Eoghan Ban Gallagher opens up about mental effects of injury woes

One night at training in Letterkenny, Gallagher went down and heard a crack. Then the pain instantly kicked in

Joint captains Eoghan Ban Gallagher, left, and Tony McCleneghan lift the cup after the EirGrid Ulster GAA Football U21 Championship Final match between Derry and Donegal. While there have been good days, injury has meant there have also been tough ones for Gallagher. Picture: Philip Fitzpatrick/Sportsfile

When Donegal opened the Super 8s with a 2-19 to 1-13 win over Meath last year in Ballybofey, there was a real sense of championship fare.

MacCumhaill Park was packed with green and gold, the sun was high in a blue sky and boosted by that nine-point victory, the locals left making arrangements for Croke Park the following weekend against Kerry.