Women's Football All-Ireland quarter- finalsTullamore and Longford are the venues for the four All-Ireland quarter-finals down for decision tomorrow. The draw has thrown up two interesting looking double headers that should illustrate clearly the strengths, or otherwise, of the main contenders for All-Ireland glory.
The season to date has been characterised by the emergence of teams such as Galway and Cork but now, as the season moves into its final stages, it takes on a whole new complexion.
In Longford, Connacht champions Galway take on Laois and that game is followed by last year's runners-up Dublin playing Donegal.
Two mouthwatering ties are in prospect at the Offaly venue. The standard bearers for the last number of years in women's football, Mayo, put their title, and dreams of three-in-a-row, on the line when they take on an in-form Cork team. This is followed by a clash between two of the traditional forces in the game as Kerry take on Monaghan.
GALWAY V LAOIS Pearse Park, Longford, 1.30 p.m.
Galway's form this year has been a revelation. The narrow 0-9 to 0-8 breakthrough victory over Mayo in Tuam in the early round-robin stages was their first win over their arch rivals at senior level and has provided the launching pad for the rest of their season.
Observers believed Mayo would bounce back from that defeat but, if anything, Galway just got better as their 0-16 to 0-2 humiliation of the All-Ireland champions in the Connacht final showed.
With the likes of Fiona Wynne, Lisa Cohill and Annette Clarke pulling the strings and with Niamh Fahy, sister of senior men's footballer Richie, in inspirational mood, PJ Fahy's Galway should overcome Gerry McGill's Laois team that looks to be improving but still in transition and Galway would set themselves up for a titanic semi-final clash against either Mayo or Cork.
DUBLIN V DONEGAL Pearse Park, Longford, 3.30p.m.
The departure of manager Mick Bohan seemed to have left Dublin in turmoil at the end of last season and many thought the team had gone as far as they could possibly go. The appointment, however, of a big-name manager in the guise of John O'Leary has reaped rewards with Dublin claiming a third Leinster title in succession.
The problem for Dublin is that Leinster was a relatively weak championship this year with Meath and Louth only putting up meagre resistances and Laois proved no major stumbling block when push came to shove. Dublin may not know their weaknesses and it may prove too late when they ultimately discover them. Whether they are found out tomorrow is another matter.
Donegal were plucky opponents in the Ulster final and possess scoring potential in the shape of the country's most prolific scorer, Mo O'Donnell, and Debbie Lee Fox. This is unchartered water for a Donegal team that has made huge strides of late but it would be too much to expect a team that won a junior title last year to reach the last four at senior level.
Dublin will not find this easy but with Fiona Corcoran returned from the United States and the experience of Bernie Finlay, Angie McNally and Maria Kavanagh should see the Blues into the last four if they can reach the heights they scaled last year.
MAYO V CORK O'Connor Park, Tullamore, 1.30 p.m.
This game is a repeat of this season's National League decider and throws up more questions than answers and it is nearly impossible to predict which way it will go. Mayo have looked so bereft of imagination and hunger that it is hard to believe they possess one of the finest group of players ever assembled in the history of women's football.
On the other hand, Cork looked superb in the Munster final. Full of running, determined and brimming with confidence they are the total opposite of how Mayo have looked to date.
Eight under-age All-Ireland titles in the last four years have provided a conveyor belt of talent that is now paying dividends. A superb win over Waterford and a convincing defeat of Kerry has seen Cork claim their first senior provincial crown and they are expected by many to dominate the women's game for years to come.
Ironically, Cork look the mirror image of what Mayo were like back in 1999 when they embarked on a remarkable run of form that has seen them sweep four of the last five All-Irelands.
There has been an over reliance on Cora Staunton to score for Mayo and the likes of Marcella Heffernan and Emma Mullen must start producing the goods again. Mayo look likely to introduce fresh blood but once again it is difficult to know how young players will fare in an All-Ireland quarter-final.
Galway perfected the art of playing Mayo and developed a system designed for that purpose. Mayo may relish the fresh air of being underdogs at last and, away from the clutches of local rivalry, may just open up and put a few critics back in their boxes.
Mayo will go out to try to stop Valerie Mulcahy, Juliette Murphy and Ger O'Flynn causing all the damage but this may be easier said than done. Mayo will not lie down like they have done recently but Cork's freshness and the fearless attitude they have shown to date should be enough to inflict an era-ending defeat on Mayo.
MONAGHAN V KERRY O'Connor Park, Tullamore, 3.30 p.m.
From a distance Monaghan should be favourites for this game as the likes of Jenny Greenan, Niamh Kindlon and Edel Byrne show glimpses of the form that made them some of the most recognisable names in women's football.
Ciara McGuinness has, however, departed for the United States on a soccer scholarship and the side will not be the same in her absence.
Monaghan always bring a huge travelling support and their success would be a welcome boost to the game but Kerry have the ability to regroup and will feel they were ambushed by Cork in the Munster final.
The 11-times All-Ireland champions have talent in abundance in Sarah O'Connor, Patrice Dennehy and Geraldine O'Shea and one feels Monaghan may not have enough to overcome Kerry. Both teams harbour All-Ireland ambitions and both have tradition on their side but Kerry have more fire-power and should sneak home.
