By Michael McMullan

DONEGAL travel to Monaghan on Sunday with the aim of a second victory amid their overarching ambition of making the Division Two final.

Since being relegated in 2023, they have finished fourth and third in the last two seasons.

“It’s quite a competitive division and Monaghan won’t be an easy task,” said defender Evelyn McGinley, fully aware of the challenge they face in Sunday’s all-Ulster clash.

“We’ll be hoping to push on from the second half performance last weekend,” she added of their victory over Westmeath

“We’d like to push on to get to the final but it won’t be an easy path.”

McGinley goes into her seventh season and is happy with the level of the group’s preparation. Sean Taylor and Austin Doherty honed into conditioning. It paid off with an opening win over Westmeath.

After passing up chances to take a lead into half time, Donegal turned the game with a Susanne White goal but needed McGinley’s intervention to thwart a chance at the other end.

White’s goal came from Bláthnáid McLaughlin’s pass, marking her first game back after long-term injury.

It was a victory despite losing Roisin Rodgers to injury just before the interval and McGinley hailed the input of their substitutes, with three of them adding scores.

“It does help that we had a good few players coming off the bench and they really made an impact,” she said.

“Cait (Gillespie) got the goal and Eva (Gallagher) got three points as well, they all helped.”

It was Donegal’s first competitive game with the new rules on a weekend where scorelines were eye-catching and there were three draws across all the divisions. McGinley is a fan.

“I think it makes it a lot faster and the tap and go is great because you can just keep going and I suppose you have a bit of advantage,” she said.

“It opens it up a wee bit as well and there’s definitely more scores from it and more goals.”

They used challenge games to get versed on the technicalities such as the concentration needed to maintain the three up.

“The contact too is actually good because it’s technically a non-contact sport for the last few years. We’re in the gym all the time too, so we are stronger and I like that aspect of it.”

As one of the experienced players, McGinley recognises the transition in the squad.

“There are quite a lot of younger girls and a lot of girls from minors that have come up last year,” she said.

“I suppose there has been quite a bit of change lately. Three or four years ago we would have had Geraldine (McLaughlin), Niamh Hegarty, Karen (Guthrie), and Yvonne (Bonner).

“Maybe the middle age group was lacking a bit but we do have a lot of minor girls from last year and there’s one or two minors actually on the team this year as well. It’s good to see those players coming up and kind of bridging the gap.”