Ladies National Football League Division Two

Kerry v Monaghan

Sunday, Fitzgerald Stadium, 12 noon

By Paddy Hunter  

WITH three games to go in Division Two, Monaghan remain well placed for a final spot but new manager Ciaran Murphy is looking no further than Sunday’s trip to Kerry.

The Munster side have won all four of their fixtures but Monaghan are just three points back as they attempt to atone for last year’s relegation.

After a loss against Meath, Murphy’s side bounced back with a good win over Ulster neighbours Cavan last time out.

“Listen I was happy with the way we recovered from the loss to Meath, that tight wee pitch suited them,” he said.

“When we were due to play Cavan and couldn’t get a pitch of our own, we refused to play on the Breffni 3G. I just said we would not be doing that again, that’s that for us.”

The Farney side are playing some good football and their manager, now in his first season in charge after coaching behind the scenes last year, is delighted to see his side competing again – that was the one target he had set for the campaign.

“To be honest, we set no targets at the start of the year, we just wanted Monaghan to be competing again.

“Anything else was going to be a bonus, we have great players back again after a year out, but look great credit to the girls that stayed on too.

“We have a big group and all we wanted was to be challenging again, getting the side in a good place at this stage, it really is only about one game at a time for us though.”

Next up then is that trip to Kerry and a meeting with the lethal Louise Ni Mhuireachtaigh.

The match throws in at 12 noon and Murphy is hoping to avoid a sleepy start.

“It’s an early start but it’s vital we hit the ground running, we can not afford to allow them to get away from us. They did that against Armagh and Tyrone and while the Ulster sides battled hard they could not beat them, we need to start well and work right through. 

“Kerry have so much quality in all aspects of their play, we just have to be at our best throughout.”

Murphy’s side face stern tests against Ulster rivals Tyrone and Armagh in their final two games after the trip to Munster.

“Those games are to come, for now we look no further than Kerry,” said Murphy who welcomed back a handful of older hands recently.

“We are in a good place, Ellen McCarron, the McNallys, the Courtneys, Lauren McEnaney and four McAnespies are all playing well and those players have settled back well alongside our newer girls.

“The players have responded to us in this the toughest of divisions, we can have no complaints.

“Apart from maybe Dublin, Cork and Mayo in the top three of Division One, there’s nothing between the teams after that right through our own Division Two.”

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