Donegal ladies clinch promotion and a place in the Division Two final

Donegal are back in top-flight league football again next season following this afternoon’s eight-point win over Wexford at a windswept O’Donnell Park. 

In trying conditions of storm force wind at times, Donegal went into the game in search of the win that would clinch second place in the Lidl LGFA Division Two behind table toppers Cavan.

With Mayo, Tyrone, and Tipperary all lurking in the background two points behind Donegal, and with three league points the reward for the winners, it was a must-win game in Letterkenny.  

Donegal played against a storm force wind and led by two points, 0-3 to 0-1, at half-time as both teams struggled with the elements.

The wind was so strong that Donegal had to work the ball close to the posts to score. After two wides, one each from Susanne White and centre forward Katie Dowds, and dominating the opening five minutes, White found the range from inside ten metres.

White had a couple of chances from 20 yards. But the wind was so strong, she elected to pass instead of going for the score.

Wexford, who were looking for their first win of the campaign after six defeats, had a number of scoring attempts on the break before wing forward Aoife Cullen found the range to open their account fifteen minutes into the game.

Donegal continued to press, and White on 19 minutes and Ava Walsh on 26 minutes gave them a two-point advantage to take into the dressing room at half-time.  

Donegal doubled their advantage within three minutes of the resumption of the second period, one from Ciara McGarvey, and two points off the boot of White.

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With conditions continuing to dominate, McGarvey and Bláthnáid McLaughlin added to Donegal’s tally to extend the lead out to six. 

Bebhinn McDonald and Ciara Roban scored late points for Wexford, and White had a penalty well saved by Siobhan Cloake before Katie Dowds brought the curtain down on the scoring.

Donegal will now play Cavan in the Division Two League final in less than two weeks. 

Donegal scorers: Susanne White 0-4,1f, Katie Dowds 0-3,1tp, Ciara McGarvey 0-2, Ava Walsh, Bláthnaid McLaughlin 0-1 each.

Wexford: Aoife Cullen, Ciara Roban, Beibhinn McDonald  0-1 each. 

Donegal: Clare Friel; Niamh Carr, Evelyn McGinley, Shauna McFadden; Tara Hegarty, Feena McManamon, Ava Walsh; Clodagh Brennan, Roisin Rodgers; Bláthnáid McLaughlin, Katie Dowds, Niamh Boyle; Susanne White, Mia Bennett, Ciara McGarvey.

Subs: Eva Gallagher for Bennett (38); Nicole Gordon for McManamon (43); Cáit Gillespie for Dowds (57); Abbie McGranaghan for White (57); Brenda Carr for Boyle (59).

Wexford: Siobhan Cloake; Julia Dempsey, Katie English, Aoife Tormey; Orlagh Kehoe, Aisling Higgins, Roisin Hughes; Bebhinn McDonald, Amelia Furlong; Orlaith Byrne, Ciara Roban, Aoife Cullen; Grace Donovan, Niamh English, Ciara Donnelly.

Subs: Sherena Hamilton for A Cullen (44).

Referee: Anthony Campbell (Derry).