Football

Gary McFadden - and Gaoth Dobhair - battle through to Ulster title triumph

For Gary McFadden, an afternoon of torment and torture was always going to be the prelude to the ecstasy would be showered upon Ulster’s newly-crowned high kings.

He was the man chosen to shadow the rising star that is Conor McCarthy, one of the most exciting attackers in the game.

The Scotstown and Monaghan star kicked one spectacular point from play, but was otherwise held in check by Gweedore’s tenacious corner back, the go-to man for all such testing assignments.

“I knew coming into the game it was going to be a big battle against him. I saw him playing for UCD a couple of times and I saw him playing for Monaghan,” said McFadden.

“He’s an absolute speedster and an athlete, so I knew I had my work cut out for me.

“I had a rough idea after we beat Crossmaglen that I would probably be picking him up, and I found out then closer to the game.

“I just had to try and keep with him. I have marked boys like that most of my life, I usually get the speedster.

“You just have to be relaxed, you know that you’re not going to win every ball out in front, but as long as you stand him up and get him away from goal, your job’s done.”

Despite falling behind by three points early in the second half, McFadden never doubted the appetite of the men from the Gaeltacht for such a battle.

They clawed their way back to parity, pushing a gripping contest to extra-time, before substitute Shane Ferry popped up with the priceless Healy Park winner.

“No game’s over with three points ahead, and we have learned that the hard way.

“Last year against Glenties we were six points up and we let that slip. In gaelic football it doesn’t matter what lead you have, it can always be pulled back.”

Gweedore are no longer the nearly men, the under-achievers of Donegal football, having finally fulfilled rich promise and a passion for the game that defines their being.

And McFadden takes some smug satisfaction from the success that has come their way

“The county can’t be talking about us any more, they se now what we can do and what we’re capable of.

“They have been knocking us down this last couple of years, saying we weren’t good enough and all this here, but we showed today what we can do when we put our heads together.”

A huge gap has been bridged, and the Seamus McFerran Cup is back in the Hills of Donegal for the first time since 1975, when St Joseph’s conquered Ulster.

“It’s amazing when you think about it. teams from Donegal have got into Ulster finals and didn’t come away with it. it’s not an easy task, by any means, when you come up against teams like Scotstown, who have the experience.

“This is our first time in Ulster, but we got there in the end.”

Now the focus turns to an All-Ireland semi-final against defending champions Corofin in the new year.

“We’ll enjoy this for a couple of weeks, but we want to get back to training, for we’re not going to be happy to stop here. I would like to get more now when we’re in that position.

“It’s a privilege to be involved with these lads. Every one of them gives a hundred per cent to each other, and that’s all you can ask for at the end of the day.”