Cork and Galway Lead Lidl NFL as Relegation Battle Heats Up

Unbeaten Cork and in-form Galway top Division 1, while the battle to avoid the drop intensifies.

Mar. 2, 2026 at 10:07pm

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The Lidl National Football League is in full swing, with Cork and Galway establishing themselves as the teams to beat in Division 1. Cork remains the only unbeaten side after defeating Waterford, while Galway secured a narrow victory over reigning champions Kerry. Elsewhere, Kildare earned their first win of the campaign by defeating Meath, and the relegation battle is heating up with just two points separating the bottom five teams.

Why it matters

The early-season form of Cork and Galway suggests they could be the teams to beat in the race for the Division 1 title. Meanwhile, the tight relegation battle in the top tier highlights the competitiveness of the Lidl NFL and the importance of each game for teams looking to avoid the drop.

The details

Cork continued their unbeaten run with a 1-12 to 3-5 victory over Waterford, with Aoife Healy scoring a crucial goal. Galway maintained their challenge with a 1-11 to 1-09 win against reigning champions Kerry, thanks to a goal from Leanne Coen. Kildare secured their first win of the campaign, defeating Meath 4-08 to 1-10 with goals from Gillian Wheeler, Mayah Doyle, Alannah Prizeman, and Aoife Murnane.

  • Cork defeated Waterford on March 1, 2026.
  • Galway defeated Kerry on March 1, 2026.
  • Kildare defeated Meath on March 1, 2026.

The players

Aoife Healy

A player for Cork who scored a crucial goal in their victory over Waterford.

Katie Quirke

A player for Cork who led the scoring with 0-06 in their win over Waterford.

Leanne Coen

A player for Galway who scored the goal that proved pivotal in their win over Kerry.

Gillian Wheeler

A player for Kildare who scored one of the four goals in their victory over Meath.

Brid McMaugh

A player for Waterford who scored two goals in their defeat to Cork.

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What they’re saying

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What’s next

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The takeaway

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