Noel Hegarty The man from Glen. Gleann Choilm Chille, or simply Glen to Donegal folk, is famed as an area hallowed by Donegal's best known saint. It is further famed as a bastion still of everything gaelic in language, music and culture. Famed again far and wide for its scenic beauty with its gleaming strand, massive Atlantic rollers and mountain backdrop. Fame came too in a former Parish Priest the late Canon James McDyer whose vision and idealism was akin to the great Mons.Horan of Knock. Right now Glen is famed as never before in its footballing sons, John Joe Doherty and our Noel Hegarty. Firstly, I believe a word or two about John Joe, hero of Donegal's Under 21 success in '87, would not be amiss and would be appreciated by his many admirers. On that side he was partnered by none other than one of Noel's six brothers Paddy. Mentioning Under 21 spare a thought for another of Noel's brothers Michael, who played for the county team in that grade for four consecutive seasons immediately prior to ultimate glory in 1982. John Joe Doherty was a regular, indeed a fixed institution on Donegal Senior sides, since his League debut in November of that historic year of '87. A pelvic injury suffered in the opening League game of the past season at Belfast's Casement Park, slow to heal properly, has probably cost John Joe his place in the Donegal starting fifteen for Sunday. John Joe has been fit for some months now but so well has the Donegal defence knitted that John Joe understands the manager's reluctance to change a winning formula. Such, however, are the quirks of footballing fate and as John Joe ruefully remarked to me, "we went through the entire Championship campaign so far this year, and unlike other years not a single defender was injured." He wasn't complaining but delighted to be part of the All-Ireland set-up. He is, however, in superb physical shape, playing brilliantly, moving excellently at the rigorous training sessions. Donegal fans can feel comfort in the presence of an eager and efficient John Joe, ready for the fray if required on Sunday. But to return to clann Eigeartaigh, Noel is one of the seven sons of Frank and Mary, the father Frank being from the neighbouring parish of Kilcar and saw footballing service with them in his youth. Added to the seven sons, James, Brian, Frankie, Michael, Paddy, Noel and Paul are five daughters Irene, Bernadette, Bridie, Treasa and Nora. That surely puts a strain on the Hegarty All-Ireland ticket allowance. This very united family are only sorry that Bernadette, in far off Australia, will not be able to make it to the game. Doubtless the phone lines to the Land of Oz will be ringing on Sunday evening. Essentially, Noel Hegarty is a player's players. His industry on the field, his availability to a harassed colleague, his turn of speed and powers of recovery allied to a mind that reads the game expertly make him an invaluable asset to Donegal. There are those who say Noel, as a corner back, may be too adventurous. There are those who hold that the Hegarty penchant for attack could well be fatal against the Dubs. Knowing him as I do and having watched him long before he ever got the county jersey. I believe in his ability to tailor his game to the demands of the situations and always in the best interest of the team. He is never afraid to come out of defence and solo away up even beyond midfield. The "attacking defender", if the contradiction in terms be forgiven, is a phenomenon of the modern game. In my playing days as a corner back, anything beyond the 21 yard line was foreign territory. Venture forth and a few roars from fellow defenders curbed your initiative. The game has change and Noel Hegarty, as a thinking player, has adapted. He sees the team now as a unit. The older school believed in clearing the lines and God direct the hefty kick out towards the wings. The thinking player nowadays sees possession of the ball as the first steps in creating an attack. Attacks bring scores and scores win games. The Hegarty footballing ethos is all about attacking, and for Noel an attack can start even on your own end line. The ability to initiate attacks from deep inside his own goal area is a hallmark of the Hegarty play. Most importantly, Noel knows to go and when to stay back and mind the house. I think it was Jimmy Denihan, himself a classic corner man, who opined of Noel's attacking runs after the Mayo game, that if himself or Paudie ventured forth soloing towards the 45m line they would be looking for somebody like Pat Spillane or Ogie Moran to come deep and take over. Hegarty probes deep into enemy territory. Touching the six feet mark, Noel can be described as a strong player. His hands are utterly reliable under the dropping ball, fleet of foot and fleet of thought, along with fellow defender Barry McGowan they form a solid phalanx either side of Matt Gallagher. No one could ever question Noel Hegarty's bravery on the field. Among his own, he is regarded as a tough, hard but very fair type of defender. He sees the game essentially as sport and has a sportsman's abhorrence of the mean blow, the dirty tackle or the crippling elbow, knee or boot on any opponent. "We are amateurs, the game is to be enjoyed and you must remember that your opponent also has to work on Monday," he sportingly enjoined. Looking for an adjective to describe the rising star of Donegal football one would use words such as craggy, resolute, strong, capable, close marking, no-nonsense, intelligent, bold etc., etc. They all fit. I see him as a very strong player on the ball. I see him as a defender who has the happy knack of appearing where most needed. He thinks the game. That is a natural instinct and no coaching manual can impart it. Noel is a natural footballer. I have seen him in the full back line, the half back line, at midfield. I have watched him up among the forwards, in various games at various levels. Always he looked capable of the job in hand. "No" he was not afraid of Dublin and "Yes" he was glad Donegal were meeting Dublin rather than Clare. That I know is also the opinion of the entire panel. About the game he went on, "of course, it will be tough. After all, it is a final. I am confident in our own ability to win. We have put in far too much effort all year to fail now. I look at the supporters massed in the stands and behind the goals. I hear their cheers and their songs, I see their flags, scarves and banners and I appeal to them to be more vociferous and colourful than ever before on Sunday. We know a win will make a lot of people very happy and these people are our friends. The colourful and loyal support does the entire team a world of good and is really an inspiration." Most players remember their early playing days. Noel can never remember a time when he was not interested in football. He points to his teacher Prionnsias O'Cuinneagain as the initial influence on his career. G.A.A fans will know the "master" better when I call him Francie Joe or "Francie Rua", a man who held the highest administrative offices within the Donegal G.A.A. for many years and a name highly respected anywhere Donegal G.A.A. is discussed. Under the master's tuition and managership, Noel won three Donegal Primary School titles. Francie also had a handball "school" for his pupils, and here again Noel was a most capable performer. He had to ease off on the handball due to a thumb injury, but at the moment, the likable Noel is contemplating golf and if he approaches the Royal and Ancient game with the same diligence and dedication he shows on the football field, just watch the handicapper go to work. Ulster final 1992 he regards as the toughest game he ever played. Despite being reduced to fourteen men, he told me he always had the confidence that Donegal could do the business. Throughout our conversation Noel again and again remarked on this team's confidence. Recalling the All-Ireland semi-final he went on "I felt all through that we would get the better of Mayo eventually. When they went 0-2 ahead in the second half, maybe niggling doubts started to creep into my mind. I looked around and saw Martin, Big Anthony, Brian, Matt, Tony and all the lads fully composed and then I knew no way were we going to lose, despite the Mayo 0-2 advantage." Confidence again. Hegarty's was a football mad household. All the boys were deeply into the game. Michael played county Under 16, Minor and Under 21 just missing on the big one in '82. Brian, James and Frankie were all club stalwarts. Paddy scaled the footballing heights with an All-Ireland Under 21 medal, being one of the stars in the Donegal team of that memorable year. Paddy later went on to wear the Donegal Senior jersey until he opted out last year. Paddy, along with the youngest of the family Paul, both are valued members of the present Glencolumcille Senior team, a team that will oppose Aodh Rua (Ballyshannon) in the county semi-final. This Glen team fancied by many in Donegal to take the Championship is managed by Noel himself at the tender management age of twenty three Summers, being born in December 1969. Indeed, Noel told me that Paddy was playing the best football of his career at the moment, and along with John Joe Doherty are the players mostly responsible for the great Championship run. Paddy, however, has the USA in mind shortly and his loss to Donegal football will be tremendous. Harking back to his early club days Noel is full of admiration for Michael Oliver McIntyre. Michael I know personally, and as an avid Donegal fan I must add my personal salute to the work Michael Oliver (a former Under 21 county team manager) does in Glen and throughout Donegal for the G.A.A. at all levels. He was a boyhood hero of Noel's as was Finian Ward who later went on to play Sigerson and Railway Cup football. Finian was a Donegal star in days when the football profile within the county was not as high as it is today. We spoke at length following a Donegal training session about great players. Noel in his youth was a great admirer of Eugene McKenna and Matt O'Connor and those of us who remember these two performers would agree that Noel is a good judge of a man in football boots. Of course, that talk led to the most difficult opponent Noel ever marked, and again few defenders would quibble with his choice when he said Cork's Dave Barry. Football at All-Ireland level he finds a totally new enjoyable, if a most demanding, experience. "We have trained so hard that you could not even dream about it,"opined Noel when we spoke of the sessions under Brian McEniff and Anthony Harkin. "It is unbelievably hard. I thought I had trained before but since the Mayo game a whole new training dimension has opened up before us all. To be honest, I am dreading next year already." Noel and Dublin corner forward Dessie Farrell are old friends. Indeed, their acquaintance may get even closer on Sunday. Dessie is a nephew of two other Glen footballers and former county players Seamus and Noel Carr. On his holidays in Donegal's South West, Dessie trains with Naomh Columba the Glencolmcille side. "If I am not marking him on Sunday, doubtless I will come up against him from time to time in the game. Dessie is a very fine player. I certainly do not expect our friendship to come into the reckoning in Croke Park, but I am well aware of Dessie's type of play," remarked Noel. Noel sees youth teams properly coached and trained as about the most valuable asset within any G.A.A. club. He would point out to any aspiring football star that sacrifice and heavy sacrifices, must be made to play at the top level. When I asked him was it well worth it. He replied most succinctly "it is worth it all now." I thought the "now" spoke volumes. It spoke of the glamour of being part of an All-Ireland build-up, of being a folk hero in one's own county, but before the now could be appended it had meant Winter evening, wet training grounds, muddy playing fields, strictly curtailed social life, an almost monastic discipline and little or no light at the end of the tunnel. That word now made the forgoing all seem so trivial. Sunday next he sees as an historic occasion. In his book it is doubly so for Donegal and he is thrilled to part of it all. He is thankful that, to-date, he has escaped serious injury and while he does not see football as a rough game he feels referees could well be more strict. We had spoken for some time. John Joe Doherty was calling about time to head for home. I too was going that way and I tracked them though Barnesmore Gap in torrential rain. Donegal town was awash with flags and bunting as, indeed, was Mountcharles and Dunkineely, while Killybegs was just a mass of green and gold. As I climbed Largymore on towards Muckross Heard, far out in the Atlantic I saw the twinkling lights of the Donegal fishing fleet pierce the stygian darkness. The lights seemed to be beckoning. Could it be, I thought, they were beckoning Sam towards Donegal where a right royal failte is assured among people renowned for their hospitality. There is a conviction in Donegal that Monday night next will be historic. Already talk is of the celebrations in Donegal town's famous Diamond. When that conviction becomes a reality, rest assured that a major role will have been played by the man from Glen, Noel Hegarty. Taken from Hogan Stand Magazine -18-09-92 Written by Cormac McGill Tweet

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