'Every game is a bonus!' - Lavey manager Brian Scullion

Ulster JFC Final

Lavey vs. Dungloe

Healy Park

Sunday, 12:30pm

IN February 2017, ladies football began in Lavey - what has happened since is simply unbelievable.

It began with girls from U6 to U12 - a bunch of young girls given the opportunity and among them was Carla Collins along with the O’Connor sisters Cassie and Emily, all three now part of the senior side that will be contesting the Ulster final. The progression has been fantastic as they have built right through the underage and last year fielded at adult level for the first time.

They immediately made their impact winning the junior county title, and 12 months later landed the intermediate title. Now standing in their way of an Ulster crown will by Dungloe, who like Lavey have made enormous strides over the last number of years.

For manager Brian Scullion when asked did he believe, when he took the job, would he be getting ready for an Ulster final on Sunday he was truthful when he said: “Not a chance, didn’t think anything like it.”

While many of the girls had never played football before they still give a very good account of themselves quickly.

“Even at the very start in our first games in the league we were competitive, losing by four or five points in our first few games. Once we got established and confidence began to grow we said we could give this a good rattle and we knew we were not going to be that far away,” said Scullion.

It was small steps and even now it simply is still a learning game for the girls and management. 

“Even this year we are still working on the basics - hand passing and kicking.

“Additions this year have been fantastic, Carla [Collins] obviously and then three girls have moved to the parish Noeleen McBride, Caoimhe Diamond and Ciara Lynn.”

Despite still very much the new kids on the block, chatting to Brian, one thing that is evident in this club is ambition.

“We set out at the start of the year to win the Intermediate tile - that was our aim. Ulster to me is a bonus, every game is a bonus.

“We want to get up to senior and be playing the likes of Steelstown, Glen, Ballymaguigan and Magherafelt. There is talk of them changing things this year. We will be disappointed if we don’t go up but that is not for us to decide.

“The quicker we get to senior level the better - that is where we want to be - want to progress.”

So what about their opponents from the Rosses in Donegal  - managed by former All-Ireland winner with Donegal in 1992 Tony Boyle. They have had a very impressive last number of years cleaning up at underage level and made their breakthrough after back-to-back county final defeats. Their Ulster campaign has seen them display fantastic character overcoming Coalisland after extra time and holding off a Tyholland comeback the last day out to edge over the line by a point. They will be captained by county player Saskia Boyle, daughter of Tony while another daughter Ulitah will line out in the forward line. While Carla Collins will very much be the girl Dungloe may have had sleepless nights thinking about, Patrice Boyle may be one Lavey will  mention in their pre-match preparations.

For Scullion though, he is only worrying more about his own side’s performance and admitted he knew very little about the Donegal girls.

“Not a lot at the moment, hopefully get something on them but just looking at their scoring their full forward looks good, they are a young side and their minors won Donegal too. 

“We are going to concentrate on our own game - there no point getting caught up on the opposition,” he added.