Ladies Football takes centre stage next weekend with the finals of the Lidl National League taking place in Dublin and Offaly.
On Sunday, Dublin and Mayo recreate last year’s record-breaking TG4 All Ireland Ladies Football Final and while there may not be 46,286 fans at Parnell Park it is bound to be packed to the rafters for a doubleheader that also includes Cavan and Tipperary battling it out for Division 2 honours.
Dublin are bidding to win the League title for the first time ever and this will be their first time in a final since 2014. Their visibility in public terms increased dramatically with the broadcast last year on RTÉ of Blues Sisters a documentary look at the year they had.
“This has been another outstanding season of League football and now the time has come to crown our champions,” said Ladies Gaelic Football Association CEO Helen O’Rourke.
“Across the four divisions, competition has been intense and the standard of fare on offer has been of the very highest standard.”
“Some of the great football we have witnessed to date in 2018, including at the semi-final stages when some magic moments went ‘viral’ on social media, has certainly whetted the appetite for what should be four great games across Sunday and Monday.”
“We’re expecting big crowds at both venues and we’re grateful to our retail partners and League sponsors, Lidl, for their continued #SeriousSupport.”
“Dublin and Mayo should be another cracking game that will bring memories of last September flooding back, while Cavan and Tipperary will serve up a cracker in the Division 2 final.”
“On Monday, it’s an all-Leinster affair across the finals in Divisions 3 and 4 and I’d like to wish all of the counties involved the very best of luck.”
The Ladies Gaelic Football Association launched a new Strategic Plan for 2017 to 2022 at last weekend’s Annual Congress. Next week on Sport for Business we will look in detail at its findings and ambitions in key areas including participation, commercial revenues, visibility and infrastructure.
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Image Credit: Brendan Moran, Sportsfile
