Ardara’s ‘great journey’ means intermediate final showdown

Ardara admit they face a huge challenge when they go head to head with Aodh Ruadh in the Donegal LGFA Intermediate final on Sunday.

The game is the curtain raiser to the senior meeting of champions Glenfin and Termon. Aodh Ruadh are the Division 2 League champions and hot favourites ahead of Sunday's showdown.

“We are under no illusion of the challenge we face against Aodh Ruadh,” said Ardara manager Joe McLaughlin, who took over from Alan Elliott, the manager for the previous three years, at the beginning of the season. Elliot is still involved and has dropped back to assistant manager.

“Aodh Ruadh are massive favourites for this year's championship,” McLaughlin said. “They have strengthened the squad from last season and they have already won the Division Two league title.”

Ardara are a very young side with up to 12 of the panel still playing minor. Former county players Aoife Watters and Caroline Breslin are the experienced players in the team.

However, Ardara have made good progress over the last two to three years with successive promotions from Division 3 to Division 1. And they finished in a very restable mid-table position this season, in their first season back in the top flight.
On their way to the final Ardara defeated Carndonagh in the quarter-final and Gaeil Fhanada after extra-time in the semi-final.

Cait Gillespie aiming for first adult Aodh Ruadh success

Aodh Ruadh have a Sunday afternoon appointment with Ardara in the Donegal LGFA Intermediate Championship final, with Cait Gillespie and her teammates aiming to take the silverware to Ballyshannon