BY RYAN FERRY
PADDY Gallagher always had an ambition to play in goals for Ardara in the Senior Championship and he’s enjoying his stint between the sticks at the moment.
The well-travelled Gallagher is finally back at home these days, and is delighted to get the chance to represent his home club.
“I always wanted to play for Ardara,” the 25-year-old told the Donegal News.
“I remember going down as a young buck and watching Eamon Doherty and Damian Diver and Brendan Boyle and those boys.
“Declan Gallagher and Conor Curran were the goalkeepers at the time and you were nearly in awe of them.
“I was living in America for five or six years. I have the (American) passport so I was able to live in Boston and Philadelphia.
“I was back home in 2021 and played in the senior championship but then I went away again and came back at Christmas.
“I was working down the country for a broadband company, and my work was a bit scattered in Galway and Meath and so on. I was playing reserves because I couldn’t really train.
“I moved back to Ardara a few months ago and I could see the fight and the drive in the team so I put in a big push to be part of it.”
Ardara were defeated in their opening two matches against MacCumhaill’s and St Michael’s before beating Aodh Ruadh in an impressive fashion.
They lost Kevin Whyte to an early red card against Four Masters but battled well before losing out by a late point.
“Against MacCuumhaill’s, we weren’t fully at it and they won well.
“We were in the game against St Michael’s but (Michael) Langan and those boys showed their class.
“We went to Ballyshannon then and it was ‘win or go home’ really for us.
“I think all the boys really stood up that day.
“We were disappointed last week against Four Masters but I was proud of the performance.
“It was tough going in the second half into the breeze and it was a real dogfight and we just lost out at the end.”
Next up for Ardara is a Preliminary quarter-final against St Eunan’s at MacCumhaill Park and they will go into that clash as clear underdogs.
“Everyone will be thinking that St Eunan’s are going to win it, but if you go into a game fearing the opposition, I think you’ve lost the battle in your mind before you have even started.
“You have to be fearless and go out and give it a performance that you can be proud of and see where it takes you from there.”
It has been a tough week for the St Eunan’s players as they come to terms with the death of their backroom team member Aidan McGlynn.
Their game with Downings last week was brought forward to allow the players to attend the funeral, something that corner-forward Eóin McGeehin was grateful for.
“It was obviously a very emotional week for St Eunan’s.
“You probably saw the best part of the GAA and how people came together to help with the arrangements.
“Downings doing their bit at their end was much appreciated as well.
“Aidan is a huge loss. I have been involved with the senior team for six or seven years and he was always there, and I know that was the case for many years before that too.
“You would have seen his face around when we were younger, and he would have known us coming through before we knew him.
“He had St Eunan’s running through his blood and he’s going to be a massive loss for the club and his family.”
St Eunan’s would have liked a break this weekend but they finished sixth in the table and now Ardara are standing in their way in the Preliminary quarter-finals on Saturday.
“They are going to be a very formidable opponent.
“They were very unlucky not to come away with something from the Four Masters game despite playing with 14 players for most of the match.
“They put it up to Gaoth Dobhair in the quarter-final last year as well.
“They have good young forwards who are pushing the team on so we have to be ready for a tough game.”
McGeehin added: “Points difference is out of the equation from now on and the proper championship really starts from here on.
“Every team is going to be up for it and you’re going to have to be on it every day.”
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