Two changes for Donegal with Niamh Carr and Cait Gillespie in to face Kerry

Donegal have made two changes to their starting XV as they make their way to All-Ireland finalists Kerry in round three of the Lidl Ladies Football National League Division 1.

The Munster side, one of two teams along with Galway with a 100 percent record, welcome Donegal to Austin Stack Park, Tralee, for a midday start. Niamh Carr from Milford comes in for Katie Dowds of MacCumhaill’s and Aodh Ruadh's Cait Gillespie is named instead of Susanne White from Killybegs.

Last year’s Division 1 runners-up Donegal, who sit on bottom of the pile after two defeats, need to start picking up points to avoid a relegation scrap and lost to Meath last time out on a 1-7 to 0-5 scoreline.

On the opening weekend of the season, Maxi Curran’s side were beaten by Galway in Tuam 0-11 to 0-6, without the likes of captain Niamh McLaughlin, Geraldine McLaughlin, Roisin McCafferty, Yvonne McMonagle, Niamh Hegarty and Karen Guthrie yet to appear this season.

There’s real depth now in the Kingdom set up and last year’s Division 2 champions have made a very comfortable start to life in Division 1, with victories over Waterford and Mayo.

Joint-managers Declan Quill and Darragh Long have shuffled their pack for Round 3, with no fewer than eight changes in personnel.

Kayleigh Cronin, Aoife Dillane, Ciara McCarthy, Mary O’Connell, Patrice Diggin, Anna Galvin, Rachel Dwyer and Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh are all handed starts, as Eilís Lynch, Ciara Murphy, Niamh Broderick, Lorraine Scanlon, Caoimhe Evans, Niamh Ní Chonchúir, Hannah O’Donoghue and Erica McGlynn drop out.

Donegal: Aoife McColgan (Malin); Niamh Carr (Milford), Evelyn McGinley (Termon), Saskia Boyle (Dungloe); Amy Boyle Carr (Naomh Conaill), Emer Gallagher (Termon), Tara Hegarty (Moville); Shelly Twohig (St Mary’s, Convoy), Roisin Rodgers (Naomh Muire); Jodie McFadden (Termon), Katie Long (Glenfin), Laoise Ryan (St Eunan’s); Cait Gillespie (Aodh Ruadh), Shannon McGroddy (Downings), Ciara McGarvey (Termon).
Kerry (v Donegal): M.E. Bolger; C O’Brien, K Cronin, A Dillane; C McCarthy, E Costello, A O’Connell; M O’Connell, C Lynch; P Diggin, N Carmody, A Galvin; S O’Shea (capt.), R Dwyer, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh.