Posted online: Aug 24th, 2010

By Johnny Craig

Sports Editor

Malin Ladies are bidding to win remarkable successive county titles this Sunday when they face Ballyshannon side Aodh Ruadh in the Intermediate County Final at Convoy (Throw in 4pm).

The girls in black and amber have successfully made the transition to Intermediate football this year, following their Junior League and Championship wins last season.

Indeed, such has been their success so far in the League this year that they have genuine aspirations of playing alongside Moville in the top tier in 2011. 

Despite losing many of their key players to injury and emmigration this season, they have won four of their six league games this year, and remain in the hunt for promotion.

The Connolly Park girls booked their place in Sunday’s showpiece by beating a highly fancied Ardara side in a play-off in Ballyshannon after they won a game a piece in their two legged semi-final.

But coach Eamon Ryan, who jointly manages the side with Susan Byrne, believes his side will have to be at their best to win Sunday’s decider.

“We will be going into this game as underdogs,” he told the Inish Times.

“We are familiar with Aodh Ruadh having played them twice in the League. We lost in Ballyshannon and won in Malin although they were missing some players when we won.

“I felt we were playing at an Intermediate level last year and although we’ve lost some players the young girls who have come in have done well.”

Malin won last year’s Junior Final with Robert Emmets at a canter but Ryan believes his side’s experience in the subsequent Ulster Club Championship will be of benefit on Sunday.

“We travelled to Mayobridge last year and won before losing to the Tyrone champions, those were tough games and they will stand to us.

“The Malin people are great at coming out for these games, we received great travelling support in our away championship games last year and I know they will come out in numbers again in Convoy.

“With Moville getting knocked out of the senior championship to Termon this is Inishowen’s last chance for a ladies county title this year so hopefully people from other clubs will come along too.”

Ryan is sweating on the fitness of forward Emma Donaghey for the game but other than that he has a clean bill of health.

“We’ve lost four of our front six from last year this year so Emma would be a big loss but the girls who have come in have done well so it certainly isn’t all doom and gloom.”