The Galway Ladies face a stiff test in this year’s division two National Football League final when they take on neighbours and traditional Connacht rivals Mayo at Parnell Park on Saturday (3pm ).
The stakes are high for both counties who were relegated from division one last season, with only the winner promoted to the top flight.
Mayo, the Connacht champions, will start as firm favourites, having topped the league with 19 points. Without a single league win in 2011, Mayo are transformed with a new county board and manager, and they go into Saturday’s final unbeaten in this year’s campaign - their only mistake a draw to Fermanagh.
Galway finished four points behind, having lost two of their seven matches - one of which was to Mayo by 1-7 to 3-14 back in February on opening day.
In the semi-finals Galway enjoyed a two-point win over Clare, 3-6 to 1-10, Mayo were comfortable 4-6 to 1-7 winners over Kerry
Both sides have demonstated their scoring prowess throughout the league campaign and, despite Galway’s earlier season setback against Mayo, games between the two have traditionally been close. Both will believe they can lift the title if they play to their potential, and Galway manager Con Moynihan says Galway were not at their best in the opening round defeat to Mayo.
“We are looking forward to showing our full potential this time around against Mayo on Saturday,” he says. “ The first match against them earlier in the year was not a fair reflection on where we are at. We are looking forward to it and hope to play to our full potential.”
Moynihan, who has led the county minors to All-Ireland success in the past, anticipates a closer contest and, although without Gillian O’Connor and Fabienne Cooney with long-term knee injuries, he is otherwise hopeful of having a full squad from which to select.
Saturday’s decider is a repeat of the 2007 division one final which Mayo won, while Galway were also on the wrong side when Cork took the 2010 division one title.
The match will be followed by the division one final between Cork and Monaghan at 4.45pm, while the division three decider between Leitrim and Westmeath kicks off the day’s action at 1.15pm.
*The match will be televised live on TG4. More news is available on the new Galway ladies football Facebook page: facebook.com/galwaylgfa
