The lines of communication between Donagh and Fermanagh forward Joanne Doonan will be buzzing on Sunday as the Queens student keeps tabs on her fellow Fermanagh players from afar as they entertain unbeaten Wicklow in round three of the national league.
Doonan who has scored 4-6 of the Erne tally so far in wins over Kilkenny and Derry will miss Sundays tie, a pre arranged trip ruling out the sharpshooter much to her disappointment,
“I had a trip arranged before the fixtures were confirmed and after such a good start it’s so disappointing not to be playing this weekend, especially in such an important game”
Still only 22, Doonan is seen as of one of the more experienced players in this youthful Fermanagh squad.
“That’s right, when you hear the manager talk about the older players and he means you it’s funny, I know we have a couple of older girls in the squad again and that’s good although overall this is a very young team, it is about building for the future and we have got off to a good start”
Without a win in over 12 months Fermanagh now sit top of the division racking up big wins and better performances so far although Joanne admits Sundays tie against the Leinster girls will afford them a better guide as to just how they are progressing,
“We had good wins yes but this will be a tough outing, Wicklow and Longford we feel are the teams to beat, it will be a big test. It will show us just where we are in the bigger scheme of things, as I said these are the games you’d love to be involved in”
Manager Curry will be forced in to making a couple of changes with injuries as well as the absence of Joanne Doonan forcing his hand although he does have several seasoned campaigners to call on, that’s a bonus ahead of the visit of fellow pace-setters. Wicklow enjoyed wins over Kilkenny and Carlow, conceding just 0-3 as they hit an impressive 10-36 although they too will be well aware that Fermanagh are on the way up.
“We are, yes” said Doonan, “Michael Cadden’s training has been great, we have good numbers and training with the younger girls has added something extra to what we are doing, There’s a real buzz and things are going well, we won’t get carried away it’s all about building again but I think we are going the right way”
Doonan who alongside, the McManus twins, Nuala and Danielle and Sharon Murphy have led the scoring stakes for an Erne side, is happy that Fermanagh will be challenging in the league and the Ulster junior championship this term.
“We had to do that, we hadn’t won a game in the league or championship, we lost players and we just had to start again, that’s what Emmett [Curry] and the management are doing, we are building for the future”
A tough third round tie on the cards then this Sunday, but the quality of the performances so far will send Curry’s side into the contest full of confidence despite missing their talismanic attacker.
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