This weekend will decide who will take the final four places at the TG4 All Ireland Finals in Croke Park on September 27th.

Kildare and Offaly will get the action underway when they meet to decide who will face Waterford in the TG4 Intermediate Final. Dublin must overcome Armagh if they are to meet Cork in the TG4 Senior All Ireland final for the second year in a row. The TG4 Junior Semi Finals take place on Sunday in Fingallians (Dublin) when Lancashire meet Louth at 1pm with this game followed by the second semi final between Scotland and Derry.

 

5th September 2015 - Live on TG4

Armagh v Dublin, 2.00pm, Parnell Park, Donnycarney, Dublin  (G. Carmody), TG4 All Ireland Senior Championship - Semi Final - ET if necessary    

Armagh and Dublin are two of the top performing counties in the country but they have very little experience of playing against each other. Separated by divisions in the League they have also been kept apart in the championship, until now. There is buckets of quality in these two sides that should add up to a very entertaining encounter.

Armagh achieved promotion to the top Division of the League this year when producing a masterclass in the Division 2 decider against Donegal. Although they relinquished their Ulster title they have still progressed nicely through the back door defeating Laois and Westmeath in close encounters before beating Donegal in the match of the year to date. A criticism of Armagh in recent years is that they have had an over reliance on their inspirational captain Caroline O'Hanlon but this is no longer valid. Kelly Mallon and Fionnuala McKenna have helped to ease the scoring burden whilst a new star has been born in the shape of young sharp shooter, Aimee Mackin. Aoife Lennon has also returned to the panel and has had a great impact with the Northern Ireland International Soccer player scoring 1-03 against Donegal. This is an Armagh side that is built on a solid defensive unit lead by Sinead McCleary and Caoimhe Morgan who will have to be on their toes against a pacey Dublin attack.

Dublin are a much changed team to the 2014 All Ireland finalist version and are something of an unknown quantity despite their status of Leinster champions. Several of the stars of last year's campaign have since departed but in their place have come some precocious young talents. Olwen  Carey is a corner back that is well capable of handling the most dangerous attackers around as is Fiona Hudson who made a welcome return after missing the 2014 campaign. Molly Lamb has established herself as a top midfielder and is aided by the experience provided by her midfield partner, Sinead Goldrick. Amy Connolly was very effective operating from centre forward whilst Nicole Owens only needs the smallest of chances to hit the net. Noelle Healy has maintained her All Star form from last year as has captain Lyndsey Davey who seems to win impossible possession and acts as both scorer and creator for those around her. However, in Carla Rowe, Dublin have a real ace up their sleeve. The young attacker was an essential member of their panel last year but has since gone from strength to strength and is capable of winning matches on her own for Dublin.

This match is going to be a tense encounter with both teams tending to rely on solid defensive units before breaking at real pace. This might not be the highest scoring game but it will be enthralling with plenty of quality on show.

Kildare v Offaly, 12.15pm, Parnell Park, Donnycarney, Dublin  ( B. Rice), TG4 All Ireland Intermediate Championship - Semi Final - ET if necessary        

This will be the second meeting this season of these two teams following their Leinster Final encounter, which was won by Kildare, but only after an enthralling encounter where Offaly finished on the losing side despite scoring 5:07.

Kildare had been a senior county until this season but have wasted little time in emerging as a leading contender to return to the top division. Aisling Savage is their defensive leader at full back with captain Aisling Holton being their top performer in recent years in midfield. The scoring threat up front will be carried by Maria Moolick who is an accomplished attacker.

Offaly won the 2013 All Ireland Junior title but they did struggle last year upon their introduction to intermediate football. However, this year has marked a great improvement as they claimed the Division 4 title before progressing to the Leinster Final. This Offaly side has a very strong spine with Siobhan Flannery revelling in her role at full back behind the wonderful young talent that is Roisín Egan. Emma Dalton and Treasa McManus are a formidable midfield combination but the big threat comes in the shape of Mairead Daly who is as good as any forward in the country.

If this game is anything like their last meeting in the Leinster Final then we have a treat in store. Greater experience is on the side of Kildare who have the psychological advantage of already having defeated the Faithful County but Offaly are a team that love to throw the form book out the window.

    

6th September 2015

TG4 All Ireland Junior Semi Finals- ET if necessary           

Lancashire v Louth, 1.00pm, Fingallians, Swords, Dublin, (J Flood) 

Lancashire come to Dublin on Sunday with a squad that boasts plenty of experience including players like Amanda Treanor from Monaghan, Nicola Donaghy from Tyrone and former Intermediate All Ireland winner Sinead Finnegan from Down. Louth have been there or thereabouts in recent years and will look to that experience to guide them through. Michelle McMahon, Grace Lynch and Ciara O'Connor will all hope to help Louth return to Croke Park.
                
Derry v Scotland, 2.45pm, Fingallians, Swords, Dublin, (K Phelan)                  

Derry have been working hard at underage level to produce young talent, the fruits of this labour will be seen on Sunday when their youthful side hope to make it through to the All Ireland Final. Scotland will hope to build off the progress made at club level where clubs like Dunedin Connolly's have recently contested All Ireland Club Finals. This is a match that really could go either way.

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