BY RYAN FERRY
IT’S a big week for the Donegal Women’s League Under 14 side as they travel to the University of Limerick to compete in the prestigious Gaynor Cup.
Brid McGinty and Daniel Doherty are managing the Donegal side and a huge amount of work has gone on to get them primed and ready for the big event.
“These girls would have come in when they were 11, so this is their fourth year,” said McGinty, who also has Luke Doherty (Goalkeeping Coach) and Erin Doherty (Physio) as part of the management set-up.
“Every year there have been a couple of changes.
“This season there are five new additions to the squad and that’s just down to the development of players at different stages, or new players starting to play soccer.
“We began in October and the first phase of that is the Inter-League competition. You’re training once a week and then you have an Inter-League game every month up until February.
“After that we had quite a few challenge matches in April and May.
“You can train all year but you learn more in matches.”
There has been a change to the tournament’s format this season which will add an extra game to the schedule and McGinty is not a fan of the increased workload.
“Our first game is on Monday at 4pm against the DDSL.
“We have two on Tuesday – Roscommon at 10am and then Derry District at 6pm.
“There’s a change this year because they have put in a preliminary quarter-final for Wednesday morning.
“If you finish in the top two of your group, you will play a preliminary quarter-final to decide if you will enter the cup or the bowl.
“And if you finish in the bottom two of the group, you play a preliminary quarter-final to see if you go into the shield or the trophy.
“It makes no sense to me. That game is at 10am and then at 4pm on Wednesday, the actual quarter-final will be played.
“There’s no incentive to go and win all your games in the group because if you finish second, you are still able to make the cup.
“There are eight groups so it just makes sense that the winners would all go through to the quarter-finals.
“They have just made an extra round to complicate things and now we will have seven games in five days instead of six.
“It will be a challenge for player welfare. There will be injuries and knocks and it’s going to be hard to get that recovered.
“There’s very little time between games on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“By the time you get them back into the houses after the first game to get the girls fed and a wee rest, then you’ll be out the door for the next game.
“There will be a lot of focus on rotation.
“Trying to keep everyone fit and available will be the biggest challenge.”
McGinty says the group have formed a close bond over the last couple of years but a trip away can still be daunting.
“The team haven’t done a residential trip which would be a challenge for any player.
“Sometimes it can be their first time away from their parents at 14.
“It’s all about nurturing the girls and helping them through the week.
“Everyone who goes to the Gaynor has the craic and they will enjoy it. The experience is absolutely brilliant and the atmosphere is great but you have to be mindful that it might be their first time away from their families.”
It should be a good week of football and the Donegal Women’s League will travel with belief that they can make an impact in Limerick.
“The DDSL are a strong team and will be favourites to top our group.
“They have the biggest pool of players to pick from.
“We would still be hoping to finish in the top two and get into the cup.
“I’m giving out about the preliminary quarter-finals but it could be an easier route for us and could work in our favour.
“Now Roscommon finished third overall last year so they are doing good work and with the Derry District, you never know what to expect.
“Our squad going down is well prepared and they have worked hard over the last number of years.
“We’re hoping that they will be competitive but you never know.
“We have done well in the Inter-Leagues. We have won quite a bit and in games we have lost, it was only ever by one or two goals.
“Expectations would be high but you have to be realistic as well.”
Teams
Donegal Women’s League squad: Caitlin McBrearty (Bonagee United), Jorga–Mae McGroarty (Kilmacrennan Celtic), Savanna Keys (Finn Valley Ladies), Emmy Byrne (Donegal Town), Katie Gallagher (Cappry Rovers), Ayva Boyle (Keadue Rovers), Eilis O’Connell (Glenree United), Molly Gallagher (Cappry Rovers), Alice Gibbons (Mulroy Academy), Islagh Patton (Finn Valley Ladies), Aoise Diver (Letterkenny Rovers), Clodagh Kavanagh (Lagan Harps), Orla Maguire (Donegal Town), Lucy McNulty (Milford United), Saoirse Gillespie McMenamin (St Catherine’s), Saoirse Hannigan (Finn Valley Ladies), Sienna Gillespie McMenamin (St Catherine’s), Riona McIntyre (Cappry Rovers), Clara Ward Duffy (Dunfanaghy), Alison Mbuli (Cappry Rovers).