Roche Emmets stand in Geraldines’ way of a third consecutive senior championship final appearance, with Sunday’s last four encounter at Páirc na Gaeil expected to be a tight affair.
The holders have reached the penultimate juncture unbeaten, coming out of a group containing all Division One teams, including Cooley Kickhams and St. Mochtas.
Paula Lavin remains in charge of the Haggardstown juggernaut, who’ve evidently got stronger as the season has progressed, defeating both of the other semi-finalists, St. Bride’s and St. Mochta’s, following the campaign’s post-Covid-19 resumption.
Roche are a relative unknown to the girls in green, however. Operating out of Division Two, the clubs’ sole meeting of recent times was in last year’s subsidiary league decider, which Gers edged 3-14 to 4-9.
Emmets did extremely well to reach this position on the back of a round one loss to Bride’s. Following that clash, Gerry Curran’s charges impressively accounted for St. Kevin’s/Hunterstown, St. Patrick’s and Stabannon Parnells on the way to a second place finish.
Abi Keenan, Seona Halligan, Louise Byrne and Sarah McArdle have been in prolific scoring form for the underdogs en route to this stage, but Gers have a solid backline with Holly Lambe-Sally, Lauren McFaul and Eilis Hand boasting inter-county experience.
Meanwhile, Ciara O’Connor, Abbi O’Connor and Rebecca Carr will lead the champions’ scoring effort. Niamh Callan and Caoimhe Treanor will have to be at their best if Roche are to keep Gers’ threat at bay.
