STORM TRACKER: Follow 'Storm Amy' as it bears down on Ireland amid brutal forecast
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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Geraldine McLaughlin, Evelyn McGinley and Niamh McLaughlin of Donegal celebrate. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
Donegal star Geraldine McLaughlin paid tribute to the fighting spirit of her team-mates after their memorable smash and grab act against Dublin in Clones.
Donegal overcame Dublin with late goals from Emma McCrory and Yvonne Bonner sealing a place in the Lidl NFL Division 1 final. Maxi Curan’s Donegal face Meath, the reigning All-Ireland champions, at Croke Park on April 10.
McLaughlin graciously saluted her marker Leah Caffrey with whom she had a titanic battle throughout.
“We were not really happy with our first half performance with the wind,” McLaughlin said.
“But we knew we had a better second half performance in us.
“We knew we had nothing to lose and we just kept going and going and we got the reward at the end”.
Referring to the close eye Dublin kept on the long overdue All Star, Geraldine said she always had good battles with Dublin and Leah Caffrey in particular, in the past.
She said: “She is right up there at the top but we have a good spread of players who can score which is good.”
Donegal looked condemned to defeat when the pair of late goals turned the afternoon right on its head.
McLaughlin said: “We have been working on our attacking play and you saw today that if came off and it does not always come off.
“We needed it and Emma and Yvonne are always good for a goal or two and they showed it there again today.
“I missed the background to the second goal as I just saw Yvonne putting it in the net. I did not pay much attention to the scoreboard as to whether we were winning or losing as we just kept playing.
“Other days it could be tight, and we would finish on the losing side, but thankfully it was different today and it is a great feeling.
“We did not really notice how far behind we were and it is not too often that you beat Dublin. We were often so close before we got it this time”.
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