By Ciaran O’Donnell
Finest hours. Sometimes they come early in life. Other times they come much later. And plenty of times, they never come at all. For Danny Doogan, it was always going to be later as opposed to never. And so it was at the weekend.
At Diamond Park on Sunday, Danny guided Keadue Rovers to victory in the Brian McCormick Cup Final when defeating Milford United, and thus ended the most barren search for senior silverware in the history of the famous Rosses club in what was his fourth season in charge.
He’s been tipping about the local soccer yard scene longer than most. At 52, he’s as passionate about all things Keadue Rovers now as he was when he first pulled on the red and white jersey back in the 1980’s. As a player, he cut a distinctive dash and tormented defences with his pace, balance and finishing touch. These days, the affable Gaeltacht native is still pulling the strings – albeit from the sideline.
His playing career with Keadue Rovers spanned 32 years. He made his first-team debut when he was a 16-year-old boarder at St Eunan’s College in Letterkenny with whom he won an All-Ireland Schools’ Senior Soccer title in 1985. He was 48 when he lined out with the senior team as player-manager four years ago for the last time against Convoy Arsenal. It was also his first year in charge of the senior side, having been previously at the helm at under-16 and under-18 levels.
“The fruits of my labour are all starting to come now,” Danny says of Sunday’s success.
“If you look at the Keadue team from Sunday, seven of those who started played in the under-16 Champions league finals. Year on year, more young lads were coming through and their first choice was soccer and soccer only. Down our neck of the woods, it’s massive. There are one or two lads that have committed the other way,” he adds.
Milford drew first blood at the Ballyare venue in Sunday’s showpiece on 36 minutes, but Corey Gallagher equalised immediately. A sweetly struck effort from Adam Neely on 71 minutes sealed it for Keadue.
Their manager never saw things panning out any other way.
“We were confident. We had a meeting on Friday night and I told them there was something in my gut telling me we were going to win. And I certainly wasn’t in any way underestimating Milford because they are a really good side. As young and all as we are, we’ve learned fast. We had a game plan and the game plan worked.”
The ability to respond so quickly to Milford’s opener instilled belief and confidence in Doogan’s charges.
“Once Milford changed formation, that allowed our full backs to go forward. They tend to play 3-4-3 and when they switched to 4-4-2, that allowed us to press, attack more down the sides and for our full backs to deliver quality ball into the box.”
Six seasons ago, Keadue won the Division Two title. But in Danny Doogan’s world where the bar never drops from the highest point, it’s not regarded as any major achievement.
“By Keadue’s standard, Division Two doesn’t count,” he maintains.
“You have to win the top division.”
It’s all of 23 years since Keadue Rovers got their hands on the big prize when finishing top of the pile at season’s end.
“This is our finest hour. 23 years has been a long wait,” he says.
The start of the new millennium coincided with a change in fortunes at Central Park. A number of factors were responsible, with emigration being one.
“An upsurge in GAA was another. We probably let our guard down and more young fellas decided to play gaelic.”
But things are on the upward curve again. Another strong showing in the Premier Division – they finished in the top half – cup glory on Sunday and a new pitch ready for opening all make for happy days.
“Over €200,000 has been spent on the new pitch and a new club house is in the pipeline. The numbers are that big at training at the minute that we can’t even play a big game at the end. It’s massive and there’s a serious commitment.
“For a long time these lads have been getting it in the neck about the Keadue of the past. This team have probably made their own history now. This team is capable of a lot more and the average age is just 23. Watching the club’s underage players developing, there are four or five of the youth team that I could slot straight in to the senior team tomorrow and not one of them would look out of place.”
The club’s under-14 and under-16 have blazed a trail in recent seasons. The youth team have made it five wins from five outings so far this season, while conceding nothing in the process.
Danny is happy to lead from the front. Yet he’s extremely grateful to the small team of individuals who keep things ticking over quietly behind the scenes. Packie Gallagher, Padraig Sweeney, Brendan Boyle, David Alcorn still have the shoulder full to the wheel for the cause, while Anthony Doherty and Peter Boyle do their bit around the grounds.
“We’re close but productive,” he says of those who do.
With Pat McGee, Tony Bonner, Aidan Comiskey, Stephen Cowley (a former striking partner of Danny’s), Michael McFadden, Conal Boyle and Martin Brennan all doing their bit with the underage teams, the future is in good hands.
Back to Sunday again.
“Our number one goalkeeper, Danny Rodgers was unavailable because he was away on holidays. But that’s not a problem when you have someone like Declan Ward to step in. There must be something about the sea air down in Keadue when it comes to ‘keepers. Obviously, Packie Bonner is our most famous ‘keeper, but we have always had a tradition of good goalkeepers at the club,” he comments.
Sunday’s heroes partied into the small hours after a few stops en route home.
“Even though I don’t drink now, I was out ’til all hours on Sunday night and was with them again on Monday. It reminded me of the old days and how I used to be. I really enjoyed it.”
Danny is looking forward to some family time when he ties up the lose ends over the coming days. His nine-year-old daughter, Niamh, who runs with Rosses AC, was the joint winner of Donegal’s Fastest Feet Competition. His 19-year-old son, Jordan, is currently in South Africa doing voluntary work with animals and returns next month.
“The team has the Donegal League presentation night on June 8 in Letterkenny and we’ll have our own wee one after that. We usually have a game of pitch and putt or golf at Cruit or up at Portnoo and that will be us then. Before that, I have a club meeting this Friday night where I will give a summary of the year and plans going forward.”
On the field, Danny Doogan always was a move ahead.
Ditto off it.