Dungloe ladies dream of history as they eye Ulster minor final glory

It might be three years in the making but Dungloe is finally looking forward to a first Ulster Ladies Minor championship final when they face Carryduff on Sunday in Newtownstewart (Tyrone) (1pm).  

It’s a season that will live long in Dungloe GAA folklore and now there is great excitement in the Rosses at the prospect of the club playing in an Ulster final as they hope to top off an extraordinary 2024.  

“It is not every year we get to an Ulster final, so naturally there is great excitement around,” said Dungloe team manager and Donegal legend Tony Boyle, who is joined on the management team by another former Donegal star Raymond Sweeney and Robert Wehrley.    

“But as we keep reminding the girls it is all the more important we make the most of the chance because there are no guarantees when it comes to reaching provincial finals.” 

Dungloe, who are three-time Donegal minor champions, have made it through to the final day on the back of big wins and impressive performances against Magheracloone from Monaghan and O’Donovan Rossa, Magherafelt, Derry.   

“This is our third Ulster campaign with basically the same team and we have been beaten at the quarter-final stage in the last two seasons,” Boyle admitted.  

“Carrickmore from Tyrone beat us two years ago when the girls were 16, and last year St Enda’s, Omagh beat us.  

“We always felt if we got out of Donegal we always had a chance to give Ulster a rattle. Seven or eight of the girls are 18 years old, another four or five are 17 and we have a few U-16s as well.  

“So, we always felt the mix in the team was right. But we still had to go out and do the business, and given our record in Ulster we were on our guard from day one this year.  

“We played Magheracloone from Monaghan in the first round in Dungloe and we played well that day and ended up winning well. We felt it was as a good performance and got us up and running.”  

Ellie McGarvey and Ulitah Boyle scored the goals that day, Mia O’Donnell posted five points, Rhianna McCready hit four points, Ava Caulfield landed two, and Elisha Boyle got one in the 2-12 to 1-4 win.   

In the semi-final, Mia O’Donnell and Millie Hanlon scored the goals while O’Donnell, also in a Player of the Match performance, hit 12 points in the 2-20 to 3-9 win over the Derry champions, in the semi-final.   

Rhianna McCready, Nicole Bonner Gillespie, Elisha Boyle and Emma Wallace all raised white flags against Magherafelt in a performance that saw them through to the Ulster decider.   

“We were away to Magherafelt in the semi-final and it was a case of going into the unknown,” Boyle said. “But again, we played well though we conceded a couple of soft goals which we were not happy about.  

“But at the same time any day you score 2-20 away from home in an Ulster semi-final is a good result.”  

But all those past games drift into the background as Dungloe set their sights on Naomh Eoghan of Carryduff from Down, who are the reigning provincial minor champions.   

It’s a game where Boyle is expecting a stiff challenge from the Down champions.   

“They have 11 of last year's final starting team and they have another four or five of last year’s squad in the team this year too,” said Boyle   

“So, it goes without saying they are a strong side and proven winners. It takes a good team to win one Ulster, so they have to be an exceptional team to get back to another final and be in with a chance of winning the Ulster minor championship for a second year in a row.  

“No Donegal team has ever won a provincial minor title and Termon is the only club to ever reach one. But they were beaten in the final.   

“We see what Termon has done since at senior level which hopefully bodes well for us. If we can repeat Termon’s success into the future we will be very happy.   

“As I mentioned earlier, though we face a strong and experienced Carryduff side, but our girls are hungry for success and they are determined to give it one hell of a rattle.”  

Dungloe team: Aine Walsh, Sholah Ward, Ellie Ward, Isabella Sweeney, Erin O’Donnell, Nicole Bonner Gillespie, Alannah O’Donnell, Ulitah Boyle, Ava Caulfield, Elisha Boyle, Emma Wallace, Rhianna McCready, Mia O’Donnell, Toni Boyle, Ellie McGarvey, Annie Kerr, Millie Hanlon, Claire Diver,  Sophia Sweeney, Jessica McGee, Amy Timoney, Caoimhe Gallagher, Breege O’Donnell, Kirsti Boyle, Aoibheann McCann, Dayna Clerkin, Nicole Comiskey, Rachel Wallace, Ruby McGee, Aoife McGonagle.