TG4 All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship quarter-final:
Donegal v Dublin (Saturday, Pearse Park, Longford, 5pm, live on TG4)
DONEGAL sharpshooter Yvonne McMonagle says her side are relishing the opportunity before them on Saturday when they take on Dublin for a place in the last-four for this year’s TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship.
The Glenfin player, whose point from a free with the last kick of the game won their Qualifier against Galway by the narrowest of margins two weeks’ ago, admits that, in the past, Donegal would dreaded meeting big teams like Cork, Mayo and Dublin, but that is certainly not the case now.
“We have really come on from years ago. Before, we would have probably cried under a rock, but not now. We have a very strong panel, there are All-Ireland minor winners and All-Ireland minor runners-up and those girls have really come together with the more experienced ones. We do not shy away any more,” said McMonagle, who has been at the heart of Donegal’s success so far this year.
They may have disappointingly lost their Ulster title, bowing out in the semi-finals to Cavan, after having an unbeaten league campaign that saw them clinch the Division Two title and promotion back to the top-tier after a couple of years’ absence. But they bounced back from their provincial loss and adapted well to the loss of a number of key players, including Geraldine McLaughlin and her sister Nicole, full-back Emer Gallagher, Kate Keaney and goalkeeper Laura Gallagher, who went travelling to the United States for the summer, to stun Galway in the Qualifiers, winning 3-15 to 4-11, full-forward McMonagle scoring 1-8, with corner-forward Amber Barrett hitting 2-3, including two goals from the penalty spot.
Incidentally, McLaughlin is back home, but McMonagle remained tight-lipped on any return or involvement with the Donegal panel: “We have the belief that we can be as good as any team,” she said.
“I don’t think we are a million miles away from the Corks, Dublins and Mayos any more and we know that, if we put in the performance we are capable of, we can produce a shock on the day.”
Dublin have yet to be tested this Championship campaign, winning the Leinster title at ease, while this quarter-final will be their first taste of All-Ireland action. Managed by former Monaghan manager Gregory McGonigle, they will be only too aware of the threat Donegal pose and the fact they have already played in the Championship, and played in Pearse Park too.
McMonagle feels too that returning to the Longford venue, where they beat Galway, can be an advantage, but only if they use it well: “We have positive vibes from that ground and we are familiar with it, which is good, having played our last game there too. I think we will go into the game in a better mindset than Dublin, but we know they will fancy themselves for it," she added.
“We need to push and put pressure on Dublin from the start, match their energy and keep with them. If we can do that, you never know what will happen. If you take a game to a team, they need to stand up and show character or they will crumble and we will be pushing them all the way.“
Dublin are a very experienced team and are looking to reach their third consecutive All-Ireland final. Many of the team hold multiple Leinster Championship medals and McGonigle can choose from a full-strength side. Michéal Naughton has no injury or unavailability concerns either and this Donegal side, backboned by vastly-experienced players including captain Ciara Hegarty at centre half-back, Karen Guthrie, Grainne Houston, Katy Herron and Niamh Hegarty and McMonagle and Barrett in attack, who do not give up easily, will give Dublin a real battle as they go in search of a semi-final berth.
Connacht champions Mayo get their All-Ireland campaign underway against Westmeath in Pearse Park as well on Saturday (3.15pm) and will be favourites to progress, while the All-Ireland Intermediate Championship continues on Sunday, with quarter-finals between Kildare and Leitrim (Kinnegad, 1.30pm) and Sligo and Wexford (Kinnegad, 3.15pm).
