Some of Eoghan Ban Gallagher’s best memories with Donegal were as a fan at the Tyrone games at Clones at the start of this decade.
It’s a rivalry that’s sizzled for years but when Donegal got on top they stayed there, dumping Tyrone out of Ulster four times in five years up until 2015.
The Red Hands have reasserted their dominance in the last three seasons, but Gallagher – fired up by the memories of those earlier wins – wants to experience his first senior championship win over Tyrone in tonight’s Ulster semi-final (5pm).
“It was an enjoyable time to be a Donegal supporter – it was phenomenal,” he says.
“2011 is obviously when the modern rivalry started and they were playing so often then.
“Some of the greatest memories I have were in 2011 and 2012 as a supporter.
“I was on Hill 16 for the All-Ireland final in 2012 but I remember those big games against Tyrone in Clones.
“The Ulster semi-final in 2013, and in 2013 when Donegal were defending the Ulster and All-Ireland titles and after a poor league people saying Donegal weren’t at it, but we ended up delivering a brilliant performance.
“That’s a great memory I’ll always have.
“Every footballer in Donegal grows up looking at the Tyrone and Donegal games and wanting to be part of that rivalry and the size of the game that it is.
“If you’re not looking forward to a game between Tyrone and Donegal, you’ll not want to play gaelic football for too long.”
Having won Ulster minor and U21 medals under Declan Bonner, Gallagher completed the set winning his first senior provincial medal last year – at the age of 21.
He’d enjoyed a few underage wins over Tyrone but his first experience of them at senior level was a shattering seven-point defeat in last year’s Super 8s clash in Ballybofey.
Donegal were four points up and looking good, but Tyrone’s bench outscored them 2-5 to 0-1 and won by seven points in a rousing finish.
It ended Donegal’s long 21-game unbeaten run in league and championship in Mac Cumhaill Park and Gallagher admits he was stunned afterwards.
“After the game, you didn’t know how to react.
“Personally, I was in a wee bit of shock.
“The defeat had still not quite sunk in even a couple of hours after the game.
“It was a funny defeat in a way because we were well in the game with 10 minutes to go yet we ended up getting well beaten in the end.
“But Tyrone performed better on the day and deserved to win.
“Obviously we’d be hoping for a different outcome this year because we’re all mad keen to get back to an Ulster final and defend our title.”
Gallagher has a license to bomb forward and while Fermanagh exposed some weaknesses in Donegal’s defence in the first round, which the Erne men weren’t able to expose, there is a balance to be struck between defence and attack.
And no-one sums up that conundrum better than a speedy attacking wing-back like Gallagher.
“Declan gives every player on the team an opportunity to play, to just go out there and express yourself,” he added.
“He wants you to be brave on the ball.
“You saw Jamie Brennan the last day chipping over four points, and we have boys capable of doing that every day.”
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