Abigail Temple Asokuh to miss the rest of Donegal's league campaign due to injury

Donegal ladies manager James Daly has confirmed that full-back Abigail Temple Asokuh is set for a spell on the sidelines after picking up an injury against Roscommon last week in their Division 2 match with the Connacht side.

The defender, who was spotted in a protective boot during Donegal’s 2-17 to 0-6 defeat to Galway on Sunday, will miss the remainder of the league campaign but is expected to return in time for the championship.

“Abigail got hurt last week against Roscommon and will be out for about six weeks,” Daly said. “I said before the game that it might be a blessing really because I feel that she’s playing too much football and she probably needs a break at the minute.

“Now this isn’t the kind of break we wanted but she’s doing rehab at the minute and it’s going well. She won’t be back for the league this season but she will be back for the championship.”

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Her absence was felt against Galway, a game in which Donegal struggled defensively, particularly in the first half when they conceded two goals inside 21 minutes. The setbacks didn’t end there either, as Daly was forced into a reshuffle when Niamh Boyle picked up a knock in the first half and had to be withdrawn.

“Even in today’s match, we lost Niamh Boyle because she got a knock in the first half. When those sorts of things happen, you leave big holes and they can be hard to fill. In this match we had to take Evelyn McGinley from six and put her into the full-back line.

“We had to do the same with Niamh Boyle who we had to take out of wing back and put her to No 6 for the Galway game, even though she’s been excellent out on the wing for us the last few games, so, because we’re a small panel we’re losing that, but it is what it is and we’ll learn from it.”

The result leaves Donegal reeling after their first defeat of the season, and while there is still plenty to play for, the loss of key players at this stage is far from ideal. Daly, however, will take solace in the fact that Asokuh’s absence is only temporary, with the bigger battles of the summer still to come.