Reigning champions Armagh will take on Kerry in this year’s Lidl National Football League Division One final at Croke Park on Saturday, April 12th.
It will be a repeat of last year’s final with Kerry, the current TG4 All-Ireland champions, appearing in their third successive league final.
Armagh suffered their first defeat of the campaign when they went down by 1-22 to 1-12 away to Waterford.
The Déise blew the reigning champions away with 16 second half points. Ballymacarbry trio Kellyann Hogan, Bríd McMaugh and Clare Walsh scored 1-15 between them as Tomás Mac a t’Saoir’s side registered their third win of the campaign. Rebecca Casey was another outstanding performer at centre back.
Kerry sealed their place in the final when they edged out Meath by 0-13 to 1-8 in Tralee.
Playing with a strong breeze in the opening half, Kerry took a 0-6 to 0-2 lead in at the break. Kerry started the second half like they meant business with scores from Anna Galvin and Niamh Carmody. Then Meath took control, scoring 1-5 in a nine-minute spell with Meadhbh Byrne hitting a brilliant goal in the 42nd minute.
But Rachel Dwyer struck a super point for Kerry off the bench and O’Shea struck for three to nudge Kerry ahead with six minutes left on the clock, and the two combined for one more point each to seal the win.
The relegation battle will go down to the final round of games next weekend with Tyrone, Kildare and Mayo battling to avoid the drop.
Mayo kept their survival hopes alive with a 3-4 to 0-12 win over Kildare in Swinford. Tyrone, who will play Kildare in the final round, went down by 1-11 to 3-4 to Dublin.
Mayo will travel to play Waterford in their final game, Kerry will host Dublin while their league final opponents Armagh will entertain Meath.
Results:
Dublin 1-11 Tyrone 3-4
Waterford 1-22 Armagh 1-12
Mayo 3-4 Kildare 0-12
Kerry 0-13 Meath 1-8
