Ladies Gaelic Football

www.ladiesgaelic.ie | SUMMER 2020 | 11 INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP Meath were far more competitive last year, having suffered a Tyrone goal avalanche 12 months previously. There's plenty of quality in the Meath ranks but they'll have to work for progression against good opposition. Down were flying in Division 3 of the Lidl National League, second behind Kildare in the standings and unbeaten after five games. Leitrim were making an impact too in Division 4, with three wins from four matches, and two emerging sides will fancy their chances of facing up to Eamonn Murray's Meath. Meath gained promotion from Division 3 last year and had made quite an impact in five Division 2 fixtures, winning three, drawing one and losing just one to sit second behind Kerry in a highly- competitive pool. This championship group is one to keep a close eye on, which leaves us with Group 4, which has four teams in it. Leinster duo Kildare and Laois are here, along with Sligo, representing Connacht, and Munster outfit Clare. Looking back on 2019, when Tipperary swept all before them in the Intermediate Championship, it was Clare who gave the Premier County their stiffest test, at the quarter-final stage. Clare have the quality to make a real impact in this competition, but Sligo, Kildare and Laois can boast similarly. Clare will be concerned by their pre Covid-19 League form, however, which saw them lose four games from five outings. Kildare, in contrast, were five from five in Division 3, Laois had won two from five, while Sligo were propping up the Division and pointless. Going solely on the 2020 line of form, it would appear that Kildare could be the team to emerge from the four-team group, to face the Group 3 winners, but there's lots of football to be played before the final picture emerges. By Jackie Cahill KILDARE manager Daniel Moynihan admits that the Lilywhites have been handed "a hugely difficult draw" in the 2020 TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship. Kildare are in the only four-team group in the round-robin stages, along with Clare, Laois and Sligo. Moynihan reacted: "It's a hugely difficult draw. An opposition manager described it as the 'Group of Death' so that's never good to hear – another manager contacting you and saying that to you! "You're up against really good teams Kildare looking ahead to 'Group of Death' and it's going to be really difficult, especially the fact that you have four teams, you have three games in quick succession. "it's by no means easy and it's going to be difficult – whoever comes out of that group is going to have earned it." Kildare will feel that they can compete, however, as they led Division 3 of the Lidl National League prior to shutdown, with a maximum 15 points from five outings, and in a pool that also contained Laois and Sligo. In Division 2, Clare towards the bottom with just one point from five games, but Moynihan's reluctant to use early-year form as a barometer. He said: "It (Covid-19) came at the worst time for us. The aim was to do really well in the League and our crew were quite annoyed by it but what can you do about it? "You have to move on and start looking forward to the championship – and that's what we've started to do, thinking about the games ahead of us, starting with Clare and that's an absolutely massive game for us. Clare have been in Division 2, playing Senior teams, they've had a tough run of it but that will make them a better team, for sure."

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