Saturday, September 3rd

TG4 All Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi Final

Cork v Monaghan, Gaelic Grounds, Limerick, 5:00pm (G. Carmody)

After the drama that was served up last weekend with Dublin's last gasp win over Mayo much is expected of this clash between Cork and Monaghan in the TG4 Senior Championship Semi Final. Cork come into this game having already collected the Lidl National Football League Division 1 title and the TG4 Munster Championship whereas Monaghan had a real struggle in their Division 1 campaign before rediscovering their form to win the TG4 Ulster Championship.

This Cork team are still the yardstick by which all other teams are measured. They have again been phenomenal this season as they continue to produce brilliant performances when they most matter. Cork are boosted by the return of Doireann O'Sullivan following a long injury lay off as she returns to the starting fifteen at full forward. Deirdre O'Reilly and Bríd Stack are familiar presences in the central defensive positions as are Briege Corkery and Rena Buckley in the centre of the field. There is strength right throughout the Cork team as players like Vera Foley, Annie Walsh and the excellent Ciara O'Sullivan are all set to start. Orla Finn will again be looked to as the source of scores both from play and from frees.

Monaghan's turnaround from Lidl NFL Division 1 strugglers to TG4 Ulster Champions and All Ireland Semi Finalists has been phenomenal and can be attributed to the impact of new manager, Paula Cunningham. Cunningham has gotten this team back to full fitness and has instilled a belief that has seen the return of Monaghan's swagger. Caoimh Mohan has returned to the starting line up and is due to play at full forward in an attack that is loaded with talent like Laura McEnaney, Ellen McCarron, Therese Scott, Ciara McAnespie and emerging star, Rosemary Courtney. Sharon Courtney is amongst their most important players and her influence from centre half back is vital. Sharon is flanked by Gráinne McNally and Aoife McAnespie in what is possibly the best half back line in the game. Cora Courtney and Eimear McAnespie have been excellent for Monaghan at midfield but they will come up against the All star duo of Corkery and Buckley in what will be a massive test.

Cork will go into this game as favourites, a position that they are well used to but they will be very wary of this Monaghan team that looked so impressive in victory against Kerry. The midfield area will be the site of the key battle in this encounter but the dual between Sharon Courtney and Ciara O'Sullivan could be the match up that decides who will go forward to take on Dublin on September 25^th.

TG4 All Ireland Intermediate Football Championship Semi Final

Clare v Tipperary, Gaelic Grounds, Limerick, 3:15pm (G. McMahon)

Clare and Tipperary will renew their rivalry when they get the action underway as part of the TG4 All Ireland Semi Final Double bill at the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday at 3:15pm. The two sides have already played in the TG4 Munster Championship Final with victory going the way of Tipperary but there was very little to separate the teams.

Tipperary contested the Lidl NFL Division 3 Final and took a very strong Waterford side to a replay which they did lose, but only by a single point, which also happened to be the last kick of the game. 2010 All Ireland winning manager, Gerry McGill, has brought back several experienced players and they have been hugely important for Tipperary. Jennifer Grant, is back in the half back line where she is very effective and Mairead Morrissey has come back into the half forward line where she is one of the best performers at this grade. Aisling McCarthy has been impressive at full forward but there is a lot of strength for Tipperary in the centre of the field where Sheelagh Carew and Lorraine O'Shea are a very strong pairing.

Clare have had a very productive Summer to date as they defeated both Limerick and Tyrone to reach this stage. This Clare team are a very strong unit that is backboned by an experienced Banner club team contingent who have performed very well in the Munster Championship. Laurie Ryan is the team captain and provides leadership at the heart of the Clare defence. Louise Henchy is an extremely strong presence in the middle of the field but it is through the centre of their attack where they are most formidable with Ailish Considine and Niamh O'Dea forming a fearsome partnership.

Very little has separated these two sides in the past and there is plenty to suggest that this game will be no different. Niamh O'Dea will have to be on top form to provide the necessary scores if Clare are to win whereas a similar burden will fall on the shoulders of Mairead Morrissey for Tipperary. Tipperary possibly hold an ace in their hand as prodigious young talent, Aisling Moloney is named amongst the substitutes having missed the previous round through injury.

Sunday, September 4^th

TG4 All Ireland Junior Football Championship Semi Final

Antrim v London, Fingallians, Dublin, 1:30pm (C. Dourneen)

Antrim and London will meet in the first of the TG4 Junior All Ireland Semi Finals at 1:30pm at Fingallians. Antrim will be hoping to return to the TG4 All Ireland Final for the first time since they last won this title in 2012. London were comprehensive winners in the British Final and will hope that they can build on the success of the Parnell's team that were so impressive when winning the Etihad World Games last month.

Antrim are a settled team that are capable of playing lovely, free flowing football. They were disappointed to lose out to Limerick in the Lidl Division 4 Final and would have been equally disappointed to lose to Longford earlier in the championship. However, Jenny McCavana will have played a captains role in rallying her side ahead of this very tough encounter. There is quality throughout this side including Áine Tubridy in the middle of the field and  in their forwards there is some real potential in Mairéad Cooper, Mairiosa McGourty and former Junior Player's Player of the Year, Claire Timoney.

There is a lot of experience in the London ranks that is backboned by the Parnell's contingent. Hannah Noonan is the most recognisable name as she lined out with Dublin in last year's TG4 Senior All Ireland Final but she has since returned to play midfield with her native London. Sinead McCooey is another player to watch out for as she captains the team from wing forward.

Derry v Longford, Fingallians, Dublin, 3:15pm (K. Phelan)

Derry and Longford will meet in the second semi final at Fingallians on Sunday and these teams will know each other very well having both played in Division 4 of the Lidl National Football Leagues. Derry will be the underdogs for this match having really struggled against Longford when they met in the league as they lost out heavily in that meeting.

Derry will include the remarkable Catherine Fletcher in their starting line up. Catherine will play at full back on Sunday having only made her deut earlier this year. What is most remarkable about Catherine is that her debut came at the age of 37 and that she only took up the game 4 years ago.

Longford were disappoined not to make it through to the Lidl NFL Division 4 Final but they attoned for that disappointment as they defeated Antrim in the championship and now they will be favourites to progress to the TG4 All Ireland Semi Final. Mairéad Reynolds will be a key leader at centre half back and the strong pairing of Jacinta Brady and Ann Marie Bratton in the middle of the field will hope to dominate possession and feed the ball through to their most dangerous attacker, Orla Noonan.

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