Tight contest on the cards in Croke Park curtainraiser

Kerry and Meath are two teams brimming with talent – and with promotion to the top flight on their minds in tomorrow's Ladies NFL Div 2 final curtainraiser at Croke Park WRITES JACKIE CAHILL.

Kerry dropped down from Division 1 when they suffered relegation in 2018 while Meath have adapted brilliantly to the second tier, having been crowned Division 3 champions in 2019.

The Royals, who won the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate title at Croke Park last December, were going great guns in the 2020 League before Covid intervened.

Under the astute guidance of Eamonn Murray, Meath are determined to finish what they’ve started, and victory here would see them promoted for a second successive ‘full’ season.

However, Kerry have ambitions of their own in that regard.

Pride was dented three years ago when the Kingdom slumped into Division 2 but double-act Declan Quill and Darragh Long are shrewd operators and they’ve put together a united and hungry squad.

Kerry won by six points when the sides met in the group stages of the competition – but this one could be much closer.

Kerry - C Butler; J O’Sullivan, A Desmond (capt.), C Murphy; A O’Connell, K Cronin, C Lynch; L Scanlon, N Carmody; L Galvin, E Dineen, A Galvin; N Ní Chonchúir, H O’Donoghue, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh.

Meath - M McGuirk; E Troy, M.K. Lynch, K Newe; A Leahy, A Cleary, O Byrne; V Wall, M O’Shaughnessy; S Ennis (capt.), S Grimes, N O’Sullivan, S Melia, E Duggan, B Lynch.