Massive clash between Tyrone and Donegal

LADIES FOOTBALL TG4 ALL-IRELAND SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP FOUR

DONEGAL V TYRONE

Saturday, Mullingar, 1.45pm

DONEGAL Manager Maxi Curran was joined by several of his backroom team and players at Healy Park last Saturday.

He admitted that after watching Mayo snatch a narrow win over Tyrone he learnt nothing new about either team.

Curran’s side recently won their third successive Ulster title and he hopes there’s more to come from his side this Summer but they have games to come against both Mayo and, before that, Tyrone.

“We are very aware of the task ahead of us, and it will without doubt take a monumental effort to get over either Mayo or Tyrone,” said Curran.

“I don’t think we learned anything from Saturday we didn’t already know. We would have felt after the league, ourselves and Mayo were neck and neck in that chasing pack behind Cork, Dublin and Galway.

“After the great displays against Galway in Connacht. It was no surprise to see such a high octane performance from them on Saturday and as for Tyrone we played them ourselves a month ago and with that being such a tight run thing.

“It was again no surprise to see them play so well and run a seasoned Division One team like Mayo so close, and I’m sure they are bitterly disappointed not to have got over the line into the bargain.”

Geraldine McLaughlin, Karen Guthrie, Anna Boyle Carr and Niamh McLaughlin are among the household names in this Donegal squad.

McLaughlin’s performances in wins over Tyrone, Cavan and Armagh in the Ulster final earned her the WGPA Player of the Month award and Tyrone must be on their guard again if they are to have any chance of a win.

Mayo had three points to spare over Tyrone in the end but the Red Hands missed four clear-cut goal chances.

Curran said: “Tyrone are well capable of holding their own at senior level. Some people see them as the new kids on the block at senior level. I feel the experience gained in the two games so far will really stand to them this week and having had a good opportunity to size us up in Ulster and then to watch us over the last few weeks against Cavan and Armagh. Gerry (Moane) will have them well prepared.”

Tyrone manager Gerry Moane felt that scoring one of those goal chances would have changed the outcome: “If one of those early goalscoring chances in the second half had have been taken we would have pushed on to win the game.

“As it stands there were positives but we haven’t the points on the board. It’s one that got away” he said.

Moane was missing both Neamh Woods and Meabh Mallon.

“The players that came in dide well. I was happy with the effort from everyone.

“We have to get something now out of next Saturday’s game against Donegal. We have things to work on of course but we are proving that we are a senior team now.”