What promises to be a fascinating 2022 Lidl Ladies National Football League campaign gets underway on Saturday with the meeting of TG4 All-Ireland Senior Champions Meath and Cork in Navan (1.30pm).

There are three other Division 1 fixtures on the agenda over the weekend, as Donegal and Galway clash in Ballybofey (7.30pm) on Saturday (LIVE, TG4), while Mayo take on Westmeath at the Connacht GAA Dome at 7pm, also on Saturday.

There’s one Division 1 fixture on Sunday, as Lidl NFL Division 1 Champions Dublin travel to Fraher Field, Dungarvan, for a 2pm start against Waterford.

Saturday February 12:  

Lidl NFL Division 1A: 

Donegal v Galway; MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey, 7.30pm – Live on TG4 

Donegal were semi-finalists last year and will quietly fancy their chances of getting out of a group that also contains Galway, Mayo and Westmeath.  

TG4 All Star Geraldine McLaughlin is a proven score-getting in the Donegal attack, with Karen Guthrie providing more experience in that inside line.  

Galway are still searching for a manager following the recent departure of Gerry Fahy, with Maghnus Breathnach and Fiona Wynne taking charge of team affairs for this one.  

Donegal had the upper hand when the sides met in the League last year, but Galway had their revenge in the group stages of the TG4 Championship.  

Mayo v Westmeath; The Dome, Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence, 7pm  

Mayo are without a host of key players due to injury and other factors as they prepare for the visit of Westmeath to the Connacht GAA Air Dome.  

The Westerners contested League and All-Ireland semi-finals last year, losing out in both to Dublin, and they will hope to be competitive again in 2022.  

For Westmeath, 2021 was a brilliant season. They avoided relegation from the top flight and went on then to land the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate crown at Croke Park. 

Under new manager, Michael Finneran, they’ll look to preserve Division 1 status again before thoughts turn to the Leinster Championship and All-Ireland series.  

Lidl NFL Division 1B:  

Meath v Cork; Páirc Tailteann, Navan, 1.30pm  

Meath begin the season as TG4 All-Ireland Senior Champions and they’re also preparing for life in the top flight after gaining promotion from Division 2 last year.  

Manager Eamonn Murray is going with 12 of his TG4 All-Ireland winning team for the visit of Cork, who will be smarting still from losing out to Meath in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final in dramatic circumstances.  

Cork are without their Mourneabbey contingent following their recent currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Final loss but new manager Shane Ronayne, who was in charge of that Mourneabbey outfit, still has a nice blend of youth and experience to call upon.  

This is the first game of the 2022 Lidl NFL campaign and it promises to be an excellent tie between the two teams who will harbour genuine League title ambitions.  

Sunday February 13:  

Lidl NFL Division 1B:  

Waterford v Dublin; Fraher Field, Dungarvan 

Champions Dublin make the trip to Waterford for their opening fixture in the 2022 Lidl National League.  

The Sky Blues have five of the team that lined out against Meath in last September’s TG4 All-Ireland Final in their starting line-up, with four more on bench.  

Nicole Owens and Kate Sullivan are both in the team and they’ll be high on confidence after landing currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Intermediate club medals with St Sylvester’s.  

Waterford have Pat Sullivan back for a second spell at the helm. He previously served a successful four-year term before stepping down in 2018.