IT’S been a long and enjoyable season for the Donegal Under 16 side and they are aiming to cap it off by winning the All-Ireland ‘C’ title in Tempo this evening.
Leitrim are the opponents for Paul Gillespie and Dessie McNamara’s side.
The Donegal team have been through a number of tough challenges and are battle-hardened heading into the final.
“We started off last October doing trials and our panel was picked then in the second week of January,” said Gillespie.
“We played in a league format in Ulster.
“We were in the same group as Armagh, Cavan, and Derry, and everyone called it the group of death.
“The four strongest teams in Ulster were in together and that’s just the way it went.
“There was nothing in the games between the teams. We played Cavan and they beat us and we beat them but they ended up in the ‘A’ and we ended up in the ‘C’.
“We drew with Derry in one of the games and lost by a point in another, and we drew with Armagh and lost by two against them as well.
“They were all very tight, and it was the same against Down in our Ulster Final and we won after extra-time and free-kicks.”
Donegal defeated Clare by 2-20 to 1-10 in their semi-final and delivered a superb display.
Mia O’Donnell from Dungloe scored 1-7 while Malin’s Orla Ward helped herself to 0-6 in a fine display.
Gillespie explained: “It all stopped before the Junior Cert. I think 22 of our girls were involved in that and we gave the girls a week off training.
“Then we played Clare in Tubbercurry and I think there were 11 points in it at the end. It was probably the best performance we had all year.
“The girls have trained hard since then and they are buzzing now and are ready for action.
Enda Bogle, Karl Doherty, Shane McGrath, Mary Bogle, and Jacinta McHugh are all part of the backroom team alongside Gillespie and McNamara.
They have been working hard behind the scenes to get Donegal ready.
Leitrim defeated Wexford by six points in their semi-final but Gillespie concedes that he doesn’t know a great deal about the neighbouring county.
“We don’t know a huge amount them.
“Mayo and Galway only beat them by a couple of points but we don’t know how those games played out really.
“From what I gather, they are supposed to be good enough so we will get ready for it.
He added: “There’s a huge effort that has gone in from everyone, players and backroom team.
“It’s been enjoyable and we would like to finish off with some silverware.”

Donegal panel: Aine Walsh (Dungloe), Kate McCafferty (Termon), Aoibhin Wallace (Burt), Orla Ward (Malin), Cayla McFadden (Termon), Mia O’Donnell (Dungloe), Elianne McFadden (Cloughaneely), Aoibheann McCann (Dungloe), Ciara Daly (St Eunan’s), Rachel Gillespie (Aodh Ruadh), Evangaline McDermott (Moville), Cadhla Gillespie (Aodh Ruadh), Katie O’Neill (Killybegs), Sarah Hegarty (Naomh Ultan), Sophie McGee (Sean MacCumhaills), Andrea Reid (Sean MacCumhaills), Cora Cassidy (Four Masters), Ciara Kelly (Carndonagh), Aoife Meehan (Cloughaneely), Saoirse Monagle (Malin), Heidi McHugh (Killybegs), Sarah Black (Milford), Laura Boyle (Naomh Columba), Laura Quinn (Four Masters), Sofie Campbell (Naomh Conaill), Toni Boyle (Dungloe), Nicole Bonner Gillespie (Dungloe), Iona McHugh (Ardara), Eve McNamara (Bundoran), Kirstie Boyle (Dungloe).