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www.ladiesgaelic.ie | WINTER 2022 / JANUARY 2023 | 17 PLAYER FOCUS people within your county - I think that's what makes it more special because it means a lot to the people in your own club and your community and the reaction I got. "It's obviously an individual award, but I think it's a really nice thing to be able to bring back to your own county. It gives people a bit of a lift too. We probably have a few high standards for ourselves up here and we think a lot of all our players. In terms of that recognition, Karl was obviously the last guy and myself now. It's a big honour." In regards to 2022 from a team perspective, there were some great highlights for Donegal. In the LIDL National Football League Division One semi-final against Dublin at St Tiernach's Park, Clones in March, late goals from Emma McCrory and Yvonne Bonner helped to turn a five-point deficit into a dramatic one- point victory. of those as well, the other side. You take your win when you can. The loss to Meath in the Final then was obviously disappointing. Then going into the All-Ireland semi-final, we knew there'd be nothing between us. Meath obviously have that experience. "Definitely more experience than us of playing in Croke Park on the big days in the last few years for sure. We knew we could drive them close. I don't think we're really too far away at all. We're not looking for any big crazy changes, just small improvements. Bringing it together more consistently." While he has already spent five years at the helm When the two sides met again in an All-Ireland SFC quarter-final at Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada in Carrick- on-Shannon, Karen Guthrie struck two goals as a substitute to propel Donegal into the last-four. However, despite scoring penalties in both games, McLaughlin found herself on the losing team for the matches that followed these impressive successes. Meath had two points to spare over Donegal in the NFL Division One decider at Croke Park on April 10, before the Royals triumphed by the same margin in an All-Ireland semi-final three months later. This latter contest also took place at GAA HQ and McLaughlin feels their Leinster counterparts' greater experience of playing in the Jones' Road venue ultimately came to the fore. "We've always had the belief in Donegal that we can have that end goal of an All-Ireland. We've always felt as if we've had the players in the county. I suppose last year we didn't talk about All-Irelands or anything like that, we just focused on one game at a time and making sure our training was at as high a level as we can. "Definitely the one against Dublin in the League was like a snatch and grab. We've been on the end of the team, Maxi Curran has agreed to stay on as Donegal manager for a sixth season. This has been greeted with great enthusiasm with Curran (who also worked alongside the aforementioned Lacey as a selector on the Donegal men's team) having made huge strides during his time in the O'Donnell hot seat. This has whetted McLaughlin's appetite for the 2023 inter-county season, which begins for Donegal on January 22 with a Lidl NFL Division 1 away trip to Galway. Although Meath (now under the management of Davy Nelson) are looking to hold onto both national crowns in the new year, McLaughlin believes the race for top honours will be wide open. "It's definitely a lot closer than it has been. I think it's going to be very difficult to call games. Whereas maybe in the past you could put a decent enough guess on who might come out on top, but you can take nothing for granted," McLaughlin added. "I think that's just good for the standard of the game. The closer the games are, the better players come out and higher performance is needed. I think it will make for a really interesting League and then pushing into championship too." "HOWEVER, DESPITE SCORING PENALTIES IN BOTH GAMES, MCLAUGHLIN FOUND HERSELF ON THE LOSING TEAM FOR THE MATCHES THAT FOLLOWED THESE IMPRESSIVE SUCCESSES." Images clockwise from top page 16: 1 Niamh McLaughlin in action against Waterford, TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship. 2 Donegal footballers Niamh McLaughlin, left, and Niamh Hegarty at the All Stars Awards. 3 Niamh McLaughlin with her TG4 LGFA All Star award. 4 Niamh McLaughlin during the Lidl Ladies Football National League against Mayo. 5 Niamh McLaughlin receives the Player of the Match award from Mícheál Naughton, LGFA President, in the Senior Championship v Waterford. 6 Niamh McLaughlin in action against Maire O'Shaughnessy, left, and Stacey Grimes of Meath during the 2022 Senior Championship Semi-Final. 7 Emer Ní Gallachóir, Donegal footballer and TG4 presenter, left, interviewing Niamh McLaughlin. Images this page from left: 1 Donegal captain Niamh McLaughlin and Meath captain Shauna Ennis. 2 Niamh McLaughlin scores her side's first goal, a penalty, past Meath goalkeeper Monica McGuirk during the TG4 All- Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final. Niamh McLaughlin pictured receiving her Division 1 award from LGFA President Mícheál Naughton, and Aoife Clarke, Lidl Ireland.