Donegal star Abigail Temple Asokuh following in her dad Eloka's famous footsteps

Abigail Temple Asokuh doesn’t have to look too far for inspiration when it comes to stepping out onto a football pitch.

Her dad is, of course, Finn Harps legend Eloka Asokuh. In 1993, Asokuh was part of the Nigerian squad that won the Under-17 World Cup alongside the likes of future superstars Jay Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu and Celestine Babayaro.

But at 17 years of age, MacCumhaills girl Abigail has now stepped out of that considerable shadow with an Ulster SFC medal around her neck. And she knows exactly where she’ll be hanging it this week after Donegal’s massive upsetting of Armagh in laast Sunday’s provincial decider.

“Dad is a bit of a legend alright,” she said. “I’m trying to convince him that Gaelic football is the game! He’s converting slowly but surely. The Gaelic medals are now building up beside the soccer ones. And I’ll be putting this one right in the middle of all of that!”

Temple Asokuh is a fifth year student at St Columba’s College, Stranorlar. And she was scheduled to be back in class last Monday morning to sit a maths exam. She also stars for the county minor side so it’s a busy schedule.

At times that endeavour seemed like it wasn’t going to get its just reward. But last weekend's amazing outcome changed all of that in an instant.

“We didn’t have an easy league campaign,” she said. “But we worked so hard and I think when you’re doing that it will eventually come right. The motivation each time then, when we did have a setback, was to work even harder. That’s the lesson for us today - that hard work can pay off”.

For Donegal boss Maxi Curran to trust a teenager with the No. 3 jersey is a serious endorsement of Temple Asokuh’s quality. And there was a real calming maturity to her presence on the edge of the Donegal square in Owenbeg. And there is no doubt longer toothed Finn Harps fans will tell you, the apple certainly hasn't fallen too far from the tree in that regard.  

“It’s a big role but it’s one I really like,” she modestly said on that responsibility. “You’re central to the play and your viewpoint is right up the middle.

“Maxi has placed some trust in me and I just try to do my very best. I’ve the likes of Nicole McLaughlin, Niamh Carr and Emer Gallagher there coaxing me along.

“Tanya Kennedy came in today and what a help! She was just phenomenal. So as a unit we’re so happy with how we all had each other’s back today.

“It’s a huge step up - the calibre, the speed and so many other things, it takes a little while to sort of get used to that. But we got it right at the perfect moment. It’s just amazing".

To cap a superb day off, Temple Asokuh says the sight of MacCumhaills clubmate and fellow teenage star Katie Dowds (16) cutting shreds off the Armagh defence up the other end inspired her to make sure she did her job at the very heart of the Donegal defence.  

Katie (Dowds) there is even younger and to see her running through the middle at one stage and kicking a point, was just amazing. It spurred you on".