'Just a brilliant football player' - Michael Langan set to join Donegal's 100 club

Michael Langan is set to play his 100th game for Donegal this Saturday when the Ulster champions face Monaghan in the quarter-final of the All-Ireland SFC.

The towering midfielder is following in the footsteps of fellow St Michael’s clubmen Colm Anthony McFadden (173), Christy Toye (163) and Martin McElhinney (104) as well as a long line of other Donegal players who have reached the 100 game mark.

It was clear from his underage playing days that Langan had something special, and word began to spread through the club and even beyond about the young lad from Creeslough as he progressed through the age groups at underage football.

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“People began to take notice of Michael from very early and as he came up through U-12, U-14 and U-16,” says St Michael's player and former county player Brian McLaughlin.

“He was our standout player at underage coming up. He was tall, athletic and very skilful for such a young player. He played county U-16 and county U-17 but it was at county minor that he really began to blossom.

“It was after his performances for the county minors that we all began to realise that we had another star footballer coming through.”

In 2012 six Celtic Crosses made their way back to St Michael’s, with McFadden, Toye and McElhinney joined by Daniel McLaughlin, Antoin McFadden and Peter Witherow.

“Michael played county U-21 for a number of years and was on the 2017 team that won the Ulster championship under Declan Bonner.

“He made his senior debut in 2017 as well and his star has been on the rise ever since and he is now one of the top midfielders in the country.

“And he has really developed into a complete footballer. He is a high fielder; he is a good tackler and he can score freely and is one of our top scorers.

“He works hard off the ball and tracks back when required and really is a box-to-box player. He is a big man and stands at 6 4'’, 6’5’’ and has a huge physical presence in the middle of the field.

“He was nominated for an All-Star last year and we were very disappointed he did not get one. He had a very good championship last year.

“He was probably unlucky in that we were knocked out by Galway in the semi-final. I have no doubt if we had made it to the final he would have won an award.

“He is playing well this year again and I believe he still has more to give. We have to remember he’s had more than his fair share of injuries in recent years.

“He suffered a bad hamstring tear in 2023 and was out for four or five months and effectively was out for most of the year. And then he had achilles injury and was out of action for some time with that.

“He only got back playing for the latter stages of the league last year. He played all the championship games last year and he is back playing again this year.

“He is injury free for the first full season in a long time so as long as he stays injury free and the more games he gets the better he is going to become. “He is a very smart footballer and a very modest young man and has great leadership qualities and I wasn’t at all surprised when Jim McGuinness named him vice-captain.”

“Jim rates him highly and feels he is a very important cog in the Donegal set-up.”

Responding to a question on the importance of the big St Michael’s man after last Sunday’s win over Louth in Ballybofey, the Donegal manager said of his star midfielder and vice-captain.

“He's just a brilliant football player, that's the bottom line," McLaughlin added. "He's very skillful; he does it both ways. Very elegant on the ball, can kick scores, so I'm delighted to have him and delighted to have him going well, hopefully that means he can score a goal next week.

“Ciarán (Thompson) scored one this week, no pressure, Michael. But no, listen, it was great, it's great to have those fellas that are sort of that age level.

“There's a maturity with them and they're very focused on what they're doing,” said McGuinness.

“Michael has been exceptional for us since I've come back in any way for the last two years, he's been absolutely brilliant for us and a very important cog.”

In his 99 games to date, Michael Langan has played 16 games in the Dr McKenna Cup, 40 games in the Allianz National Football League and 43 in the championship.

And his trophy cabinet boasts four Ulster Senior Football Championship medals, two Allianz National Division Two medals.

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In the great debate about his best position i.e., midfield, half-forward or full-forward Brian McLaughlin has no doubts in his mind what his club man’s best position is.

“Midfield for me is Michael’s position. As I said earlier. He is the complete footballer, a high fielder, good tackler and a good work rate tracking back and also gets forward to kick points.

“I also think he could play at centre half-back because he is a very smart footballer and a good reader of the game. But for now Donegal need him in a more advanced role where he can drift in and kick scores.

“He has scored a number of important goals down the years and hopefully he scores a few more before the season is out. Hopefully starting this weekend against Monaghan.”

On this Saturday’s game, Brian McLaughlin feels it is a tricky one for Donegal. The sides met in the Ulster quarter-final with Donegal winning by two points, 0-23 to 0-21.

“Saturday’s game is a tricky one for Donegal as we saw in the last meeting it was a close call at the finish.

“Donegal played very well in the first half and really were the better team and they were well up at half-time.

“But Monaghan played better football in the second half and the game was in the melting pot in the closing minutes.

“Donegal were clinging on at the finish and were lucky to escape with a win. But Monaghan looked like a good all round team and had a couple of tricky forwards.”

However Brian McLaughlin argues that Donegal have gone on to win Ulster for a second year in-a-row beating Down and Armagh, on the way.

The defeat by Tyrone, in the first round of the All-Ireland series did not bother the St Michael’s club man.

“Donegal were flat against Tyrone but I felt that was a hangover from the Ulster final. But they have recovered well with those wins over Cavan, Mayo and Louth last weekend.

“I feel they have been improving incrementally game by game and we saw Jason McGee back last weekend and getting some game time into his legs.

“Hopefully Caolan McGonagle is back this weekend. It is all about getting all the players back and peaking at the right time.

“Armagh did it last year and I think we are doing it this year. Monaghan will ask questions and will be a stiff challenge. But I expect Donegal will have learned from the last meeting and are good enough to see off Monaghan.”