BY MATTHEW WILSON
DONEGAL senior ladies manager James Daly is hoping his side can make a positive start to their Ulster Championship campaign when they face Armagh this Sunday.
Donegal were last in action just shy of a fortnight ago when they secured the Division 2 league title courtesy of a superb five-point victory over Cavan.
The Breffni County were entering this encounter with real momentum having enjoyed an unbeaten Division 2 campaign.
They led Donegal by two points at the short whistle in the showpiece however, Daly’s outfit produced a brilliant display in the second stanza to get over the line and clinch the cup which he was pleased with.
“We were delighted. When you get promotion it’s always a good thing but to go on then and win the cup, it gives it a bit more credibility. To go up as winners and not just runners-up is a good bounce for the girls. We just have to work on that and get ready for Armagh now.”
Winning any piece of silverware is special but with a fairly youthful panel in place, this will be the first senior medal earned by a number of players in the Donegal squad.
Securing a medal like this at such a young age will stand to the younger members of the Daly group in the future, giving them a valuable boost in confidence as the season progresses.
“We have some older girls and they were as excited as anybody. But for this young team now, they’re the building blocks hopefully for a very successful Donegal team over the next 10 or 12 years.
“To get that first piece of silverware under your belt is always a good day. It’s good for the girls, good for their confidence and it sets you up well for the rest of the season.”
The Donegal team will have enjoyed their Division 2 triumph but not for long as it was soon time to get back to the training field, with the start of the Ulster Senior Ladies Championship just around the corner.
Donegal will begin their quest for the Ulster title this Sunday when they make the trip to the Athletic Grounds for a meeting with Armagh and speaking to the Donegal News, Daly expressed that preparations have gone well ahead of the provincial competition.
“We’d a night out on Saturday night and then we were back training. The girls were in the gym early in the week and then we were back in Convoy on Wednesday and Friday.
“Preparations have gone really well. The girls are buzzing, we’ve had a couple of really good training sessions already this week so we’re looking forward to it now.
Donegal’s last Ulster crown arrived three years ago when they defeated Armagh by four points in the provincial showpiece.
They’ve reached the decider of the Ulster Championship in the two years since this success but they came up short on both of those occasions.
They will be hoping to bring this run to an end this term, with the Donegal ladies boss noting that landing that piece of silverware is next on his side’s list of objectives.
“That’s the next goal for this team, to win an Ulster Championship. That’s always in your building block for the All-Ireland series.
“To win an Ulster Championship has always been a big deal no matter which county wins it and especially Donegal. Donegal have had great success in this competition over the years and hopefully we can get the girls back winning that cup again very soon.”
Daly’s side will make the trip to Armagh this Sunday for a meeting with his native county before facing Tyrone seven days later in their second group game of the Ulster Championship.
Donegal will enter this encounter full of confidence, with a superb league campaign under their belt, but the Orchard County will provide them with a very stern test on home soil.
A win this weekend would put Donegal in a strong position in the competition ahead of their Round 2 meeting with Tyrone, and Daly stressed how important it is to start well this Sunday.
“We play Armagh and we play Tyrone the following week so it’s very important that we get off to a good start. If you win both of those games then you’re in an Ulster Final and if you win one of them then there’s a good chance you’re in an Ulster Final.
“Armagh is a big side and at home they will be thinking that they have the edge. We have to set out our stall that’ll get us over the line.”It’s important for us to get a good performance this Sunday.”
“Yeah, you do think about that. I read a few comments yesterday about how Armagh were very happy with their league campaign, they only survived on the last day but they had some big performances in their games.
“Armagh is a big side and at home they will be thinking that they have the edge. We have to set out our stall that’ll get us over the line.”