BY MATTHEW WILSON
THE Donegal Under 20 ladies team are preparing for a historic encounter this weekend when they go in pursuit of the inaugural All-Ireland Under 20 Ladies Championship Championship.
The group have enjoyed a superb season to date which saw them defeat Tyrone, Down and Monaghan to advance to the Ulster Final where they got the better of the Red Hand County for a second time.
Donegal, jointly-managed by Paul Gillespie and Dessie McNamara, will face Galway in the decider this Saturday at Kilcoyne Park in Tubercurry, Sligo.
Like Donegal, the Tribeswomen have also undergone a successful 2026 campaign which saw them seal top spot in their All-Ireland Football Championship group.
Kevin Joyce’s charges recorded wins over Meath, Mayo and Cork before losing out to Dublin to set up the date with Donegal this weekend.
It will be a massive accomplishment for the youthful group of players if they can clinch the cup at the Sligo venue this weekend.
The Connacht outfit will provide Donegal with a stern test but speaking to the Donegal News, joint-boss Gillespie stated it’ll be a matter of which team wants it more on the day.
“We played Galway earlier in the year in a challenge game and we came out on the wrong side that day.
“But we’ve improved and learned since then and we’ll be hoping that we can give them a good game and come out of it.
“It’s all on the day. As I said to the girls, it’s about who wants it more at this stage.
“In an All-Ireland Final you can make all the plans you want but at the end of the day, when those girls cross the white line it’s up to them to deliver the goods.
“If Donegal wants it more than Galway then that’s what it’s all about now at this stage.
“This week is about getting them settled in and getting their minds tuned into it.”