“You see her kick it, and the ball is still rising and I’ve got my hands in the air and I know it’s going in.”
If most other players intercepted a quickly taken goal-kick and, on instinct, lobbed the goalkeeper for a sweet goal, from 35 metres out, you might suspect it was a shot to nothing. A hit and hope.
When Geraldine McLaughlin is involved, no chance.
Donegal sealed their third Ulster title in a row – in front of over 2,000 spectators at Clones – on Sunday and two McLaughlins scored the bulk of their points.
Geraldine McLaughlin bagged 2-4 as she put in her standard, excellent performance. Niamh McLaughlin, who has returned to Ireland after soccer spells with Newcastle and Sunderland, plundered 2-2.
Fresh from that provincial championship win, Niamh McLaughlin joined PlayXPlay host Jenny Murphy and Dublin star Niamh McEvoy on the latest episode to discuss her return home and a running of impressive scoring form.
McLaughlin scored eight goals in 11 games for Sunderland before the club, struggling to cost with financial demands after the men’s side had been relegated twice in successive seasons, were forced to make cut-backs.
Having finished her studies over in England, and with football not being able to offer steady, professional employment, the 25-year-old headed home. She works in Dublin now but treks to and from Donegal several times a week for training and matches.
The long journeys are made easier by being part of a hungry, successful Donegal team. Leader of that pack is Geraldine McLaughlin, who scored another worldie at the weekend:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzXvr3cnYMs/
That goal sparked a bit of a debate in the PlayXPlay studio, with Murphy being teame up on for daring to suggest the lob may have been a fortunate score.
JENNY: But when you’re scoring goals like Geraldine McLaughlin, do you think that was on purpose? That little lob.
NIAMH McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, it was on purpose.
NIAMH McEVOY: It was 100% on purpose. It’s the type of player she is. The keeper was like…
NIAMH McLAUGHLIN: Like, I’m inside. She gets it from the kick-out and, like, if she passes to me, I’m in. And you see her kick it, and the ball is still rising and I’ve got my hands in the air and I know it’s going in. 100% meant it. She’s just, like, something else… She’s so stylish, and I don’t want to be bigging her up but I am.
NIAMH McEVOY: No, it’s no secret – Geraldine McLaughlin is good!
With Donegal and Dublin both winning provincial titles at the weekend, McEvoy could be coming up against both McLaughlins later in the ladies championship. There will be dual warnings going out to her Dublin teammates about the scary scoring potential of Donegal’s McLaughlins.
CATCH THE FULL PLAY X PLAY EPISODE HERE:
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