Forde: I’m lucky I put soccer before GAA

A week after warding off competition from Shay Given to retain his place in the Ireland team, goalkeeper David Forde has revealed how close he was to leaving soccer aside for Gaelic.

The lure of achieving a lifelong dream of representing his native Galway consumed his mind, even when the lights of Stephen Kenny’s car shone brightly into his family home in Newcastle during 2005.

The Derry manager embarked on his trek down the north-west coast armed with a shot at redemption for Forde but with no guarantee of success.