Kinawley captain Joanne Doonan is hoping that the hurt of Ulster final defeats to Emmett Ogs and St. Paul’s in recent years can drive them on to victory on Saturday when they meet Derry side Steelstown in Augher.

The Brian Borus booked their place in the final with a win over Trillick last Saturday and they will now be hoping to make it third time lucky as they look to land that elusive Ulster title.

“I think the heartbreak, especially that year against Emmet Og and then to go to extra time against St. Paul’s the following year can drive you on.

“I think it can work two ways; you can be thinking that we have never won it and you have that bit of doubt but I think you have to use the hurt from those games. It can spur you on in the game, you might think you are tired but you remember back to what those defeats felt like and you would rather have the pain of sore legs than the pain of losing the game so we do hope it spurs us on,” said Doonan.

The forward admits though that there is pressure now to finally get over the line and secure that Ulster crown but for the squad it is about treating it as just another game and trying to enjoy it.

“I know we have been here a few times before but in a way that makes us more nervous because we know how hard it is to win and the pressure is on with people saying you have to do it this year.

“For us though we have just been taking every game as it comes and we are just really trying to enjoy it more this year and not be so focused on the outcome. It is another game and we just have to look at it as another game and take what comes. We are just trying to focus on ourselves and prepare as best as possible,” she added.

Kinawley faced a mammoth battle with Derrygonnelly in the Fermanagh final and Doonan believes that game helped prepare them for the challenges in Ulster.

“It was a tough game and even against Tempo in the round before we were tested a lot more than we were in previous years in Fermanagh and it definitely stands to you.

“Sometimes when you are going in after hammering teams and then you are put up against it you don’t know how your team is going to react but I feel those games have hardened us for that and how we deal with things when we are in a certain situation.

“The Trillick game is a perfect example of that, we stuck together and kept pressing on and we punished a mistake and that’s championship football,” said the attacker.

Doonan admits to not knowing a lot about Saturday’s opponents and in many ways that is something that she prefers.

“I don’t know a whole pile about them. I have heard that they have a lot of Derry county players and they are probably very similar to ourselves in that they are senior in Derry but go into Ulster Intermediate so on paper you are probably looking at two very evenly matched teams.

“I love Ulster though because you don’t know anything about most of the teams you play. I like going into games where you don’t know that much about the team and you have to focus on your own performance because that’s all you know.”

And she is expecting another huge test as Kinawley aim to finally land that provincial title.

“You know nothing is ever going to come easy, it is Ulster Championship, and we know that you have to perform at your best.

“Anything can happen in championship football and we seen last week that one kick can be the difference.

“We don’t want to focus too much on the mistakes but we want to limit them as much as possible and we have to have that confidence to back ourselves when are backs are up against the wall.

“We have to work hard and I have no doubt that if the girls do that we can come out on top,” she said.