BY RYAN FERRY
TONY Boyle says there is currently a real sense of community spirit evident in Dungloe as his ladies team get ready for another challenging Ulster assignment.
Boyle is GAA royalty in Donegal after helping the county to their first All-Ireland title back in 1992.
However, it is the ladies team that he manages who are grabbing the headlines now.
Dungloe have made it through to the Ulster Junior Club Final today and a huge crowd is expected to travel from the Rosses to cheer on the team against Lavey as they aim to pick up more silverware in what has already been a trophy-laden season.
“It’s great for the whole club and the community.
“Last year it was our men’s team who won the Intermediate title.
“The girls would have been supporting them up in Antrim against Dunloy and in Celtic Park against Galbally.
“Now the boys are at every match cheering on the girls and it’s just a fantastic experience for everyone.
“It’s a big game and that’s what we want. The aim is that we can keep bringing players through and be playing senior football in three years.
“Everyone is getting behind the girls and they are all enjoying it.”
Eight of Dungloe’s players also lined out for the club’s minors this year but they were beaten by Omagh in the Ulster Minor Club quarter-final last weekend.
Boyle admits that his team were second best on the day but the over-lapping of the two competitions didn’t help their cause.
All but three of the minor team are underage again next season so they might get a crack at that tournament in 2024.
However, it is parked for now and the full focus is back on the Ulster Junior Club Championship.
Despite losing the last two Donegal Junior finals, Dungloe were fancied to get over the line this year and they justified their favourite’s tag.
However, they have had much more challenging encounters with Coalisland (Tyrone) and Tyholland (Monaghan) in Ulster, and they are battle-hardened off the back of those contests.
“The girls have had some tough games.
“We probably came through the group stages in Donegal without any great problems.
“We knew Downings would be tough in the final and it was a battle for a good while in that match.
“But it has been a big step up in Ulster. Coalisland were a very physical team.
“We played well in the first half and didn’t play anything at all in the second half and were lucky to get extra-time to be honest.
“Tyholland were pretty much a mirror image of us as they were very fit and athletic and we probably just had a bit more scoring power up front.
“They are all tough games to be fair and it will be the same with Lavey.
“They are a dual club and are very good at Camogie too.
“Their players are very fit and strong so we are going to have to bring a huge performance.”
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