Rossies set to face Fermanagh for All-Ireland crown

by Jackie Cahill

Roscommon have named an unchanged team ahead of Sunday’s TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate final against Fermanagh in Croke Park.

Two excellent teams are preparing to battle it out for the 2026 TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate title, in what promises to be a fascinating decider between two counties hungry for success.

This is a novel final pairing in this grade, as 2005 champions Roscommon face off against the runners-up of 2009 and 2014.

Fermanagh are back at Croke Park again on TG4 All-Ireland Finals day for the second time in three years, and they'll be aiming for more silverware after landing the Junior title two years ago.

For Roscommon's ladies, this is a first visit to Croke Park since the 2001 TG4 All-Ireland Junior final victory over Kildare, as the 2005 Intermediate decider against Down was played at St Loman's GAA in Mullingar.

With the Mary Quinn Memorial Cup on offer, along with the prospect of senior championship fare in 2026, the stakes could hardly be higher for either side.

In their respective semi-finals, many would have viewed Sunday’s finalists as underdogs, but they came through in style - Roscommon overcoming Westmeath, while Fermanagh emerged past the challenge of Down.

Both teams appear to be peaking at exactly the right time, when you consider that Fermanagh didn't even contest the TG4 Ulster Final, while Roscommon were well beaten by Leitrim in the Connacht decider.

Neither of Sunday’s finalists topped their respective qualifier groups in the All-Ireland series, but have built up a considerable head of steam since then.

Roscommon avenged their provincial final defeat to Leitrim at the All-Ireland quarter-final stage, while Fermanagh performed impressively against Clare in their last-eight tie - both results signalling genuine improvement under pressure.

That form carried both teams to their aforementioned semi-finals, with Fermanagh prevailing by two points against Down, and Roscommon having four points to spare on Westmeath.

Scoring power will go a long way towards deciding Sunday’s final and in Eimear Smyth, Fermanagh have the leading sharpshooter in the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship.

Smyth, the 2024 ZuCar Golden Boot winner for the leading scorer across the Junior, Senior and Intermediate grades, is in the hunt for the prize again as she’s currently on 4-30 (42 points) ahead of throw-in, seven points adrift of leader Maria O'Neill from Antrim.

Smyth is a big-game player too, as evidenced in the Junior Final of 2024, when the Derrygonnelly Harps ace landed the 'Player of the Match' award on the back of a 1-9 haul.

Fermanagh have other players capable of stepping up to the mark, including Joanne Doonan, another hugely experienced campaigner who has scored 1-7 to date. Sinéad Barrett (0-6) and Sarah Britton (1-2) have also contributed to the scoring cause, but Smyth remains undoubtedly the player Roscommon will need to pay most attention to.

The Rossies themselves have players who'll need close watching. Aisling Feely has registered 1-23 to date in the All-Ireland campaign, while Caoimhe Lennon has chipped in with 4-5. Rosie Lennon (1-5), Laura Mannion (1-3), Ella Thompson (0-4) and Lucy Shanahan (1-1) have also been making their presence felt in an attacking sense throughout the championship.

So, will it be Roscommon goalkeeper Helena Cummins, or Fermanagh captain Shannan McQuade who lifts the Mary Quinn Memorial Cup at full-time?

The stage is set, and considering the quality of player on show for both sides, this 2026 final could well be a real treat for spectators.

ROSCOMMON: H Cummins (captain); M McKeon, A Connaughton, A McGrath; N Feeney, S Wynne, E Thompson; R Cox, A Curran; K Nolan, E Irwin, L Mannion; R Lennon, A Feely, C Lennon.

FERMANAGH: A Haren; A Keenan, C Breen, S McQuade (captain); B Bannon, C Bogue, A O'Brien; A McCarney, J Doonan; S Barrett, N McManus, S Britton; C McGarrigle, E Smyth, B Smyth.