Maxi Curran says League final will stand to Donegal

The fast-paced nature of the GAA calendar these days means that Donegal’s ladies have little time to lick the wounds of Sunday’s Lidl NFL Division 1 final defeat to Meath.

With just three weeks until Cavan are tackled in the opening round of the Ulster Championship, Maxi Curran’s mind is already turned to the next mission.

Underdogs Donegal ran the Royals to the very pins of their collar. That they left with regrets aplenty was of little consolation as Meath exited with the silverware on their bus.

“We will be the better for this experience,” Curran said after the 2-8 to 1-9 reversal.

Donegal left to rue what might've been as Meath win Division 1 final

Maxi Curran's Donegal lost out by two points to reigning All-Ireland champions Meath at Croke Park

“Even being involved in an occasion like this will bond the group.

“We have had a very good League and we were very happy to get this far. We’ll be kicking ourselves that we didn’t get over the line, but our focus turns on the Ulster Championship. It’s onwards and upwards now.”

Castlefin woman Tanya Kennedy came off the bench for a first appearance and the returned Niamh Hegarty also featured, offering further buds of optimism for the weeks ahead.

Yet, as he sat in the Hogan Stand’s press room, Curran had the look of a man who’d just missed the night’s last bus.

The remnants of a two-point defeat at the hands of reigning All-Ireland champions Meath were raw as Curran spoke of one that got away.

“You’ll always have that feeling when you lose a game by small margins,” he said.

“There are plenty of things that we’ll reflect on when we look back on it.

“Probably the shot selection weren’t ideal. In the first half, we had a couple of snap shots taken from outside what you’d call the scoring zone. That is something that’s disappointing, bu maybe it comes with an occasion like this and a place like this. That probably added a bit of nerves.

“It was a very taxing game. There were an awful lot of turnovers by both teams. It was a fast game played at quite a tempo. We’re very sore about the amount of turnovers that we were responsible for and it’s unbecoming of a team that should have experience.”

Just when Donegal looked dead and buried, captain Niamh McLaughlin netted a penalty during a period where Donegal hauled themselves off the floor.

They came from seven points down to lead for a short spell midway through the second half. Ultimately, Niamh O’Sullivan’s goal would prove the match-winner.

Curran said: “We know that we have the potential to cut teams open. It probably just happens a bit too infrequently.

Regrets gnaw at Donegal captain McLaughlin after final defeat

Niamh McLaughlin was disappointed as Donegal lose to Meath in the Division 1 final at Croke Park

“There was a period 10 minutes before and 10 minutes after half-time where we were in a really good place and going well. That was the time we should have tagged on more scores.

“We had a chance when we were one up to go four up. That would have made the thing very interesting, but it wasn’t to be.

“If we had kept the ball better, been more patient and asked more questions, we could have got more scores. We left ourselves with a fair mountain to climb, but credit to them.

“Hats off to the girls for a serious shift. They never stopped trying. They have to be commended for that. We have to commend the work-rate and the effort. The ability to keep going to the end is something for these girls, but unfortunately the clock beat us this time.”