Ulster Senior Ladies' Football Championship semi-final: Tyrone v Donegal (Sunday, Kingspan Breffni Park, 1.15pm)
TYRONE and Donegal both go into Sunday’s Ulster Senior Championship semi-final with equal designs on winning a place in the provincial decider in three weeks’ time.
With defending champions Armagh and Monaghan in the other side of the draw, it is a prime opportunity for one them to reach the final.
This game is finely poised. Donegal are vying for just their third ever senior final, the previous two coming in 2004 and 2012, while Tyrone are hoping this year will be their 11th final appearance, their last victory coming in 2009 and their last appearance in a decider in 2013.
The two sides could not have had more contrasting paths to the last four. Donegal overcame Down in an extremely one-sided affair, which they won by 61 points, while Tyrone needed extra-time to come through a tough battle with Cavan to win by the minimum, Zoe Loughern’s goal in the first period of added time the decisive score. That game could well stand to Tyrone when it comes to this battle with Donegal, and that is something the O’Neill county’s captain Neamh Woods recognises.
“We knew going into the Cavan game that there would be very little between the two sides and that certainly proved to be the case. We finished the game strong, which demonstrated great character, which will stand to us in future close encounters,” she said.
The quarter-final win will also have given Tyrone renewed confidence, especially after struggling through the league and only just retaining their Division One status.
“The Cavan win has given us a great lift,” said Woods.
“Winning games boosts everyone’s confidence, no matter what age you are or experience you have, so we have all taken many positives from our first Championship outing.
It was a battle of the defences for Tyrone the last day and, with both teams having high profile forwards, something similar is on the cards this time around. The last time the sides met was in the National League in 2014 in a crucial relegation battle, which Tyrone narrowly won.
“Donegal have had a successful league campaign and a huge win in their Championship game against Down, so we are fully aware of how good a team they are," added Woods.
"Both teams obviously want a place in the Ulster final and this game has the makings for another close encounter.”
Woods’ Donegal counterpart Katy Herron knows what went before in the Down game will certainly not be the case on Sunday afternoon.
“This weekend will be a total different ball game," said the midfielder.
"Tyrone have a lot of competitive games under their belt from the league and have been learning and developing from each game. We’ve done what we can to get up to that level, so Sunday will be a good indication. We didn’t show our potential against Tyrone last year in the league, so we’re hoping to step it up a gear this time around."
Herron too is expecting a very defensive game from both sides as they try to curtail the threat of each other’s forward lines.
“Down gave us a lot of space to play with and it’s no secret the damage our inside forwards can do, so I'd imagine it will be very defensive. Likewise, they have some very dangerous forwards in the likes of Gemma Begley, so we’ll be kept on our toes to try and limit their options.”
