GAA
The Shannonsiders will face a side that will be competing in the Intermediate championship later this year.
The Limerick Ladies footballers travel to Baltinglass this Sunday afternoon to face Wicklow in the second round of the National Football League.
Both sides recorded impressive opening day wins and are frontrunners for promotion. Last year Limerick reached the league final where they fell to Offaly while Wicklow were operating in the third tier.
It will mark Limerick’s return to action after a three-week break following their dominant win over Kilkenny to start the campaign. Andrea O’Sullivan and Cathy Mee both bagged twice in the 4-13 to 0-2 win.
However, a fortnight, Wicklow were similarly dominant against Derry in recording a 4-10 to 1-1 victory in Owenbeg.
As such, the Leinster side will be a huge step up for Limerick in their bid to earn promotion from the bottom tier of the League. With the top two advancing to the league semi-finals, Limerick will need a win in their next two outings with Leitrim at home to follow after Wicklow.
Leitrim were 7-26 to 0-5 winners over Kilkenny in their most recent game which followed a 5-15 to 0-2 victory against Derry to start their campaign.
Wicklow beat Leitrim and Offaly, who overcame Limerick in last year’s league final, in the 2022 Intermediate Championship where they made it to the knockout stages, showing their credentials.
Graham Shine handed out a number of debuts in the opening round and those selected acquitted themselves very well in Kilkenny. The half-forward line contained three debutants with Kate Kennedy, Ellie Woulfe and Laura Stack all making scoring contributions. Roisin Ambrose got Limerick off the scoring that day with the Old Mill native in her second year as captain of the side.
There were a couple absent from the side on the day including Amy Ryan who is named among the substitutions for Sunday’s clash. In total, Shine has made five changes to the team with all of those coming in the attacking unit. Clare O’Meara, Katie Heelan, Cathy Mee, Anna O’Dea and Karen O’Leary.
Throw in this Sunday is at 2pm in Baltinglass with the game available to watch on the Ladies Football Website.
Watch the preview on this week’s Treaty Talk (51.06 to 57.31)