Duggan feels Rebels are ready for Dublin test

MELISSA Duggan is ready to face the Dubs once again in Saturday night’s TG4 All-Ireland SFC semi-final at Semple Stadium in Thurles (7.30pm).

The experienced defender has been a mainstay in Shane Ronayne’s starting team throughout the Rebels’ 2023 campaign. Part of an effective full-back line alongside Eimear Meaney and Róisín Phelan, Duggan has made one of the corner-back or – when needed – half-back positions her own this term.

No stranger to the Cork senior set-up, the Dunmanway woman’s most recent performances in the victories over Tipperary and Armagh will have prepared her for facing a familiar foe next Saturday evening.

The famous blue jersey of Dublin stands between Cork and a first All-Ireland LGFA senior final appearance since 2020. Who contested that year’s Covid-19 affected final? None other than this weekend’s two semi-final combatants.

The run-in has gone smoothly so Dohenys ace Duggan is just itching to get going.

‘Preparations have been going very well coming off of what was a long weekend in Armagh,’ she said. ‘It was a long trip for us. We went up on the Friday evening, played the game on Saturday and came back down again on Saturday night. It was a late one and we weren’t back until 1.30am to Dunmanway.

‘We have regrouped since then and trained very hard. Our only focus is on Dublin now, getting to play them in Semple Stadium, and we are looking forward to the challenge.’

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The bond within the Cork set-up has been reinforced since claiming a Munster title and returning to an All-Ireland SFC semi-final for the first time in two years.

Making an overnight stop in Dundalk en-route to their recent quarter-final victory over Armagh at the Athletic Grounds helped strengthen that connection even more.

‘It was hugely important for the team to be able to overnight near Dundalk on the eve of the Armagh match,’ Duggan commented.

‘In fairness to the county board, they had everything set up for us. All the players had to do was get on a bus in Rochestown on Friday afternoon and not worry about a single thing after that.

‘As a player, having everything so organised meant we could sit back and relax on the bus and chat with the girls. Our food, physios and everything else was organised for us and that really helped. Sometimes, when you are so far away from home, the night before a big game can be quite unsettling. In fairness, we had everything we needed ahead of the Armagh match.’

Cork took full advantage of a good night’s rest to see off their Ulster opponents on their home ground 0-14 to 2-5. The manner in which Cork eked out that victory over the Division 2 league champions helped erase the memory of exiting the championship at the same juncture the year before.

‘Getting to spend all that free time together made a difference, even having the craic on the bus,’ Duggan added.

‘The win meant so much to the girls and some of us were reduced to tears at the end. Obviously, we got knocked out at the same stage last year so it was at the back of everybody’s minds. It was a big motivating factor in getting that win against Armagh.

‘They were with us right up until the end but no one wanted to get knocked out at the same juncture as last year. We were so determined to get to a semi-final because, in the last eight, it is so close and could be anybody’s day. Coming away with the win in such a tight game has given everyone a huge boost.’

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Cork and Dublin’s most recent meeting was a high-scoring Division 1 4-11 to 3-15 victory in Páirc Uí Rinn for Mick Bohan’s side at the beginning of the year.

 The 2020 All-Ireland final saw the Dubs secure their fourth title in a row, 1-10 to 1-5, at the expense of Shane Ronayne’s side. That was the last time Cork and Dublin met in the senior championship but the latter’s attacking quality remains as potent as ever in 2023. Racking up impressive scores against Cavan (5-15) and Donegal (3-12) in Dublin’s last two games underlines that point. Kate Sullivan, Niamh Hetherton, Hannah Tyrrell, Sinéad Aherne and Carla Rowe are just some of the names Duggan and her fellow defenders will have to contend with on Saturday night.

‘I don’t think we have played a championship game at Semple Stadium before,’ Duggan said.

‘It is fantastic to have two All-Ireland LGFA semi-finals played on such an excellent pitch. I’m sure that will make for a fantastic day out for all the supporters.

‘Dublin are a serious team. We haven’t played them too many times in recent years but they have the likes of Carla Rowe, Kate Sullivan and Hannah Tyrell. Those are some seriously talented forwards capable of shooting from anywhere.

‘We will have a tough task on our hands, especially us defenders! We are really looking forward to the opportunity to play Dublin again.’