Revenge on Leitrim's mind as Ladies take on 2023 All-Ireland finalists Wexford on Sunday

Revenge, or redemption if you prefer, is one of the most powerful driving forces in sport and for the Leitrim team who travel to Chadwick's Wexford Park next Sunday, it may be just what they need as they set their sights on glory in the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship.

The notion that a Kildare team who just eclipsed them in a group stages shootout in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada might be waiting for them in a semi-final is definitely a powerful motivation for Jonny Garrity's side but next Sunday, the motivation is to get the better of a Wexford side who ended their All-Ireland campaign last year in Enniscorthy.

The Model county had two points to spare over Leitrim in that clash, the Green & Gold already out of contention in a four team group after losses to Wicklow and Offaly but they produced a defiant display in Hugh Donnelly's last game in charge of the Ladies team, pushing a team that went on to reach the All-Ireland Final later that year.

BREAKING: Leitrim to face Wexford in TG4 LGFA All-Ireland Quarter-Finals

Wexford's run to the All-Ireland final was a surprise but with Leinster finalists Kildare failing to get out of their group last year , the south east Leinster side took off, following on hard fought  wins over Wicklow and Laois to shock a heavily favoured Tyrone team 3-14 to 3-9 in the Quarter Final. 

Even more remarkably, they then thrashed Roscommon 6-11 to 1-9 to secure a place in the All-Ireland Final before they lost out narrowly to Laois 1-13 to 1-11 in the All-Ireland Final.

In this year's All-Ireland championship, they narrowly defeated Connacht champions Roscommon 0-11 to 1-7 in the first round before seeing off Monaghan 3-8 to 1-9. In the Leinster championship, Kildare defeated the Model County 2-12 to 1-8 in the Final after the Model County defeated Westmeath in the semi-final.

Their League form also shows Wexford to be a serious outfit as they lost out on a place in the Division 3 Final on scoring difference. Losses against Kildare and Down left them on 15 points after seven games, level with the Clare and the Ulster side but the superior scoring returns of the Banner women saw them take the  place in the League final, despite the fact that Wexford had beaten them 3-9 to 2-3 in the second round of the competition.

Drawing a line from League to championship can be dangerous and even from Provincial champions to All-Ireland - just look at  a Roscommon team who were comprehensive winners against Leitrim in the Connacht Final but are now facing into a relegation playoff next Saturday against Louth with the loser dropping down to the Junior ranks for 2024.

But if you were tempted to, how much would you read into Kildare's seven point win in the Leinster Final? Or the fact that the Lilywhites thrashed Wexford  5-8 to 2-9 in the group stages of the same competition this year after both counties had big wins over Carlow and Longford? 

Wexford had four points to spare over Louth in the League but Leitrim only got the better of the Wee County by two points, 2-8 to 1-9, in the group stages so who does that give the upper hand to? And what about the fact that Wexford only beat Sligo, albeit in Collooney in February, by a point, a Sligo side walloped by Leitrim at the end of April? 

Leitrim into TG4 LGFA All-Ireland Intermediate Quarter-Finals after Kildare victory over Louth

Green & Gold to face one from Antrim, Clare & Wexford away from home in quarter-finals

What Wexford proved last year is that if you can come through the group stages, catching fire in the knockout phase can see you all the way to the final in just two games - it is a tantalising prospect for Leitrim but having tasted defeat in Croke Park last year, there is the same motivation for Wexford.

Chloe Foxe was Wexford's chief scorer in the Leinster Final against Kildare and will take some watching and at home, in the wide open spaces of Chadwick's Wexford Park, they'll be determined to book their place in a semi-final against either Kildare or Tyrone.

But having been down in Wexford Park for Leitrim men's clash with the Model county, you got to think that the hard and extremely fast surface could suit the pace of the likes of Leah Fox, Laura O'Dowd, Ailbhe Clancy and Elise Bruen. The running from deep of O'Dowd and Bruen could create big holes in the Wexford defence while the ability of Fox and Clancy to turn sharply and accelerate into danger areas could prove a dangerous asset.

Michelle Guckian will be a marked woman once again and the Kiltubrid woman has struggled to make a big impact in recent games but if her Leitrim teammates can get the right sort of ball into her, the Leitrim captain will flourish on a pitch as good as that in Chadwick's Wexford Park.

The biggest challenge for Leitrim is to deliver what they are capable of - imperious during the League, they came up against an Antrim team who have subsequently shown themselves to be a real threat for this year's All Ireland Intermediate title. But the Saffrons would have gone into that League Final maybe as slight underdogs while Leitrim have struggled when tagged as favourites.

Despite being a Division 4 team against Roscommon's relegated division 2 side, Leitrim were going for a three-in-a-row and would have been quite confident going into that Connacht Final while their struggles to get past Louth, after taking so much from their defiant display against Kildare in the opening game, suggests that Leitrim struggle somewhat when tagged as favourites.

So do we proclaim them underdogs against Wexford next Sunday? League form would back that idea but nothing is ever simple and certainly Wexford's decision to bring the game down to Wexford Park suggests they are not taking this game lightly, adding another 40 minutes to the journey time for Leitrim fans.

Harnessing the underdog mentality

Home comforts will help Wexford, it helped Leitrim against Kildare but when their backs are against the wall, Jonny Garrity's side have a history of upsetting the formbook. Wexford topped their group against Monaghan and Roscommon, winning in Hyde Park by a point and seeing off the Farney women by five points at home.

Truth be told, this one is impossible to call - I certainly feel that there is a big performance in Leitrim and if they get a run, get their confidence up, they'll be hard stopped but it is also hard to look beyond Wexford's pedigree, their home advantage and their run of form this year. I have a strong  feeling in my gut Leitrim can do it but I've been wrong before!