TG4 All-Ireland Ladies' SFC Group 2, round one
Donegal v Waterford (Saturday, Lifford, 1pm)
DONEGAL captain Niamh McLaughlin says they enjoyed their Ulster title celebrations but it is time to fully turn their attentions to the All-Ireland trail and see what it brings.
The provincial champions, who won the senior title for the first time since 2019, with a 1-10 to 0-9 victory over Armagh in last month’s final, begin their campaign at home to Waterford this afternoon.
It’s a massive game with some early ground to be made for the winner, with defending All-Ireland champions Meath waiting in the wings.
Donegal play the back-to-back champions in a fortnight in the final group game, with Waterford meeting them next weekend. For now both sides in Lifford will only be thinking of getting off to a winning start.
Waterford and Donegal have already met this year, in a Division One encounter in Letterkenny. Waterford won 2-9 to 0-7 and McLaughlin recalls how strong their opponents were, with their direct running causing Donegal problems and she is expecting another tough challenge.
However, she feels – and their Ulster title triumph is proof, that Donegal have been getting better as the year has gone on and now, the business end of the season, is the time to peak.
“Winning Ulster was brilliant for us and we enjoyed it, and we will enjoy it come the season end as well, but it doesn’t really matter when you are in the All-Ireland series whether you are provincial champions or not,” said McLaughlin (above, after the Ulster final win).
“The goal remains the same – go out and try and win the next match that comes and Waterford is this Saturday and it will be a massive test for us.”
“Waterford came up to Donegal already in the year and they beat us and with their direct running and they were able to cut through us a few times.
“As the year has gone on, the team and the squad have really improved and this is the time of the year that you really want to be peaking at and the girls have really come together nicely.
“We are really happy with where we are at. There is a great mood in the camp and we will just be going out to win the game and do the best we can.
“Hopefully everybody can pull an individual performance together and hopefully get the team through. We are really looking forward to it.”
The sides met in the opening round of the competition a year ago with Donegal winning by two points, 0-10 to 1-5. That winning start was crucial as it was the difference between progressing to the knockout stages and, not and they went on to reach the semi-finals, losing out to eventual champions Meath.
With just three teams in the group, McLaughlin knows all too well about getting off the mark and getting three points on the board.
“Getting a win in the first match is always important as it gives you that cushion but, saying that, it’s a very tough group,” she said.
“Meath are the All-Ireland champions and they have a few players back and that is two weeks down the line as well.
“We haven’t thought too much about Meath at the minute. It’s all been about Waterford and trying to prepare as best we can for that game. They are a very direct, hard-running team, they work extremely hard for each other so we know what we are going to get out of them in the game. It’s going to be a very tough match for us.”
