NAME: Barry McGowan DATE OF BIRTH: 30/1/67 HEIGHT: 6' 1/2" WEIGHT: 12st 7lbs CLUB: Na Cealla Beaga (Killybegs) COUNTY: Donegal HONOURS: Ulster Minor '85; All-Ireland Under 21 '87; Ulster Senior '90, '92; Senior County champions with Killybegs '88, '91 INTER-COUNTY DEBUT: Donegal versus Kerry, National League 1989 PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT: ESB, Killybegs TOUGHEST OPPONENT: Martin McQuillan (Armagh) FAVOURITE GROUNDS: Fintra, Killybegs, Mac Cumhaill Park, Ballybofey SPORTING AMBITION: To enjoy playing as long as I can DO YOU PLAY ANY OTHER SPORTS? Soccer, basketball BOYHOOD HEROES: Matt Connor, John Egan FAVOURITE PLAYER: Dave Barry BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON CAREER: My family and Jimmy White, Killybegs team manager WAYS OF IMPROVING THE GAME: Give more importance to underage competition DISLIKES ABOUT THE GAA: Poor facilities for spectators BEST GAME SEEN: Offaly versus Kerry 1982, All-Ireland Final PLAYERS WITH A PROMISING FUTURE: Tony Boyle, Donegal full forward HOPES FOR 1992: To do well for the club and the county THE ULSTER FINAL MUST HAVE BEEN A HAPPY OCCASION FOR YOU. STARTING AS A SUB BUT COMING ON TO PLAY A GREAT GAME: It was great to be involved in such a memorable game. It's always an honour to play for your county YOU ARE ONE OF THE GREAT UTILITY PLAYERS IN THE DONEGAL SQUAD. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE POSITION? I've no preference for any position. I've played in most and find them all demanding HAVE YOU EVERY MARKED MICK GALVIN BEFORE? No, I have never marked Mick Galvin in any game HOW HIGH DO YOU RATE MICK? Very highly TELL US ABOUT YOUR CLUB: I've been playing with my club since the late '70s. Killybegs has a great underage policy which has been rewarded by many championship successes and in recent years two county senior football victories and an appearance in an Ulster Club Final last year. The players owe much to a small band of hard workers whose time and effort is given unselfishly to ensure the club's status as one of the best in the county IT IS IRONIC THAT THE RIGHT FULL BACK BERTH WAS HELD DOWN BY KILLYBEGS CLUBMATE JOHN CUNNINGHAM UP TO THE ULSTER FINAL: John was unfortunate to be sent off in the Ulster Final in what I think was a poor decision. I came on that day in the forward line for the injured Tony Boyle and at half time was switched to corner back and kept that position for the semi final DID YOU PLAY AGAINST THE DUBS IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE QUARTER FINALS EARLY ON IN 1992? No BRIAN MCENIFF - A GREAT MANAGER? Yes WHO ARE THE OTHER KEY MEMBERS OF THE DONEGAL BACKROOM TEAM? Anthony Harkin, Michael Lafferty, Sheamus Bonner, Naul McCole. Team physios: Karen Crawford and Angela McMeniman WE ARE TOLD DONEGAL HAS GONE FOOTBALL MAD: There is great excitement in our first appearance in an All-Ireland senior football final. I feel it is just reward for our faithful supporters IS IT POSSIBLE TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE IN DONEGAL WITHOUT PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THE MATCH? The big match excitement seems to have reached every corner of Donegal THE GREEN AND GOLDS WILL HAVE A HUGE TRAVELLING ARMY DESCENDING ON DUBLIN THIS WEEKEND: Donegal's good humoured supporters will travel in their thousands this weekend. I just hope they all get tickets ANY CHANCE OF A FEW SPARE TICKETS? The only kind of ticket left in Donegal are lottery tickets YOUR VIEWS ON THE DUBLIN ATTACK: Dublin have one of the best attack units in the country. They have a no nonsense approach and possess an ability to step up their performance when needed YOUR TEAM IS RATHER ON THE SMALL SIDE. COULD THE BIGGER DUBS PUSH YOU AROUND? We are not one of the biggest teams around. But what we lack in height we make up for in determination INSIDE YOU, MATT GALLAGHER HAS BEEN A REVELATION AT FULL BACK: Matt has been our most consistent performer this year. He is a good example to the rest of the team ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BIG GAME? Yes CROKE PARK, THE HILL ETC, WILL DONEGAL BE INTIMIDATED? I'm sure both teams will be concentrating 100% on the game THE LOCAL PAPER, THE DONEGAL DEMOCRAT, THEY HAVE GIVEN YOU TREMENDOUS COVERAGE OVER THE SUMMER: The local press have given us great coverage and support. They have brought the Croke Park atmosphere to every home in Donegal OBVIOUSLY DONEGAL ARE NOT DRIVING TO DUBLIN FOR A PICNIC THIS WEEKEND? Certainly not! Taken from Hogan Stand magazine 18th September 1992 Vol 2 No 73 Tweet

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