Temple Asokuh ready for another Donegal road trip

By Dáire Bonnar

AFTER an opening day draw in Clare, the Donegal ladies are on the road again this weekend as they travel to take on Westmeath in Division Two.

In James Daly’s first game in charge, Donegal led by 0-5 to 0-2 in tough conditions, but last year’s Division Three champions hit the net through Ailish Considine and led by one until Donegal captain Róisin Rodgers pointed with the last kick of the game to seal a draw.

It was a relief for Donegal and full-back Abigail Temple Asokuh to come away with a point on the road.

“The last 30 seconds we were really pushing up so when Róisín got that equaliser it was great, obviously you want to come out with the win but we’ll settle for a point on the board.

“It would have been nice to keep the lead at half-time but they had some really strong girls and they came back at us.

“They’re on a roll from winning Division Three and they had some AFL players who were physical and they were a good side.

“It being an away game makes it tougher so it was good to get a point on the board.”

It’s a third year at senior level for Temple Asokuh, who has been a mainstay in the full-back position since introduced to the squad by Maxi Curran.

Now under the guise of Daly, it’s a third inter-county manager in as many years but the MacCumhaill’s woman has gained plenty of experience and knowledge through the previous two campaigns and she continues to impress, having another good game against Clare.

She was the youngest of what is a settled back six at this level, but the front area of the pitch showed a real sprinkling of youth, with Rhíana McColgan, Ava Walsh, Katie Dowds, Eva Gallagher and Mia Bennett all representing the Donegal minors last year. And despite being just 19, it’s fair to say she is now one of the more experienced players in the squad now.

“It’s mad, at 24 you could nearly be considered old,” she continued.

“It is a very young team but there are positives in that too, there is so much to see with what this team could do in the future.

“We have a very strong defence and we done very well to keep their scores limited on Sunday and then you have some of the minors coming up, it’s great and I feel there is loads of potential in there.”

Donegal are on the road again on Sunday as they face Westmeath in what is a bit of a strange schedule.

A home game against Monaghan follows before they face Roscommon away, and they will finish the campaign with three home games in-a-row.

The schedule may have been kind to them as they face the relegated Cork and Galway at home, along with Tipperary, the only other three Senior Championship sides in Division Two.

When Donegal faced Westmeath in Letterkenny last year, it was a 1-9 to 1-3 win for the side, then managed by John McNulty, but the scoreline didn’t reflect the game completely as Susanne White scored a late goal to seal the win.

And going down to Athlone will be a good test, but for the full-back, it’s about getting into a rhythm and building up for the Senior Championship.

“They have some really speedy players and they put up a fight. That game against them last year showed that they never stopped until the last minute so we’ll both be going hell for leather until full-time.

“Championship is always the priority and the league is always a great way to see where we’re at so we’ll keep improving in every area, it’s all building towards the Ulster and All-Ireland Championships.”