Enda Coll: Back on the ball at Fanad United

In a couple of weeks’ time, Enda Coll will embark on a journey around Europe in a Transit van he’s converted into a camper.

Better known as a presenter and producer on Off The Ball, a role he has recently finished after five years, he is also the voice behind the popular Celtic podcast, The Huddle Breakdown.

As he heads first for Spain, with France next on the list, the Fanad man first wants to secure some silverware with Fanad United.

Arthur Lynch’s men travel to Killybegs on Sunday to take on St Catherine’s in a first-v-second clash at Emerald Park (kick-off 1pm). For Fanad, the maths are simple: Win in the fishing port and they’ll be crowned as Donegal League Division One champions.

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“We’d love to wrap it up, but it won’t be an easy task,” Coll told Donegal Live.

“It would take the nerves away and the pressure off for the last game of the season.

First and foremost, the target was to get into the Premier Division. Playing for a team like Fanad, you always want to be winning the League.”

Fanad are in the junior league ranks for the first time since breaking away to become founder members of the Ulster Senior League in 1986.

Covid-19 delayed their return to action and the pandemic meant a return home to Sessiagh, not far from the picturesque Fanad Lighthouse, for Coll.

He said: “It was a different experience moving back home. This has been the first time I’ve lived at home since I went to college at 18. It’s my first time being an adult in Fanad. I’ve enjoyed it. The quietness suits me. It’s a big difference from being in Dublin.”

He played briefly in the Ulster Senior League under Ollie Horgan having won a Donegal Youth League title at Traigh-A-Lough in his teenage years.

While in Dublin, he played with Drumcondra AFC alongside fellow Fanadians Mark McConigley and Colm McGonigle. All three returned to the peninsula - and to the famous red and black stripes - following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I’ve enjoyed it, big time, being back in the Donegal League,” Coll said.

“I was playing some ball in the LSL with Drumcondra. I hadn’t played in Donegal since I was with Mulroy Celtic. I didn’t know what my level was in terms of the Donegal standard or what the levels were like in comparison to Dublin.”

A hip flexor injury in pre-season curbed his involvement for a while, but he has proved a useful acquisition for Lynch.

Fanad were slotted into Division One following their exit from the USL. That meant derby fixtures with the likes of Swilly Rovers, Milford United, Rathmullan Celtic and Kerrykeel 71.

As 14-times champions of the USL, not to mention the two FAI Intermediate Cups, Fanad’s arrival was a big lift for the junior league.

Fanad themselves have stayed grounded and had to earn their crust.

“We’ve never gone into games thinking we’re big shots,” Coll said.

“For me, Fanad has always been a big team. I watched the likes of Paddy McGrenaghan, Seamie ‘Coshia’ (Friel) and the lads winning Ulster Senior Leagues and big trophies.

“When I’ve spoken to people outside of Donegal and said I’m from Fanad, they instantly know the name of Fanad United. You do know it’s a big club.

“The attitude that we took into the season was that people would look at us and think that we feel we’re down where we don’t want to be. We just looked at it that we had to prove ourselves and prove that we’re good enough for the Fanad name.

“We always knew that this wasn’t going to be easy. Every game, especially with the derbies, has been tough and we knew we wouldn’t get anywhere by simply being Fanad. We have to turn up and play the best we can to get past these teams.”