By Darren Kelly

After a year where the Galway’s senior ladies Gaelic footballers have been sublime, winning 13 out of 13 fixtures and delivering two trophies, the true test among the sport’s elite awaits them this Saturday when they host Waterford in the All-Ireland quarter-final in Tuam Stadium (3.15pm).

The Tribeswomen were national finalists last year, but from the start of their National League Division 2 run, they’ve looked in control even if patience and composure were required on occasions to negotiate defensive opponents.

That eight-game league programme ended with victory over Cork in Croke Park, and they continued with three more outings that saw them successfully retain the Connacht championship against Mayo in May.

So far, they have done what was needed in the All-Ireland series, beating both Tipperary (1-13 to 0-7) and Donegal (1-11 to 1-2) to top their group and earn a home fixture in the championship knockout stages.

On form, everything looks bright but there is slight concern in certain quarters that they could be undercooked. Cork asked questions on two occasions, while Roscommon provided local defiance in the Spring, but every other game has seen the Tribeswomen winning pulling up.

Not to take away from their achievements but one can argue they coasted through the second tier of league competition, won a poor Connacht championship, and headed the easiest group in the All-Ireland series.

But that won’t concern Daniel Moynihan and his charges who can only beat what’s in front of them.  While some pundits are ready to stamp their semi-final ticket already, they’ll know Waterford will come with something different on Saturday.

Five-time All-Ireland champions in the 1990s, the Deise slipped into the wilderness, relegated in 2008 and only returned to the top-flight after 2015 intermediate success.

This is their fifth senior quarter-final since, but it’s still 23 years since they reached the penultimate round. Tomás Mac a t’Saoir, an All-Ireland U-21 winner with Kerry in 2008, took over from Pat Sullivan this season and led them to a third place in Division 1 of the league. They entered the Munster championship with a 2-9 to 1-7 win over Tipperary before coming up just one point short of Kerry (2-9 to 1-11).

However, Waterford put their contenders on notice by blitzing Cork (3-12 to 1-9) in the final round and were on the verge of a first provincial senior title since 2002, only for a late Kerry goal to give the All-Ireland champions a 2-6 to 0-10 win.

That didn’t knock them off their stride and they had Dublin on the ropes four weeks ago only for Hannah Tyrell’s late equaliser. Leitrim felt Waterford’s wrath on June 21 in a fixture that finished 6-16 to 3-4, leaving the victors as group runners-up, only on scoring difference.

Pictured left: Galway will look to Ailbhe Davoren for scores and right: Olivia Divilly will take a lot of Waterford’s attention.