Potential Croker return for Tipp Ladies Footballers in National League opener
All Ireland Intermediate Ladies Football champions Tipperary will face All Ireland senior champions Dublin in the opening round of the 2020 Lidl National League.
Shane Ronayne's charges will be away to the Dubs on Saturday 26th January and with the Dublin senior footballers set to face Kerry in the opening round of the Allianz Football League the same evening, the ladies football league game could be set to form the first part of an attractive double-header.
It will be a difficult start to the campaign for Tipperary who will be without Ashling McCarthy and Orla O'Dwyer who will be playing Aussie Rules in the spring as the Premier ladies will host league champions Cork in round 2 on Sunday, 2nd February. Cork will be out for revenge as their only loss in the their run to the 2019 league title was a defeat by Tipperary in Pairc Ui Rinn.
The game will be the first of four home matches for Tipperary with Westmeath, Mayo and Donegal also set to come to the premier county, with one of those games likely to be part of a double-header with a men's National League game. Tipp's other away games will be to Galway and Waterford.
The LGFA has also confirmed that the top two finishers will progress straight to the finals with semi-finals done away with. The 2020 Lidl Ladies National Football League Finals will be played on the weekend of April 18/19.
2020 Lidl Ladies National Football League Fixtures:
Round 1: January 26
Cork v Westmeath; Dublin v Tipperary; Galway v Waterford; Mayo v Donegal
Round 2: February 2
Mayo v Dublin; Tipperary v Cork; Waterford v Donegal; Westmeath v Galway
Round 3: February 9
Donegal v Galway; Dublin v Cork; Mayo v Waterford; Tipperary v Westmeath
Round 4: February 23
Cork v Mayo; Dublin v Galway; Waterford v Tipperary; Westmeath v Donegal
Round 5: March 8
Donegal v Cork; Galway v Tipperary; Mayo v Westmeath; Waterford v Dublin
Round 6: March 22
Donegal v Dublin; Galway v Cork; Tipperary v Mayo; Westmeath v Waterford
Round 7: March 29
Cork v Waterford; Galway v Mayo; Tipperary v Donegal; Westmeath v Dublin
Relegation/Playoff Dates: April 4/5, April 11/12
Final: April 18/19