PREVIEW | Ladies Footballers aim for league final spot

Limerick’s path to the semi-final has been relatively straightforward as they seek to go one better than 2022 when they were defeated in the decider.

Graham Shine’s Limerick Ladies Football side are back in League action this Sunday after a three-week lay-off as they take on Antrim in the last four of the bottom tier.

Limerick sealed their place in the semi-finals after going undefeated in group two with three wins and a draw. Their opponents this weekend have been very impressive thus far with three wins from as many games to top their side of the draw.

Leitrim take on Fermanagh in the other semi-final with the final to be played on 16 April.

Limerick’s path to the semi-final has been relatively straightforward as they seek to go one better than 2022 when they were defeated by Offaly in the decider. The Shannonsiders started their campaign with a comprehensive win over Kilkenny and followed up with an impressive win away to Wicklow. They played out an enthralling draw with Wicklow in round three before securing their place in the knockout stages with a comfortable win over Derry.

Path to the Final

Limerick

• Rd1: bt Kilkenny 4-13 to 0-2
• Rd2: bt Wicklow 3-6 to 0-8
• Rd3: drew with Leitrim 4-9 to 1-18
• Rd4: bt Derry 2-7 to 0-4

Antrim

• Rd1: bt Fermanagh 1-13 to 1-6
• Rd2: bt London 9-19 to 1-7
• Rd3: bt Carlow 6-16 to 2-7

Antrim are the only team in the bottom tier to win each of their contests with their three wins coming with a score difference of +64. They began with a hard-fought win over Fermanagh, who finished runners up in the group, before powering to victory against London and Carlow.

For Limerick, Sunday’s tie will be a sixth successive appearance in the semi-finals of Division 4 since their relegation in 2017. Last year was their first success in the last four where they got the better of Fermanagh. Offaly did gain the upper hand in the final, winning promotion with a 3-12 to 4-4 result.

Conversely, Antrim are back in the last four after missing out in the past three seasons. Their previous semi-final appearance came in 2019 where they got the better of Louth. However they fell short in the final to Fermanagh and have failed to make it out of the group since.

Interestingly, Limerick’s last League success came in 2016 when they beat Antrim by seven-points to earn promotion to the third tier.

Can they get one over the Ulster side to halt their perfect record thus far or will Antrim gain revenge for 2016?

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