Dublin and Kildare relegated as Donegal join Cavan in reaching top flight
Lidl National Football League round-up
Compiled by John Fallon
TG4 All-Ireland champions Dublin and Kildare were relegated from Division 1 of the Lidl National League on Sunday after a dramatic day of action.
Dublin defeated Cork by 2-8 to 1-6 thanks to goals from Michelle Davoren and Annabelle Timothy, but they were not in control of their own destiny going into the final round of games.
Reigning league champions Kerry did enough to secure a 2-10 to 2-9 win over Kildare with goals from Danielle O’Leary and Síofra O’Shea.
And with Marion Farrelly producing a late equaliser for Meath to draw with Armagh it confirmed that Dublin and Kildare will play their 2027 Lidl National Football League campaign in Division 2.
Galway, similar to the Cork side they will meet in this year’s Division 1 final on Saturday, April 11, also suffered defeat in their final round when they went down to Waterford with an understrength side by 2-12 to 0-10.
In Division 2, Donegal earned promotion and will join Cavan in the final on Saturday April 11.
A convincing 0-11 to 0-3 win over Wexford confirmed promotion to the top flight for Donegal and also ensured an all-Ulster divisional final.
Cavan, having already qualified, went down by 1-15 to 2-9 to relegated Westmeath.
In Division 3, Antrim were promoted and will play Louth in the final on Sunday, April 12.
In a winner takes all promotion clash, it was Antrim who claimed the spoils at Páirc Esler by 2-8 to 1-9.
Laois defeated Louth by a point but could not avoid joining Limerick in making the drop to Division 4.
And the Division 4 final will be contested by Leitrim and Carlow on Sunday April 12.
In Sunday’s semi-finals, which also doubled up as promotion deciders, Leitrim beat neighbours Sligo by 2-10 to 1-11 after extra-time, while Carlow defeated Offaly by 4-11 to 2-8.
Results:
Lidl NFL Division 1
Dublin 2-8 Cork 1-6
Kerry 2-10 Kildare 2-9
Meath 0-11 Armagh 1-8
Waterford 2-12 Galway 0-10
Lidl NFL Division 2
Westmeath 1-15 Cavan 2-9
Donegal 0-11 Wexford 0-3
Mayo 2-14 Monaghan 0-9
Tyrone 5-10 Tipperary 5-5
Lidl NFL Division 3
Antrim 2-8 Down 1-9
Clare 2-9 Roscommon 2-9
Laois 0-9 Louth 0-8
Fermanagh 2-10 Limerick 1-7
Lidl NFL Division 4 Semi-Finals
Carlow 4-11 Offaly 2-8
Leitrim 2-10 Sligo 1-11 (aet)
Kerry survive as Kildare make the drop
Lidl National Football League Division 1
Kerry 2-10
Kildare 2-9
By Dan Kearney
Kerry secured their Lidl National League Division 1 status for 2027 with a narrow victory in a tense relegation decider at Manguard Plus GAA Centre of Excellence which saw Kildare lose their top flight status.
With both sides aware that a win would preserve their top-flight place, the contest was played with real intensity and carried a strong championship feel throughout.
Kildare made the brighter start with Aoife Rattigan leading the way. She converted two early frees and added a point from play to give the hosts a three-point advantage.
Kerry responded decisively when Danielle O’Leary struck for goal – the forward rounding the goalkeeper to tap in after good work by Roisin Rahilly in the buildup – and she quickly followed up with a point as the visitors settled into the game. Éabha Ní Laighinn also raised a white flag as Kerry edged in front.
Kildare regrouped well, with Molly Aspell and Rattigan both on target before Rattigan intercepted a kickout finding the net to swing the momentum back in their favour. Kerry stayed in touch through Síofra O’Shea frees, and although Kildare lost captain Laoise Lenehan to a yellow card, they managed to keep their noses in front.
Further scores from Rattigan and Ciara Wheeler were met by a Kerry effort from Leah McMahon, leaving Kildare ahead by 1-7 to 1-5 at the interval.
Kerry emerged strongly after the break, with points from newly introduced Mary O’Connell and O’Shea pushing them into the lead. O’Shea and Niamh Ní Chonchúir added further scores as Kerry built momentum, but Kildare struck back through a well-taken Alannah Prizeman goal to regain the advantage.
Danielle O’Leary was again central for Kerry, reacting quickest after her shot was saved to palm home her second goal. Kerry then had a chance to extend their lead from the penalty spot, but Rachel Fennin produced an excellent save from Síofra O’Shea to keep Kildare in contention.
A Rachel Dwyer point edged Kerry two in front once more – a pivotal score as it turned out – and although Rattigan responded with a late free, Kerry held their composure in the closing stages to secure a hard-earned 2-10 to 2-9 victory and confirm their Division 1 survival, while Kildare will make the drop.
Scorers – Kerry: Danielle O’Leary 2-1; Síofra O’Shea 0-4 (2f); Leah McMahon, Éabha Ní Laighinn, Mary O’Connell, Niamh Ní Chonchúir, & Rachel Dwyer 0-1 each.
Kildare: Aoife Rattigan 1-7 (5f); Alannah Prizeman 1-0; Molly Aspell 0-1; Ciara Wheeler 0-1.
Kerry: C Butler, E Lynch, D Kearney, R Rahilly, É Ní Laighinn, A Dillane, A O’Connell, N Carmody, A Galvin, K Enright, N Ní Chonchúir, C Evans, S O’Shea (capt), D O’Leary, L McMahon. Subs: M O’Connell for K Enright (HT), M Mulvihill for N Ní Chonchúir (50), J Lucey for C Evans (50), R Dwyer for N Carmody (53).
Kildare: R Fennin, Á Mernagh, M Doherty, A Murnane, H McLoughlin, R Sargent, L Lenehan (capt), J Harney, G Wheeler, L Shaw, C Wheeler, M Aspell, A Rattigan, M Doyle, A Prizeman. Subs: R Forde for J Harney (15), L Curran for M Doyle (43), A Irhue for L Shaw (48), R Dillon for A Murnane (54), A Mahon for M Doherty (54).
Referee: Paul McCaughey (Westmeath).
Waterford edge out finalists Galway to end campaign on high note
Lidl National Football League Division 1
Waterford 2-12
Galway 0-10
By John Stack
Waterford closed out their Lidl National Football League Division 1 campaign with a hard-earned victory over Galway in Leamybrien, edging a lively and competitive encounter despite little riding on the outcome for either side.
With Galway already through to the league final against Cork and Waterford building towards the Munster Championship, both teams still served up an entertaining contest.
An understrength Galway side struck first, with Olivia Divilly opening the scoring after six minutes, before Eva Noone added another point on the break to push Galway two clear.
Waterford responded in style. Chloe Fennell found the net after ten minutes following excellent approach play involving Eve Power, Meabh Daly and Jade Queally. The home side grew into the game from there, though Aine O’Neill was unlucky to see an effort come back off the post. Noone and Andrea Trill kept Galway ticking over, while Aoife O’Rourke also split the posts.
Points from Fennell, Kellyann Hogan and Katie Murray helped Waterford stay ahead, though Galway threatened again late in the half. Goalkeeper Gardiner produced a superb save to deny Trill, preserving Waterford’s narrow advantage. O’Neill added a point before the break to leave it 1-4 to 0-5 at half-time.
Galway came out strongly in the second half, with Aoife Molly reducing the gap, but Waterford responded through Eve Power and a Hogan free. Murray added another as the hosts looked to take control.
The decisive moment arrived when substitute Lia Ní hÁrtá struck for a goal after O’Neill did well to win possession from a kickout. Galway battled back with scores from Noone, Leanne Coen, Niamh Divilly, but Waterford always had an answer.
Fennell, Karen McGrath, Clare Walsh (two) and Treasa Ní Chrótaigh all contributed important points down the stretch to secure the win. Despite Galway’s dangerous pace in transition, Waterford’s clinical finishing, highlighted by two well-taken goals, proved the difference on the day.
Scorers – Waterford: C Fennell 1-2, L NihArta 1-0, K Hogan 0-2 (1f), K Murray 0-2, C Walsh 0-2, A O’Neill, E Power, K McGrath, T Ni Chrotaigh 0-1 each.
Galway: E Noone 0-4 (1f), O Divilly 0-2, A Trill, A O’Rourke, A Molloy, L Coen, N Divilly, S McGovern 0-1 each.
Waterford: K Gardiner; C Murray, L Mulcahy, A McGrath; K McGrath, R Casey, A Hahesy; E Power, E Murray (capt.); K Murray, K Hogan, Á O’Neill; M Daly, J Queally, C Fennell. Subs: Lia Ní hArta for Daly (ht), R Browne for Hahessy (ht), L McGregor for Queally (ht). H McGrath for A McGrath (47), C Walsh for C Murray (52), O Kennedy for Fennell (52), T Ni Chrotaigh for K Murray (53), S Peters for McGrath (53), A Brazil for Hogan (53).
Galway: L O’Halloran; A Molloy, K Mee, K Geraghty (capt.); S Healy, N Ward, E Power; A Madden, S Divilly; A O’Rourke, K Slevin, O Divilly; A Trill, L Coen, E Noone. Subs: H Noone for Power (ht), L Noone for O’Rourke (ht), N Divilly for Madden (40), M Glynn for Molloy (46), D Keane for Trill (48), S McGovern for Slevin (53), E Smith for Coen (53), O O’Connor for O’Halloran (53).
Referee: Johnathon Murphy (Carlow).
Lidl National Football League Division 1
Dublin 2-8
Cork 1-6
By Daire Walsh
Despite goals from Michelle Davoren and Annabelle Timothy guiding them towards a five-point triumph over upcoming finalists Cork at Parnell Park, Dublin have suffered relegation from Division 1 of the Lidl National Football League.
Carla Rowe, Dublin’s All-Ireland winning captain in both 2023 and 2025, edged them into an early lead with a fine point off the outside of her right boot. The in-form Katie Quirke responded at the opposite end for Cork with a successful free, before the Jackies bagged the opening goal of the game as Davoren got the better of Leeside netminder Caoimhe Redmond with a looping shot on six minutes.
The hosts were searching for just their second victory of this year’s NFL top-tier and raised another green flag when Timothy cut inside from the left in the 12th minute to fire a clinical shot to the back of the Cork net.
While the visitors eventually added to their tally with a well-worked point from half-back Sadbh McGoldrick just shy of the first-quarter mark, Dublin created significant daylight with unanswered scores courtesy of Timothy, Jodi Egan, Davoren and Rowe. Although Cork subsequently interrupted this scoring sequence with a brace of Quirke points, Dublin nevertheless brought a convincing 2-5 to 0-4 buffer into the interval.
Despite there being no score in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, Dublin defender Niamh Crowley and Cork substitute Aimee Corcoran both went close to rattling the respective opposition nets.
Midfielder Abbie O’Mahony and skipper Emma Cleary were also denied a three-pointer by Jackies custodian Abby Shiels as the Leesiders sought to step things up ahead of their Lidl NFL Division One decider against Galway on Saturday week.
Cork were persistent in their attacking play, however, and the Munster outfit finally grabbed the maiden score of the second period when Katie Quirke coolly slotted a penalty past Shiels on the stroke of 50 minutes.
Dublin settled back into the contest with additional points from Rowe (free) and Egan, but even though Annabelle Timothy put the seal on their win after Abigail Ring and Quirke had registered scores for Cork, results elsewhere on Sunday mean the Metropolitans will be playing in Division 2 of the NFL in 2027.
Scorers – Dublin: A Timothy 1-2, M Davoren 1-1, C Rowe 0-3 (1f), J Egan 0-2.
Cork: K Quirke 1-4 (1-0 pen, 0-3f), S McGoldrick, A Ring 0-1 each.
Dublin: A Shiels; N Crowley, H Leahy, K Donaghy; E Gribben, H McGinnis, N Donlon; R Hartnett, O Nolan; L Grendon, C Rowe, A Timothy; J Egan, N Hetherton, M Davoren. Subs: S McIntyre for Gribben (36), C Coffey for Donaghy (49), A Nyhan for Nolan (55), R McDonnell for Davoren (62).
Cork: C Richmond; M Duggan, D Kiniry, S Kelly; C Hughes, S McGoldrick, R Corkery; A Healy, A O’Mahony; R Leahy, K Redmond, E Cleary; A O’Sullivan, K Quirke, L Hallihan. Subs: A Corcoran for Hughes, M O’Callaghan for Redmond (both h-t), G Murphy for Leahy, S Callanan for Kelly (both 49), A Ring for Hallihan (52), E Hurley for Cleary (55).
Referee: Maggie Farrelly (Cavan).
