Champions must be at the “top of their game” against Donegal

By Michael McMullan

EMMA Duggan kicked Meath’s winning score to set up Saturday’s Croke Park showdown with Donegal, but she insists the Royals must be “on top of their game.”
She notched two points in Meath’s 2-8 to 1-9 win over Donegal in the Division One League decider back in April.
“I remember celebrating afterwards, but we were saying to ourselves that it wasn’t a great performance,” Duggan said.
“I think we have improved and we’ll have to improve since the Galway game.”
Duggan commented on Donegal having a “number of” good results this season and how their tails are up after seeing off Dublin for the second time in the quarter-final, backing up their League semi-final win.
“Once you get over the line, it gives you that confidence and belief that that you can to it.
“They have been there or thereabouts and I think they are really taking this year as a shot at give it a go.”
Duggan feels it will be a “massive test” but doesn’t buy into a potentially tactical encounter.
“We both get up the pitch very well and attack in numbers, so I wouldn’t say it is going to be extremely low scoring,” she said.
“I wouldn’t like to think of us as an overly defensive team, we do get forward. Something we have said is that we haven’t scored enough this year and we will be looking to rectify that this weekend.”