Things could get very, very complicated if Donegal and Meath can't be separated

With the margins thin in Group 2 of the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship, complications could well arise if Meath and Donegal can’t be separated tomorrow evening.

Ciara McGarvey is the one change in the Donegal team submitted to face Meath at Páirc Tailteann in Navan. It was the Termon forward who put the cap on the 1-10 to 0-9 win for Maxi Curran’s side in the TG4 Ulster SFC final against Armagh at Owenbeg last month. She comes in for Laoise Ryan of St Eunan’s.

McGarvey’s clubmate at Burn Road, Geraldine McLaughlin, made her first inter-county appearance of 2023 as a 54th-minute substitute in the 2-10 to 1-8 victory over Waterford and is expected to play some part against the back-to-back All-Ireland champions.

In the three-team group, Meath enjoyed a 1-13 to 1-8 victory over Waterford in Dungarvan last weekend, which means the side now managed by Jenny Rispin and Donegal are both guaranteed a place in the last eight with two out of the three to progress, although the group winners will have a home draw in the quarter-finals. 

If it finishes level tomorrow, it means a delve into the official guide to find what would separate the top two. A draw would eliminate the first differential, which is the head-to-head between Meath and Donegal, so the second method for teams tied states it would then come down to who scores the highest number of points - actual scores converted over the bar - in the game itself. 

In the case of a drawn game, there is a possibility that both teams score the same number of points, so next up is to go to the score difference between the two. 

Both are identical at +5 following their respective wins over Waterford, so a drawn match would not alter that, which moves onto the fourth possibility: “Should the teams remain equal at this point the team that finishes in the higher position will be the team with the lowest number of goals conceded throughout the Championship.” 

This, seeing both Meath and Donegal have conceded the same number of goals in the All-Ireland series - one apiece - also wouldn’t work.

When contacted by DonegalLive, the LGFA said they are aware of the potentially complex permutations and that “communication will be issued to both counties should those eventualities be exhausted, and a plan to determine top spot and second place will be in place.” 

It is a distinct possibility that a drawing of lots would have to occur to see who wins and who comes second in the group and draw paraphernalia will be at the ready in Navan. 

The Royals earned their win in Waterford as sit-down protests continued around the country. Members of the Meath and Waterford squads lined up together and then sat down to demonstrate the frustrations of senior ladies' football and camogie squads. These protests are expected to continue this weekend. 

Donegal lost out to Meath in last year’s All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final on a 0-12 to 1-7 scoreline and also in the Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 1 final, 2-8 to 1-9.

The live TG4 action gets underway with the game between Mayo and Laois at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Castlebar, at 1.30pm. The evening fixture is the meeting of Meath and Donegal from Páirc Tailteann, Navan, at 7.30pm. Following the conclusion of that clash, the draw for the quarter-finals, which will be played over the weekend of July 15/16, will be made.

Saturday’s Senior action commences with the meeting of Kerry and Cavan in Tralee at 12.30pm, while Cork are at home to Tipperary in Clonakilty at 2pm.

Donegal: Clare Friel (Gaeil Fhánada); Niamh Carr (Milford), Abigail Temple Asokuh (MacCumhaill’s), Emer Gallagher (Termon); Amy Boyle Carr (Naomh Conaill), Nicole McLaughlin (Termon), Tara Hegarty (Moville); Roisin Rodgers (Naomh Muire), Niamh McLaughlin (captain, Moville); Susanne White (Killybegs), Katie Long (Glenfin), Katie Dowds (MacCumhaill’s); Niamh Hegarty (Moville), Karty Herron (Glenfin), Ciara McGarvey (Termon).

Meath: M McGuirk; A Sheridan, M.K. Lynch, K Newe; M Byrne, S Ennis (captain), E Duggan; M O’Shaughnessy, A Minogue; M Thynne, V Wall, N Gallogly; O Lally, S Grimes, N O’Sullivan.