'Our goal is to stop Termon next year' - Moville player-manager Sarah Faulkner

Despite suffering a 23-point defeat at the hands of Termon during last Sunday’s Donegal LGFA senior championship final, Moville player-manager Sarah Faulkner feels her side will take a lot of learning from the loss to come back stronger next season. 

In a game that never kicked into gear, the ladies from the Burn Road led 3-9 to 0-4 at the break, and it didn’t get any better for the Inishowen side in the second half, with Termon rattling the Moville net seven times to finish the game with a 7-12 to 1-8 win in O’Donnell Park. 

And while it can be difficult to take much upside from such a defeat, Faulkner vows that her team will come back stronger next season with the aim of toppling Termon. 

“We knew we were going to be up against it against Termon, we weren’t coming up here naive but we still were looking for a result,” she said following her side’s defeat in Letterkenny. 

“I think the nerves got to us in the first half and we didn’t close up the middle of our defence quick enough, but in finals that all comes down to experience. All we can do is go again and regroup for next year. 

“We know what we want to do next season already and that’s to stop Termon, that’s our goal.” 

When analysing the game, Faulkner, who played in nets for her side on the day, felt that maybe the nerves played a factor against a Termon side who are well experienced when it comes to finals, having won their third championship in a row last Sunday. 

“I think when you look at the game, sometimes the winning and losing of a game can be down to something like a simple handpass not going your way. You need a bit of luck in finals and I don’t think we had it,” she said. 

“Sometimes it can come down to preparation and maybe we weren’t prepared enough, maybe tactically we weren’t prepared, I’m not sure, but it’s all learning experiences for us. I mean this is new to me as a manager too and it’s new to the girls, so all we can do is take learnings and positives from it. 

“One thing we asked of the girls is that they never stop playing on the field, and they never gave up, they kept going and that’s all we can ask of them for which I’m happy with.” 

After taking over as manager last season, Faulkner returned to playing in 2024, juggling both roles as player and manager, one she says she’s enjoyed and is constantly learning about. 

But in terms of the overall season, she can reflect on it fondly giving particular praise to the players and the effort throughout the year. 

“It’s my first year as player-manager and I found it fun and really interesting,” she said. “You’re still a player but you’re also trying to build a good relationship with the players on the field and the people on the sideline. 

“Playing is brilliant, managing is brilliant, but it’s really all down to the girls and the hard work they put in. They’re the ones coming out to training at 7.30am and putting in the long runs. 

“Some are coming from Belfast and other areas just to be at training, so the credit needs to go to them, I’m just there to guide them and help out any way I can. 

“I feel the bite is there to be bigger and stronger next season, we’re upset but we can’t dwell on it forever.  

“Termon are a fine outfit. The players they have are unreal, the list goes on, and no matter how hard you try to outsmart them . . . sometimes you just can’t stop talent.”