Na Dunaibh on the cusp of history in Ulster Junior Football Championship decider 

Na Dunaibh is in the grip of Ulster fever this week as their lady footballers prepare for a JFC final showdown against Down’s Warrenpoint this Saturday in Kildress (throw-in, 3.30pm).  

Seven years on from they first formed, Na Dunaibh finally made the big breakthrough winning the Junior title with an emphatic win over Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin.   

Last time out, it took the late intervention of Shannon McGroddy late on to secure a narrow 2-6 to 1-8 win over Derry’s Eoghan Rua. 

Denise Doherty scored the goals and Mary T Boyce, Lauren McBride, Caoimhe McLaughlin and Shannon McGroddy kicked the points in that thrilling victory. 

In their maiden provincial outing, a quarter-final tussle with Butlersbridge, the Donegal champions were 5-4 to 2-10 winners in another tight tussle. 

Goal scoring has been a feature of Na Dunaibh’s campaign so far and boss Barney Curran says it’s been crucial to their progression. 

“We struggled to score goals in the league so we have worked hard on that aspect of it since and thankfully it has paid off. 

“Thankfully, we are blessed with quality forwards who can find the net on a regular basis. 

“Denise Doherty, Shannon McGroddy and Amy McLaughlin have thankfully been banging them in in the championship and long may it last.”

Warrenpoint, Saturday’s opponents, like Downings, are first-time county champions and they are now also looking forward to their very first Ulster final.

That follows wins over Lamh Dhearg of Antrim in the quarter-final and Monaghan’s Aughamulllen in the semi-final. 

“They are in the same boat as ourselves in that they are first-time county champions and have come through tight games so far in Ulster. 

They had a one-point win over Lamh Dhearg and they were four-point winners over Aughamulle last day out.

“That’s a result and a margin of victory which suggests they are decent because Monaghan teams have been very strong in Ulster in recent years.

“By all accounts, they have a tight-marking defence and have conceded very little in recent weeks and midfielder Anna Craven and centre half-forward Enya Quinn seem to have been doing the bulk of the scoring for them.” 

On the injury front, Na Dunaibh have been dealt a huge blow with the loss of influential midfielder Aoibhinn Connell who picked up an injury in the dying seconds of the Eoghan Rua game and was stretched off. 

“Unfortunately Aoibhinn is not going to make it,” admits Curran. “It is a huge blow to Aoibhinn on a personal level and is also a huge blow to the team. 

“She has been phenomenal for us all season and has played a lead role in our run so far. But the other girls are going to step up. Thankfully, we have no other injuries and have another fully fit squad. 

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“Preparations have gone well and  I’m confident with the experience of Shannon McGroddy, Denise Doherty and Lauren McBride we have the leadership to make up for the loss of Aoibhinn and hopefully carry us through on the day.

“We feel with the two tight games against Butlersbridge and Eoghan Rua, we are well road tested. 

“We we asked serious questions in both those games and we came through and we are in good shape for the final”.

An Ulster junior crown is the big prize at the weekend and as well as that there is the added incentive for the winners of a home All-Ireland semi-final. Now wouldn’t that be some occasion for Na Dunaibh. 

Na Dunaibh squad: Charlie Shevlin, Jessica Roberts, Chloe Hay, Maggie Doherty, Meabh O’Connell, Nadine Gallacher, Michelle Wilkin, Julie Trearty, Aoibhinn O’Connell, Amy McLaughlin, Mary T Boyce, Caoimhe McLaughlin; Denise Doherty, Shannon McGroddy, Lauren McBride, Emer Trearty, Mary Bridget McGeever, Aine O’Connell, Sinead McBride, Caoimhe Coyle, Danni Slevin, Aoife McMullan, Keira Cairns, Eve Kelly, Katie McGroddy, Kaycie Gallagher, Cliodha O’Connell, Karen Gaughan. 

Management and backroom team: Barney Curran, Doy McGroddy, Tanya Roberts Browne, Eimear McGeever, Charlie Coyle, Paul Coyle.