Women's Football

There's no lack of novelty surrounding the women's All-Ireland football semi-final at Croke Park today. Not only do Tyrone and Mayo meet for the first time in the senior championship, it's also the first time a women's senior match is on the same bill as the men.

As a curtain raiser to the men's replay between Kerry and Armagh, neither women's team will have played to such a large audience before. For Mayo, it will be the first trip to Croke Park since winning their first senior title last year, where they upset the favourites Waterford .

Tyrone, however, have improved significantly since winning the junior title last year. They have already beaten Mayo in the early rounds of this season's league (although Mayo actually won the subsequent league final, 1-11 to 26) and they also picked up their first Ulster title by defeating Monaghan at the end of July.

That proved to be the major breakthrough that they had threatened for the last couple of years. The 2-11 to 1-11 margin over Monaghan was greatly assisted by the scoring of Eilish Gormley (1-7), Lynette Hughes (0-3) and Lisa McGirr (1-0).

The team shows six changes from that which won the junior title last season, most notably with the return of Ciara Strain into the half-forward line. There is a doubt over Gormley, however, who is carrying a hand injury. Hughes is also expected to prove one of the most useful scorers and lines out at centre forward.

There are a number of injury worries in the Mayo camp. Helena Lohan - one of their most powerful performers in the league final - is recovering from a hand injury and Clare Egan also has fitness problems. In contrast, influential forward Cara Staunton is now back to her best and is likely to prove their key scorer.

Defenders Assumpta Bohan and Rachel Barrett are two other key players in this Mayo squad, as are half backs Niamh Lally and Yvonne Byrne - two other veterans of last year's win over Waterford. Mayo battled against adversity to win their All-Ireland last year and should have the ability to get through to another final.

MAYO: D Horan; A Bohan, H Lohan, N Lally; R Barrett, N O'Shea, Y Byrne; M Heffernan, M Staunton (capt); C Heffernan, M O'Malley, C Egan; D O'Hara, C Staunton, S Bailey.

TYRONE: M Boyle; M Doyle, M Kelly, A McCluskey; C McGarvey, S McGarvey, L Donnelly; C Fox, L McGirr (capt); C Strain, L Hughes, S McGirr; C Kelly, E Gormley, M Doherty.