Donaghmonye success is for ‘younger ones’
By Niall Keenan
Donaghmoyne manager Annemarie Burns admitted it was a particularly satisfying feeling to guide her side back to the Ulster Senior Club Championship final after a four-year absence, with the five-time All-Ireland champions now setting their sights on another provincial crown.
"It's a nice feeling. It probably wasn't something we were thinking about at the beginning of the year, but when we got over the county, we said we'd give it a crack anyway at Ulster," she said.
Burns was particularly pleased with how her side responded to the challenge posed by Knockbride, acknowledging the East Cavan outfit had given them a stern test for much of the game.
"Absolutely, I was reading in the week their manager had said that they would have to play us, the way we play and they certainly did. They're a fantastic well-drilled team, some really good footballers on it and we probably got a wee bit of a shock at it the first half.
"They put us under pressure, some poor decisions were made by us but again I still think we were a wee bit stronger than them but look, they're not going to go away too soon anyway."
Donaghmoyne's dominance of the Monaghan senior championship has been remarkable, with the club having claimed 21 consecutive titles before their reign came to an end in 2024. Burns acknowledged that such success could never be taken for granted, particularly with other clubs continuing to emerge.
"You're not entitled to win it every year and that's something we were really lucky with, 21 years in a row, but there are a lot of other clubs coming and coming and we are delighted because it helps at under-age, it definitely helps the club."
The club's fortunes have also been boosted by the men's recent achievements, with Burns delighted by the wider momentum building within Donaghmoyne.
"The men are after winning the intermediate championship last week and it's a really good place for the club at the minute.
"It's for the young ones; it's definitely the young ones. There are a lot of older girls in that team there today but look, when you see the younger girls getting to an Ulster Final it's really nice."
Donaghmoyne will now turn their attention to reigning Ulster champions St Ergnat's, Moneyglass, as they bid to reclaim the provincial crown.
It will be Donaghmoyne's first appearance in the provincial show piece since their latest Ulster triumph in 2022, when they defeated the Antrim champions in the final.
Their record in the competition has been remarkable. Between 2012 and 2022, Donaghmoyne reached 10 Ulster finals, winning eight of them. Their return this season will mark an 11th appearance in the decider since 2012, as they bid to secure a 15th provincial title since 2004.