The Donegal senior football team manager, Declan Bonner, has paid an emotional tribute to Pat Shovelin, a man he described as ‘an outstanding fella’.
Shovelin, aged just 41, passed away on Saturday evening following a battle with a rare form of cancer.
The popular and much-loved goalkeeping coach was an integral part of Donegal dressing rooms since 2010.
“He was really popular and you could see why,” Bonner said.
“He was a top class goalkeeping coach. That’s what he was. He was outstanding and so professional.
“He was an outstanding fella. He was a real proud Ardara man, a real proud Donegal man and an outstanding family man.”
Shovelin was goalkeeping coach for Jim McGuinness’s reign as manager, winning an All-Ireland, three Ulster senior and an Ulster Under-21 title.
This year, he coached the goalkeepers with Bonner’s U21s, who defeated Derry in the Ulster U21 final.
Bonner said: “There was no prouder man in the Athletic Grounds that evening than Pat Shovelin.
“He fought a great fight. He’s a huge, huge loss. He was a great fella. You could trust him with anything.”
Listen to the full interview below …
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