BY KIERAN McCARTHY
CORK will hope home advantage in four of their first five 2024 Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 1 games will act as a springboard for a fruitful campaign.
Shane Ronayne’s Rebels will kick off their new season at home to Galway on January 21st, and that’s the first of four home ties in the opening five rounds. Armagh, Waterford and Mayo will all have made the trip to Cork by March 3rd, while the Rebels’ first away game is a short trip across the county bounds to take on reigning league champions Kerry on Sunday, February 4th.
Cork’s final two games are as tough as it gets, away to the All-Ireland champions of the past two seasons, 2023 winners Dublin and 2022 champs Meath. The top two at the end of the group stage will progress to the Division 1 final at Croke Park on Sunday, April 7th.
Meanwhile, Shane Ronayne’s management team has been boosted by the return of Denis Enright as a selector. The Clonakilty man had been involved as a selector in 2022, Ronayne’s first season in the hot seat, but Enright stepped away for the 2023 campaign. Well known for his previous involvement with the Cork minor ladies, the West Cork senior football team and Clon, he joins the senior set-up as an additional selector, much to manager Ronayne’s delight. Also, Jerry Lane (Newtownshandrum) is the Cork ladies’ new strength and conditioning coach.
Here are Cork’s 2024 Division 1 league fixtures:
ROUND 1: Sunday, January 21st, home v Galway
ROUND 2: Saturday, January 28th, home v Armagh
ROUND 3: Sunday, February 4th, away v Kerry
ROUND 4: Sunday, February 18th, home v Waterford
ROUND 5: Sunday, March 3rd, home v Mayo
ROUND 6: Sunday, March 17th, away v Dublin
ROUND 7: Sunday, March 24th, away v Meath
