By Cian O'Connell

Eoghan Bán Gallagher cut a satisfied figure as Donegal were left reflecting on a second successive Ulster SFC Final title.

Donegal dictated the agenda against Cavan at St Tiernach’s Park with Gallagher contributing handsomely throughout.

The Killybegs clubman acknowledges this is an encouraging spell for Declan Bonner’s outfit, who retained the Anglo Celt Cup.

“It is great, I have been in losing dressing rooms, but thankfully in the last two years I've been in winning dressing rooms,” Gallagher says. “The first one was very special, but this second one is just as special. It is a great feeling there just to lift the Ulster title at the end.

“We have lost an All Ireland Semi-Final at Under 21s. We lost the Ulster Final in my first year. The good days go with the bad days so it makes the good days even better. We will enjoy this.”

A good start proved to be half the battle for Donegal with Gallagher stressing the quality of the attacking options at Declan Bonner’s disposal.

“We felt if we stuck to our game plan and continued to progress we would get the scores,” Gallagher remarked.

“It just happened to come in the early stages of the game, that wasn't planned or anything like that. Listen we have lots of quality forwards on the field, they all have the ability to take on their man and to score, they are two footed. Jamie Brennan is having a phenomenal year, Patrick McBrearty, Michael Murphy, you can rhyme them all off. They are all just fantastic players.”

In 2018 Donegal earned provincial glory, but suffered two defeats in the All Ireland Quarter-Final Group Phase.

“We got into the Super 8s, we lost the first game, we beat Roscommon, but it was thoroughly disappointing to lose to Tyrone in our own back yard,” Gallagher recalls.

“It is a new year we will go in the Super 8s again, nothing will change, I know it is a cliche, but we will take it one game at a time. The aim is to get out of the Super 8s group into an All Ireland semi-final.”