Ladies in Tipp-top form ahead of league final

Damien Donohoe

This coming Sunday at 2pm in Parnell Park, Cavan ladies will take the field in the Lidl National Football League Division 2 final for the second year in a row. It took a replay in 2017 for Westmeath to see off the Cavan challenge but in truth the girls in blue had the chance to gain promotion in the drawn game but let it slip. 
James Daly’s charges will be hoping to draw on that experience when they face Tipperary on Sunday. Tipperary staged a second half comeback against Armagh in the semi-final to come from nine points behind to win by one. 
When asked about last year’s final, Cavan manager James Daly remarked: “They’ve a bit of grit to them and that comes from the experience of having a wee bit of success and wanting a wee bit more and a wee bit more. I think these girls are ready and they feel it’s their time to go and play division one football”.  
Cavan’s back line were on top of their game against Waterford in the semi-final but will need to produce another sterling performance to keep Tipperary at bay. Full Forward Aishling Moloney landed six points against the Orchard county before sub Kate Davey’s point sealed the victory. 
Tipperary and Cavan met in round 4 of the league in Maghera back in February and despite Cavan holding home advantage the visitors came away with a three point win scoring 1-13. Maybe with that in mind you can see why the book makers have installed Tipperary 8/13 favourites with Cavan priced at 6/4. 
“I would put a lot down to our own mistakes on the day, I think we’ve made adjustments from that period and I think we’re a better team. We know what their strengths are, we knew what their strength were going into that day,” said Daly.
If Cavan are to overturn the odds they will need another big performance from Bronagh Sheridan and Aisling Doonan in the forward line, who scored seven points out of Cavan 1-8 tally against Waterford. 
“At times I think we’ve been hunting for goals when we don’t need to be, that was our battle cry that day we went out against Tyrone,” said Daly. 
“We kicked 18 or 19 points that day and it’s the old saying, take your points and the goals will come. 
“To win these big games you’ve got to keep the score board ticking. When we get opportunities on Sunday it’s important we kick the ball over the bar and we will need all the forwards to contribute in that fashion”.
On the injury front, Ciara Finnegan, who came off injured in the semi-final “basically had a bad cramp so we gave her last week off, we’re hoping she’ll train Wednesday night and Friday night but if she doesn’t I’m confident we’ve got plenty of girls on the bench who can pick up the slack”. 
When asked about the strength of the panel, Daly stated: “We tell the girls to go out there and go at a hundred mile an hour and when you’re busted have the confidence in your teammates that somebody can come off the bench and pick up the slack. 
“We’ve got a very very strong bench okay, I’ve been managing a long time and it’s the strongest one to thirty I’ve ever worked with”.