Ulster Senior Ladies Football Championship final
Donegal v Armagh
Sunday, Clones. 3.45pm

By Michael McMullan

BLÁTHNÁID McLaughlin’s days at Ulster University had her playing football and shooting the breeze with Armagh trio Tiarná Grimes, Aimee and Blaithin Mackin.

This Sunday, they’ll be in opposing corners as Donegal aim to end Armagh’s hopes of three-in-a-row and get their hands on the O’Harte Cup.

Bláthnáid fondly looks back at on her university days when ‘The Poly’ backed up Division Three league and Lynch Cup success with league and championship – Giles Cup – the following season.

“I would’ve played with Aimee, Blaithin and Tiara. I am very friendly with them, but I haven’t been speaking to them in a while,” she said.

“At uni they were the girls you were friendly with because you’d be spending so much time with them. Blaithin has been down to Donegal a few times,” she adds. “But, sure, I will see them on Sunday.”

She speaks with radiance and enthusiasm. It gives the impression of a Donegal camp that is a joy to be part of.

And despite living and being schooled in Derry city, where her mother Caroline hails from, football was always about Donegal.

Bláthnáid is the younger sister of Niamh, the current Donegal captain. Their father Davy, who managed Donegal to their first Ulster Senior title in 2015, hails from Moville and their daughters followed his roots.

“Niamh is three years older and she played county right up, so I would’ve been at every match,” she recalls.

Bláthnáid started her Donegal career at u14 and progressed all the way up and was part of the 2015 u-21 team to win the B All-Ireland under her father’s watch as manager.

Called up to the senior panel by Michael Naughton the following year, she came off the bench in their Division Two League final win.

Travel to America ruled her out of the 2017 season, but she was back when Donegal retained their Ulster Senior title the following season, the first of five years under current manager Maxi Curran.

Pouring herself into a Masters the following year left no time for football before returning in 2020 when Covid-19 ruled out her plans to go travelling.

“Maxi asked me in towards the summer time; I came in then and have been there since,” she said. “Football was like your outlet and it meant you didn’t feel like you were missing out. There was nothing else happening and people were probably jealous of us getting to go to the matches.

“I remember the stage when you weren’t allowed to travel outside the county and you had to get a letter from the county board for when you were stopped at the border…it was mad when you look back on it.”

While some new players slotted in and others stepped away, the core of the Donegal team has stood the test of time, with also a club team feel to it.

During the season, Maxi Curran arranged training in Omagh to help centralise training for those based outside the county. Now with most based back at home, Bláthnáid is thankful of the new improved road network around Toome and Dungiven to shorten the journey back from Belfast. Her Project Manager role in a software company allows her to work from Derry on a Monday before heading back up the M2.

She is also full of praise for how Maxi Curran keeps the team ticking along and the inclusion of former Donegal star Mark McHugh to his backroom this season.

“”He is great and brings a different dynamic and experience,” she said. “Mark has won an All-Ireland with Donegal and is an All-Star, so if he tells you to do something you’ll listen to what he has to say and he is a very passionate Donegal man too.”

Donegal beat Dublin to qualify for the League final where they went down to Meath. It’s a game Bláthnáid feels they can take solace from.

“We ran them close and we made a lot of mistakes, so we have been working on plenty since the league final,” she said.

“We won’t be getting ahead of ourselves with them being All-Ireland champions. There is a task this Sunday against Armagh. It’s a different team; a different kind of game and a completely different atmosphere.”

Having won their League and Championship semi-finals at Clones, it brings familiarity ahead of a return.

She is also thankful of, unlike Connacht, having a semi-final in Ulster. There is the contentment of getting off to a better start and “hitting the ground running.”

On the morning of the game, Susanne White was a late replacement for Karen Guthrie at full-forward and the Killybegs ace bagged 2-3, with Bláthnáid noting White’s left-footed score in the second half. It was proof of the strength in the Donegal squad.

“There was nothing upsetting about Susie coming in, I was delighted for her that she had a great game,” she said.

“I don’t think she missed anything she hit, she has that in her locker and we see that at training.”

Donegal won three successive titles (2017-2019) with Armagh having the chance to do likewise on Sunday.

Donegal pulled out of the 2020 Ulster Championship due to Covid before losing last year’s dramatic decider by a point.

“I have only watched it back for the first time this week,” Bláthnáid revealed. “Usually I try and watch the game straight away, that evening or the next day, but not that one…I put it away in the locker.”

The Donegal squad enjoyed a training camp in Downings and his week is all about keeping the routine the same.

For the Ulster University graduates this weekend, there will be both joy and disappointment. Bláthnáid McLaughlin will be hoping it’s her turn to celebrate.

READ MORE – White shoots Donegal to Ulster final. Click here…