Dungloe development in rude health - Saskia Boyle 

Dungloe senior ladies go into the Ulster LGFA Junior football race this Sunday aiming to add a fifth piece of silverware to the Rosses Park trophy cabinet. 

Tony Boyle’s team has home advantage against Tyrone’s Coalisland Fianna and captain Saskia Boyle says it’s exciting to bring provincial club football to Dungloe. 

The side has already lifted both the county and national Comortas titles, as well as the Division 2 league and, more recently, the Donegal JFC crown. 

Boyle, with Ray Sweeney and Robert Wehrley beside him on the line, also recently guided the club to a Minor Football Championship A win. And there is no doubt a bumper home crowd will turn out at the weekend in an attempt to get the team off the mark in Ulster.

If that wasn’t impressive enough, the county U-16 and U-14 A titles are also already in the bag. Their U-13s are also still in the championship hunt so a clean sweep remains on the cards. 

“It’s a chance to keep things going,” Saskia Boyle explained. “Ulster, it’s a step up again. We don’t know too much about the opposition but it’s still an exciting change now and we’ll give it our best shot.

“We trust the management to leave no stone unturned there so our job really is to just turn up and apply that gameplan. It’s working well enough for us so far”.  

Having previously lost the last two Junior A finals, to Robert Emmets in 2021 and Gaoth Dobhair last term, the county senior panelist feels the extra time spent in Donegal LGFA’s third championship tier might, in the long term, prove more beneficial to the club’s overall development.  

“We played Division 2 football this year and came up against a lot of Intermediate sides. We do think we are ready now for the step up. Last year, we probably just weren’t ready for it. The extra year or two hasn’t done us any harm. So we’re happy to be making the step up now”.

Watching Dungloe defeat Downings in the Donegal decider, the young age profile of the team and its bench was notable. Boyle says there is real momentum now at Dungloe, down through the grades. 

And the ultimate aim, in the near future, is to break on through to senior championship grade. 

“I don’t think there is anyone on the squad over 26. We have six or seven girls on the squad just out of U-16. We have a good crop of U-14s in the background as well. It’s really exciting to see how all that will develop and grow. 

“We’d love to progress up and eventually break into that senior grade. That is the ultimate goal”. 

In relation to their managerial set-up, Boyle says it’s a potent blend. And she admits Dungloe ladies football is in rude health moving forward. 

“They have been brilliant. They started out at U-14 and have just stuck with it. They are delivering county titles at all grades. Having dad, Raymond and Robert in coaching, there is a great energy and buzz. 

“They are competitive as well - they want to win. But they are making it so enjoyable and that’s why the numbers are good and that’s why girls are sticking at it”.