Glenfin turn attention to Ulster ahead of 50th anniversary celebrations

As Glenfin prepare for celebrations of their 50th anniversary at the end of the month, the ladies have a home game in the Ulster Senior Championship on Sunday.

A first Donna Dunnion Boyle Memorial Cup success in four years gave them the reward of a home tie in the quarter-final of Ulster, with Errigal Ciaran coming to Páirc Taobhoige.

The club have celebrations coming up on the following weekend, including a family fun day and the official opening of a community walkway, while there will also be the launch of a 50th anniversary book on the Saturday, followed by a club dinner dance in Jackson’s Hotel on the Sunday.

But more pressing matters will be on the pitch this Sunday in Glenfin at 2pm.

“There’s a big push for the 50th anniversary, and it’s a special year for the club,” Karen Guthrie told the Donegal Democrat.

“There’s a dinner dance at the end of the month, and it is special that way, there’s a nice buzz about the place with that.”

Glenfin had a disappointing season in 2024, missing out on the top two in their championship group as they failed to make the senior final after being in the decider ten years in a row.

It was a big surprise that the Páirc Taobhoige side didn’t even get to the semi-final, but they seemed to be on a mission in this year’s league and championship, securing the double with two final wins over Termon.

“We’ve worked really hard to stay in that top two or three in the county for a long time, and for the first time to not be in a final for ten years, we as players weren’t happy about it.

“Our own standards kind of slipped away, but we put in a real conscious effort with Paul (Bonner), ‘Jaffa’ (Ciaran Brady), Ciaran Moy, and Aodhfin (McGlynn) coming in, and they made it clear with their ambitions, which matched ours as players.

“Getting back up there takes time and energy and a collective effort, but thankfully it worked out.

“From the younger girls to the older ones, some of the girls are mums and it takes huge support to organise babysitters but there’s a big circle of people around them who helped them, and we’d be indebted to those now because they wouldn’t get the praise for that.”

The reward for that came as they beat Termon by 2-8 to 0-5 in the championship final earlier this month.

“I don’t think the margin in the final reflected the game. It might have looked comfortable from the outside, but it didn’t feel like that on the field. Any day you play Termon, it’s always competitive and has an edge to it, and that was no different.

“Our girls have put a huge amount of time and effort into getting it tight at the back and you see it from our goalkeeper Sharon (Conaghan) to Tara Martin, Annamarie (McGlynn), then Katy (Herron), big leaders in there.

“Then the young girls, you couldn’t be anything but proud of them, the way they just knuckle down and get on with the job and they were given big jobs but they stood up and they were immense.”

And as they go into the Ulster championship, it’s a home quarter-final against Errigal Ciaran as the Donegal and Tyrone champions meet at this stage for the third season in a row.

Errigal Ciaran controlled their Tyrone final this year with a 0-10 to 0-4 win, but they aren’t lacking firepower with Maria Canavan, Aoife Horisk and Meabh Corrigan all lining out in attack for the Tyrone side that won the All-Ireland Intermediate title this year, while Elle McNamee and Claire Canavan also started for the Red Hands as they beat Laois by 2-16 to 1-13.

Two years ago, Termon went to Cardinal MacRory Park in the quarter-finals, where Canavan starred by hitting 3-8 as the Tyrone champions won by ten points.

Termon then defeated St Macartan’s in last year’s quarter-final by nine, so home advantage has been important.

“Any team coming out of Tyrone is always going to be strong, it was St Macartan’s for a long time and we had battles with them and I’m sure Errigal Ciaran will be as hungry as us to do well.

“The forwards they have with Maria, Meabh and Claire, but the most impressive thing about them is their other players outside the county panel have a really high skill and athletic level, which will make them hard to beat.

“It’s massive playing at home. Even having a pitch you’re familiar and comfortable with and the crowd is right in at the line, so you always feel that support with you.

“Any team in Ulster wants that comfort of getting up in the morning and doing your routine so we’re grateful for the home fixture, I wouldn’t fancy going to their pitch.”

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Guthrie has had a busy schedule and her days revolve around sport, working in the Donegal Sports Partnership, while she was part of the backroom team of the Glenfin senior men's team this year and the Donegal ladies.

She also returned to the ladies' side after only playing a small part in 2024, and along with Yvonne Bonner’s return, who hit two goals in the final, has been a huge boost to the side this year.

And as they look to Sunday’s match, there isn’t any thought of looking further ahead, but the ambition is there.

“By our nature, from the start of the year, we wouldn’t look past any round. The first time we thought of Ulster was after the county final, we had no idea who we were playing or if we had a home draw.

“Your focus changes quickly, and given how competitive we are, the natural next step is Ulster, and like everything else, we’ll go at it and prepare for them like we do for everybody.

“People say it’s bonus territory, but we don’t look at it like that, it’s a massive game and we have huge pride playing at home, and to have an Ulster fixture there is just amazing for us and that’s the only way we’d look at it.”