Former Finn Harps defender Michael Gallagher 'buzzing' at Premier live with UCD

Michael Gallagher was beginning to make big waves at Finn Harps in 2019 when a bad injury pulled the rug from beneath him.

Gallagher had made the step from the Harps Under-19s to Ollie Horgan’s first team. He was still in his teenage years when he forced his way through to the first XI.

However, in the opening ten minutes of a 3-2 win over Waterford in May 2019, Gallagher snapped ligaments in his ankle. The injury kept him sidelined for nine months.

When he returned to action, it was in the colours of UCD. On Friday night, Gallagher will be in the opposing corner when Harps visit the Belfield Bowl to take on the newly promoted students.

“This is a game we’re definitely looking to win,” Gallagher says.

“We had a tough start at Shamrock Rovers last week. Not a lot of people expected us to get a result. It was a big challenge and we lost, but we just move on now and try to get a win this week.”

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UCD have a strong Donegal contingent. Gallagher is joined in the dressing room by players Sam Todd, another former Harps player, and Jack Keaney. UCD coach William O’Connor also spent time in the Harps dugout.

UCD came through play-offs against Bray Wanderers and Waterford FC in November to win promotion.

“It was just brilliant to get up,” Gallagher says.

“We were big underdogs, especially in the final against Waterford. They were still a Premier Division team even if there was a bit of a circus going on there at the time.

“It was brilliant that night we won promotion. The whole journey through the play-offs was great. The set-up is excellent for the First Division because even if you finish fourth you have a chance. We had a great run through the play-offs.”

UCD lost 3-0 to champions Shamrock Rovers in front of 5,232 at Tallaght last Friday. Sean Hoare and Danny Mandroiu netted in the first half before Graham Burke added a late third.

“It was brilliant, a proper baptism of fire,” Gallagher said. “What a game to have for the first in the Premier Division. It’s a challenge there with a big crowd. When the crowd goes into full voice, it can get fought, but you have to forget about it. I’m one who relishes that. A lot of us don’t shy away, as we showed in the play-offs and we do have a big of experience.”

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Gallagher, a former Letterkenny Rovers schoolboy, is a final year economics student at UCD. A Masters is one of the options to mull over in the coming months.

For now, Ollie Horgan’s Harps is the test he’s looking to pass.

“Ollie will have Harps well set up and hard to beat anyway,” Gallagher says. “We can expect a tough one. With Harps, you’re always going to be in a battle.

“We’re sort of in new ground. Our first aim is to stay in the Division, but really we’re taking every game as it comes.

“We have no standard, we’re new in the League and we just want to finish as high as possible.

“I’m loving it here. How can you not love it? The Premier Division with a good group. Buzzing!”