifted the Brendan Martin Cup in 2010, will be alongside Jerome Quinn on commentary.

Masterson is also a participant in the Female Leadership Programme, and a seasoned analyst.

In Ulster on Sunday, the Junior Final between Antrim and Fermanagh will get proceedings at St Tiernach’s Park underway at 1.45pm.

These counties have already met three times this year – twice in the Lidl National League and once in the championship.

Fermanagh have won all three fixtures – including the Lidl NFL Division 4 Final and an opening round Ulster Championship tie which booked the Erne County a safe passage to Sunday’s Final.

Antrim regrouped to dethrone champions Derry – but they face a stiff test against a Fermanagh side that will start as pre-match favourites.

DUBLIN (v Westmeath): C Trant; M Byrne, N Collins, R Ruddy; A Kane, S Goldrick, L Magee; O Carey, S McGrath; N Owens, N McEvoy, J Dunne; S Aherne (capt.), N Hetherton, N Healy.

WESTMEATH (v Dublin): L McCormack; R Dillon, J Rogers, L Power; K Boyce Jordan, F Claffey (capt.), K McDermott; J Maher, M.A. Foley; V Carr, S Dolan, L McCartan; A Dolan, A Jones, K Hegarty.

ARMAGH (v Donegal): C O’Hare; S Marley, C Morgan (capt.), R O’Reilly; C McKenna, C McCambridge, T Grimes; N Coleman, C O’Hanlon; M Moriarty, A McCoy, K Mallon; A Donaldson, B Mackin, N Reel.

DONEGAL (v Armagh): A McColgan; T Doherty, E Gallagher, N McLaughlin; N Carr, D Foley, A.M. McGlynn; K Herron, E McGinley; K Guthrie (capt.), K Keeney, A Boyle Carr; R Friel, G McLaughlin, S McGroddy.

MEATH (v Wexford): M McGuirk; K Newe, S Powderly, O Duff; A Cleary, S Ennis, M Thynne; M O’Shaughnessy (capt.), K Byrne; A Leahy, E Duggan, O Byrne; E White, K Nesbitt, V Wall.

WEXFORD (v Meath): M.R. Kelly (capt.); N Mernagh, M Cullen, A Tormey; C Donnelly, S Murphy, S Harding Kenny; K Kearney, B Breen; N Butler, C Foxe, N Moore; K White, M Byrne, T Doyle.

CARLOW (v Louth): N Hanley; N Mohan (capt.), B Nolan, A Roche; M Kinsella, O Fitzpatrick, C Mullins; E Hayden, K Clarke; E Atkinson, R Byrne, N Forde; R Sawyer, C Ní Shé, S Doyle.

LOUTH (v Carlow): U Pearson; E Hand, S Quinn, S McLoughlin; C Nolan, M McMahon, D Osborne; E Byrne, A Byrne; R Carr, S Byrne, A Russell; L Boyle, K Flood (capt.), N Rice.

ANTRIM (v Fermanagh): A McCann; N Killen, M Hanna, O Ní Chorra; K Farren, A McFarland, S Tennyson (capt.); C Brown, L Dahunsi; C Taggart, M McCurdy, S Haughey; M Cooper, N Enright, C Carey.

FERMANAGH (v Antrim): R Gleeson; A Maguire, E Murphy, M Flynn; M McGloin, A McGovern, S McQuaid; R O’Reilly, A Flanagan; J Doonan (capt.), N Connolly, D Maguire; L Maguire, E Smyth, A O’Brien.