IT has been a pretty bizarre year for Donegal joint-captain Eoghan Ban Gallagher.
Only one victory since a January defeat of Kerry followed by a litany of defeatswhich culminated in new manager Paddy Carr stepping down.
That decision put the players in the spotlight and they went on to lose to Roscommon in the final League game and Down in the Ulster Championship, before pride was partially restored with a fine win in Clare in their opening game in the All-Ireland series.
Gallagher agrees that a “corner” was turned in Ennis.
“I think so. We have a lot of new players in the panel, and I know what a Championship win is like.
“It is a brilliant feeling and the boys have had that now and there has been a big bounce from them.
“Not winning the first Championship game in Ulster is something we have not been used to in Donegal for the past few years. So, for us older players it was nice to get that first Championship win.”
Donegal were relegated to Division Two this year, but that also happened in Declan Bonner’s first year in charge and Donegal went on to win an Ulster title.
“The Ulster Championship is a cauldron of fire, and I was looking at the programme for the Down match and we had quite a lot of debuts. There has been a big change in the squad since last year. We have a lot of new players this year and we had three last week.”
As a result, Gallager and the older players will be taking on increased responsibility.
“Declan Bonner encouraged all of us to be leaders and that is something we have brought forward this year.
“Especially now with a few of the older boys away you have to take on that bit extra responsibility. And we are happy to do that.”
When asked if this was Donegal’s hardest season as a collective, he said: “To date it has been. In 2017, Rory Gallagher’s final season in charge, Tyrone beat us in the Ulster semi-final and Galway hammered us in Sligo.
“It wasn’t a great year and we nearly got into a League final but this year we got relegated.
“But how we react is what is really important.
“We just have to take one game at a time ,and we have Derry up next on Sunday and we have no right to be looking forward to anything.
“Derry are coming as Ulster champions and that is exactly what we would like to be.
“Our record in Ballybofey until this year has been brilliant and that is something we want to get back.”
When asked how he and his team are coping with the fans, loss of faith in the team and the over-arching negativity, he said: “Being honest the negative publicity has had an effect on the squad and there is no point lying, it obviously has.
“The older players who have won Ulster Championships have had a frustrating year but if we can stick together these few years could end up making us in the years ahead.
“This year is not over yet but I would be immensely proud of the way the lads have stuck together and we are very loyal to each other and that is very important in the good times and the bad.
