Kennedy, Hegarty named to start for Donegal ladies in Ulster semi-final

Tanya Kennedy and Niamh Hegarty have been named to start for the Donegal senior ladies in their TG4 Ulster SFC semi-final against Cavan.

Maxi Curran’s Donegal face Cavan in the curtain-raiser to the men’s semi-final meeting of the two counties at Clones (throw-in 1.45pm).

Castlefin woman Kennedy appeared as a substitute in last month’s Lid Ladies NFL Division 1 final defeat by Meath in Croke Park. Kennedy returned from a lengthy spell in Australia during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A dual star in Gaelic football and soccer during her teenage years (she was an underage Irish international), Kennedy could prove a useful acquisition by Curran.

Donegal boss Maxi Curran expects another battle with Cavan in Ulster semi

Cavan have pushed Donegal to the limits in two recent Ulster semi-finals and manager Maxi Curran expects another tough challenge come Sunday

Moville’s Hegarty has also recently returned to bolster the Donegal options and she, too, was used off the bench in the League final.

Tara Hegarty ad Roisin Rodgers are the two players who have dropped off the XV on the side which has been named.

Cavan return to action for the first time since their group outings in Division 2B of the Lidl National League. 

The Breffni girls have it all to do against a Donegal outfit still smarting from defeat to Meath.

Donegal will be anxious to bounce back and book a place in the provincial final against holders Armagh – but Cavan have huge motivation of their own to make it there. 

Cavan (v Donegal): E Walsh; R Doonan, S Lynch, Z Fay; S Greene, L Fitzpatrick (capt.), E Halton; M Sheridan, N Byrd; N Keenaghan, L McVeety, A Gilsenan; G Sheridan, A Reilly, G Smith.

Donegal (v Cavan): R McCafferty; N Carr, E McGinley, N Boyle; T Kennedy, Nicole McLaughlin, A Boyle Carr; K Herron, Niamh McLaughlin (capt.); Y Bonner, N Hegarty, S Twohig; B McLaughlin, K Guthrie, G McLaughlin.