McLaughlin: 'Donegal can win but they are going to have up intensity'

It is a familiar foe for Donegal who face Dublin this Saturday in Carrick-on- Shannon in the quarter final of the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Senior Football Championship, 2pm.

The pair also met at the same stage of last year’s championship, also in Pairc Sheán MacDiarmada. Dublin, the then reigning All-Ireland champions had five points to spare at the end of that game after recovering from going 1-2 to 0-0 down in the opening minutes of the tie.

Geraldine McLaughlin got Donegal off to a dream start. Unfortunately Donegal could not build on the lead and the Dubs thanks to two-goal hero Carla Rose Dublin pulled away in the second half, coming home with a 2-12 to 2-7 win

Dublin were chasing five championships in a row and subsequently beat Mayo well in the semi-final before being denied the historic five in row by Leinster rivals Meath in the All-Ireland final.

“Dublin are still a quality team and they have quality players all over the pitch and Donegal are going to have to play well to beat them,” said former Donegal manager Davy McLaughlin. “But Donegal are a quality team too and have abundance of experience at this level and have there or thereabouts over the last few years.”

Donegal did avenge that championship defeat with a sensational and shock win over the Dubs in the Lidl Ladies Division 1 semi-final back in March.

Emma McGrory and Yvonne Bonner scored late goals as Dongal came from four down to win by the minimum on a 2-8 to 1-10 scoreline. In the league final Donegal gave Meath the reigning All-Ireland champions a run for their money before going down by two points, 2-8 to 1-9.

“Donegal will be encouraged by that league win back in March and yes I do think it is a game Donegal can win,” added McLauglin - whose daughter Niamh will captain the side while her sister Bláthnáid suffered an ACL injury against Waterford last month.

After suffering a heartbreaking Ulster final defeat to Armagh, on a 3-17 to 2-19 scoreline after extra-time, Donegal found themselves in a three-team group for the All-Ireland series along with Cork and Waterford.
Geraldine McLaughlin scored seven points and Yvonne Bonner, Katy Herron and Suzanne White hit one each in the 0-10 to 1-5 first round win over Waterford.

Then, Maxi Curran’s side lost away to Cork 2-12 to 1-10 in the second round, in a match that was contested in Clane, Co Kildare - but with two teams qualifying the win over Waterford was enough to make it through to the last eight.

“If Donegal are going to have a chance then they are going to have to bring the intensity they played at in the second half against Cork,” Davy McLaughlin added.

“Cork were the better team in the first and led it by 10 points at a stage before Donegal came out in the second half and upped the intensity levels and they won the second half by five points and were in the game right to the final whistle. They are going to have to play at that intensive level on Saturday for the 60 plus minutes otherwise they will struggle against the Dubs.”

Dublin defeated Meath to win a ninth Leinster and followed that victory up with big wins over Cavan, Tipperary and Mayo to claim the quarter-final berth. 
Donegal manager Maxi Curran was unavailable for comment this week.