Issue link: http://digitaleditions.uberflip.com/i/964257
ladiesgaelic.ie // 39 LIDL NATIONAL LEAGUE Volume 14 | Issue No 1 | PEIL Spring contest if I remember correctly. Another of the many much-welcomed double-headers, I also worked at the Dublin and Cork match in Croke Park. A word must go to those double-headers right through the divisions, most definitely a step in the right direction - as well as eir sport's fantastic coverage, joining TG4, who have led the way for so long. Thinking through other highlights in the top tier to date, a few jump out. One thing that the league is always great for is unearthing young talent as many managers use it as an experimental period for the most part. One player who really caught my eye was Galway's Áine McDonagh. I had seen snippets of the 18-year-old Moycullen star before, but she's really come to the fore and matured over the few months of 2018 action. Then you have the big names like 2017 Player's Player of the Year Noelle Healy and Cork sharpshooter Orla Finn producing week after week, along with Donegal's Yvonne Bonner, who racked up colossal scores on several occasions. The reigning Ulster champions may feel hard done by to miss out on a spot in the last four, but Maxi Curran's outfit have sent out a strong statement of intent that they will be serious contenders this summer. The Division 2 semi-finals see table- toppers Waterford go head-to-head with Cavan while Tipperary face Armagh in another tasty match-up. The Déise finished top after beating TG4 All-Ireland intermediate champions Tipp on the final day of group action. This came as a blow to Shane Ronayne's charges, who had previously been unbeaten since their 2016 All-Ireland semi-final. A team which must be admired accordingly none the less. Armagh on the other hand will prove sti" competition, inspired by the likes of TG4 2017 All-Star Aimee Mackin and three-time recipient Caroline O'Hanlon – they're just two players who grab the headlines in a panel of promising talent. Last year›s Division 2 finalists Cavan sealed their semi-final berth on the road in a last-chance saloon. The pressure was on against Tyrone, with just the winner progressing, and the Bre"ni showed true grit and character to do so. They're no strangers to Waterford at this stage and with a host of exemplary forwards on each side, we could be in store for a cracker. Division 3 sees Wexford and Kildare pitted against each other while it's Meath and Down on the other side of the semi-final draw. Unbeaten until their final group game, Wexford will be tough to topple but the Lilywhites, who've had a mixed campaign to date after a year of transition, will feel that they can come in under the radar and cause an upset. Meath and Down on the other hand both finished on 15 points - five wins, two losses each. It was the Royals who came out on top in their previous meeting, which finished 4-13 to 2-2 in the opening round. January's a long time ago now though. At the time of print, the fate of one semi-final spot in Division 4 is still up in the air but as a whole, it's also been a highly entertaining grade. Hats o" to Wicklow, the only team across all four divisions of the Lidl Ladies National Leagues to go unbeaten to date in 2018. 7/7, not bad at all. Louth and the ever-improving Limerick have also booked their last four dates while Fermanagh wait patiently to see if it'll be them or Antrim who progress. So that's that. It's been a hectic few months to get to where we are, but there's most definitely a sense that the best is yet to come. With the semi-finals just around the corner, all focus lies on that and I, for one, can't wait.