By Michael McMullan

WHEN Caolan McColgan pulls the number 17 jersey over his head on Sunday, it will have extra significance.

Despite growing up in Inishowen where soccer is popular for many, it has always been Gaelic Football.

When you are young and impressionable, the sight of Michael Murphy hoisting Sam Maguire towards the heavens is everything.

“I used to go every game when I was a wee boy, I was ten when we won the All-Ireland (in 2012) so I was only young,” McColgan said at the recent launch of the All-Ireland Senior Championship in Glen.

“I just remember Sam coming round the club a few days later and I was just idolising, just looking up on the stage at the boys…it was great.”

Counting interim manager Aidan O’Rourke, McColgan is playing under his fourth senior manager since Declan Bonner brought him into the squad after the 2022 u-20 campaign.

Paddy Carr handed him his debut when All-Ireland champions Kerry came to Ballybofey. It was a dream start. Three points. Piercing runs. Man of the match. Could it get any better?

Of the 14 games in 2023, he played in all but the Monaghan McKenna Cup outing. Nearly every appearance was a start.

“We had a lot of injuries last year, which was not good for Donegal but it was good for me getting the foot in the door and getting my debut,” said McColgan with a modesty that matches his quietly spoken demeanour.

There was a contentment that he belonged but frustration as Donegal dropped out of the top flight in a season when Paddy Carr was forced out as manager with Aidan O’Rourke and Paddy Bradley coming in to steady the ship.

Pulling on a jersey in Croke Park on Sunday is significant because of the injury hell McColgan has had to endure.

HOLD ON TIGHT…Donegal’s Caolan McColgan and Glen underage player Fintan O’Kane pictured with the Sam Maguire Cup at the All-Ireland launch at Watty Graham Park earlier this month

A hamstring injury in a club game for Muff didn’t fully heal but he carried on into the championship. It just made everything worse.

“I had to get surgery over in London,” McColgan said of the October step in the journey to get a grand total of 136 minutes across four games.

There was a start against Armagh in the league final before being brought on against Tyrone in the Ulster semi-final and in at half-time in the final.

“Then after the Ulster final, I nipped the other hamstring again so that sen me back for another few weeks,” McColgan said. “Hopefully now I’m on the short road now to recovery, hopefully back on the pitch soon.”

At the time, they were only words. When injured, words of hope are all you’ve got.

When Donegal announced their squad on Friday morning, McColgan joins Jason McGee and Gavin Mulreaney on the bench as Jim McGuinness gets closer to a full hand. Conor O’Donnell, scorer of two points in the win over Clare is there too. Another part of the puzzle.

The extra week free of championship action has been a help for everyone, for players like Caolan McColgan.

“There’s a real buzz about the county now, having Jim back is great and we’re enjoying playing football so hopefully we’ll just keep it that way,” he said.

“It’s just about keeping working hard. If you’re performing in training you’re going to play. Jim said that and we all know that, so everyone’s working hard in training.”

As a fan watching on in 2012, McColgan is now playing under McGuinness. Only Patrick McBrearty, Ryan McHugh and Hugh McFadden would’ve had experience of the All-Ireland winning boss.

“Yeah, we’ve all looked up to him growing up and he’s a great manager,” McColgan said. “He’s got great knowledge of the game and he gets his homework done on every game.”

There will be 26 Donegal players pulling a jersey over their heads on Sunday. It’s a small part of the pre-game ritual. For Caolan McColgan and Conor O’Donnell it’s not something they’ll take for granted again.

• Check out our Gaelic Lives All-Ireland SFC quarter-final preview show with Éamonn Fitzmaurice on  Spotify. Link below.