Ciaran Gallagher’s mind is only to the future as the Finn Harps goalkeeper eyes up a promotion tilt in the next month.
Gallagher has kept seven clean sheets in the last eight League games, conceding only one goal in that spell.
The Raphoe man, one of the mainstays of Harps’ last successful promotion charge in 2015 – when he kept a total of 19 clean sheets – says results are all that matters now ahead of a showdown with First Division leaders UCD on Friday night at Belfield.
“If we go out and win 4-3 at this stage, I’d happily take that,” Gallagher says.
“It’s all about results from here on in.
“We have to try and finish as high up the table as we can. If that’s second place, then that’s what we’ll try to do. We want to get as high as possible and see where that takes us. All we’re thinking about now is UCD.”
UCD can win the First Division by avoiding defeat.
A Harps win would take the title race to the final night of the campaign on Saturday-week.
Gallagher says: “We have to try and carry that good form on, go to UCD and try to get a result and keep the momentum going. It would be great to take it into the last day of the season, but we’re not looking too far ahead.
“We’re just focussing on UCD. We haven’t played well against UCD this year and, with the kind of form they’re in, they’ll be very hard to overturn down there.
“They’re going well. It’s nice to be involved at this stage of the season and we’re looking forward to it.”
UCD might have lost the services of Donegal man Georgie Kelly – who struck past Gallagher when the Students won in Ballybofey in June (Harps’ last League defeat) – but Conor Davis scored a hat-trick in their win over Drogheda recently.
Gallagher says: “They’ve replaced him well. Fair play to them, they’ve been very consistent all season. They would deserve it if they won it. They’ve done very well all season.”
The former Republic of Ireland underage international admits that he beats himself up when he concedes – and is always looking to get better.
Gallagher’s performance and run of clean sheets led to a nomination by the Soccer Writers Association of Ireland (SWAI) for their Player of the Month gong.
He says: “I always strive for more. Hopefully we can add to that over the next couple of weeks. Clean sheets are a foundation we try to build on. I’m happy enough in that regard.”
The Harps squad has changed significantly in the last few months, with the additions of the likes of Nathan Boyle, Mikey Place, John Kavanagh, Niall Logue, Timmie Sobowale and Jacob Borg.
Gallagher says: “Some fellas have come in and done very well. They’ve been a breath of fresh air. We have great competition. If someone is missing, someone else comes in and picks up the baton. We will need everyone pulling together over the next couple of weeks.”
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