‘It was a phenomenal season and there is no other way to describe it’

The calendars will soon need changing and Dungloe can certainly look back at 2022 with pride as their development - particularly in ladies football - continues at a gallop.

This year, Dungloe were champions at U-13, U-14, U-16 and minor - and all in A competitions - which was a clean sweep of all Donegal championship underage football. 

“We’ve had an unbelievable season,” said 1992 All-Ireland winner Tony Boyle, who is one of the main drivers of ladies football at the Rosses club.

Boyle has four daughters playing - two are members of this year’s underage sides and two who have progressed through to the senior ranks.

Toni is the youngest of Tony’s girls and was on the triumphant U-13 and U-14 teams and Ulitiah captained the all conquering U-16 team and also was on the successful minor team. Saskia, who was also a member of the Donegal senior panel, and Justine were on the Dungloe senior team.

Dungloe's senior ladies were Division 3 League winners

“We only organised at underage level in the last seven or eight years,” Tony Boyle said. “Up to this year our only success had been at U-13 and U-14 and we never came close to a clean sweep.

“Our first success was at U-13. We won the U013 championship five years ago and the following year we won the U-14 championship with basically the same team. Those teams have progressed and have backboned this year’s U-16 and minor winning teams.

Dungloe's U-13 County Championship winning panel

“This year's U-13 team is another talented group and we hope they will now go forward like the team from five years ago and win at U-14, U-16 and minor.” 

The Dungloe success story is all down to hard to good coaching and the hard work, commitment and support from the parents of the players.  

“All of the coaches are former club senior players who have daughters playing,” Boyle added. “Players like Raymond Sweeney, Shaun Sharkey, Jamie Sweeney, Stephen Gallagher and Joe Boyle, all played for the club for years from underage right up to senior. 

Dungloe celebrating their U-14 Championship success

“They all have daughters coming through and they are all highly involved in the coaching and managing. Joe Boyle is the manager of the U-13 and U-14 teams and Raymond Sweeney and myself manage the U-16 and minor teams. 

“We receive tremendous support also from the mothers like Mary McDevitt, Sinead Diver, my own wife Kathleen and Deirdre Walsh. Eimear Boyle, one of the current senior players, also helps out with the coaching.” 

The ladies club is headed up chairperson by Emma McGarvey, who is from a family steeped in Gaelic games. The club’s senior ladies under the management of Leitrim native Paul Duignan, with a helping hand from Boyle, came agonisingly close to claiming a first Junior A championship success for the ladies from Rosses Park. 

The Dungloe U-16 panel following their Championship success

They lost out to great rivals Gaoth Dobhair in the county final. It was the only game the Dungloe ladies lost in 2022 having lifted the Division 3 league title.

They defeated a strong Urris team in the league final and are now looking forward to Division 2 football for the first time next season. 

“It was a phenomenal season and there is no other way to describe it,” Boyle added. “To win a championship at any level is a big achievement but to win four - a clean sweep - is unreal and one to be enjoyed by all at the club. 

The Dungloe minor championship winning team

“It is a matter of maintaining such a high level of success now and building on this season into the future and ultimately a strong senior team. That is the goal.

“Success comes at a cost and with more and more teams competing for the club we currently have mens and ladies football hurling and camogie. We fielded 36 teams this season just gone. 

“It takes a lot of money to run all those teams and we are currently in the middle of the development of a second playing pitch. The new development has a price tag of €750,000 and we also have to raise the finance for that too.”

Paul McGee, who is leading the development project, reported to last night’s AGM that the development is coming on well and that it is hoped to have it ready for sowing grass seed next year 2024.

Dungloe GAA are currently running a ‘Live for Free in 2023’ draw, where the winner will receive €500 into their bank account every week next year. Other prizes include a Luxury 5 Night Holiday to Dubai; One night dining escape to Galgorm resort; One night stay in Ashford castle; and tickets and accommodation to the All-Ireland football final All-Ireland hurling final.