WHEN OLLIE HORGAN was on the lookout for a goalkeeper in December 2013, he almost had Gavin Cullen’s arm twisted.
Goalkeeper Cullen had a few spells at Harps and was inches away from a return again, only to decide at the last moment to stay put at Cockhill Celtic.
Cullen returns to Finn Park tonight as Cockhill’s player-manager. Had things gone differently, he could well have been facing his home club as Harps’ goalkeeper.
After Cockhill defeated Crumlin United in the 2013/14 FAI Intermediate Cup, Cullen confirmed a desire to make the move back to Harps and he admits now that it was a close-run thing.
“Very close, the hardest football decision that I have ever made,” is how Cullen describes it now.
“I actually did have sleepless nights over it. That’s how close it was.
“I was a wee bit regretful about it. I felt that I could have done a job for Harps and Ollie was pretty convincing.
“A part of the decision was a loyalty to Cockhill and I knew they had the potential to do well. Part of it, too, was the commitment I’d need to make to senior football again.
“I thought about it day-to-day, right over Christmas and into January. One day I was definitely going, the next I definitely wasn’t. I couldn’t make my mind up and part of my problem was that I spoke to too many people and heard too many opinions about what I should do.”
Cullen was a part of the Harps squad that won the First Division in 2004, although he was on loan to Newry City for a part of that campaign having broken an arm early in the season when he was involved in a road traffic accident.
He had two plates inserted and was out of action for three months. James Gallagher was the Harps number 1 at the time and was one of the main reasons for Harps’ title charge.
Cullen became first choice ‘keeper the following year in the Premier Division, but he left again only to return when Gallagher was Harps manager.
He’d first signed for Harps in the late 90s, but was sent to Omagh Town on loan and opted to stay at St Julian’s Road.
“It went very well at Omagh and I sort of held a grudge against Harps at that time so I decided to stay in Omagh,” Cullen said.
“Speakie (Jonathan Speak) took me back to Harps and I enjoyed my time at Harps.
“Myself and James had great competition for the place. You always want to keep playing, but the team winning was the most important thing. As a ‘keeper, though, it’s so hard to just sit and watch on.
“I got in for 2005 and it was the best season for me at Harps in terms of my performances.
“Harps have always been my team and I’ve always supported them. I probably regret not playing more for them.
“I left then in 2009 and 2010 to go to Institute and Colerane. That was my own choice. Sometimes far away fields do look greener and while I had a good experience in the Irish League, I do regret not staying at Finn Park for the long haul.
“I would have regretted not signing for Ollie more if I hadn’t already played for Harps, I think. I had been there and done it at that stage so it wasn’t as if I was missing something I hadn’t done.
“And I couldn’t regret it when you look at what we’ve done at Cockhill in the last few years.”
In each of the last three seasons, Cockhill have captured the Ulster Senior League and League Cup double.
Now, they’re six points clear at the top of the League and are closing in on their fourth title.
“There is great togetherness and belief in that dressing room,” said Cullen, who took over as player-manager last summer following Donal O’Brien’s departure.
“The attitude from the players here is great. It’s been the same nucleus of players and we’re all good friends.
“The other night, we had 19 players at training – no other clubs around Donegal will have that on a consistent basis. It shows the desire in what we’ve been doing, but it’s getting harder and winter football doesn’t help.
“We had no game from the end of November until January so it’s hard to keep boys interested when you’re off for that long.”
Cockhill joined the ranks of the Ulster Senior League after winning the Inishowen League in the 2004/05 season. In the last three seasons they’ve played Mervue United, Harps and Galway United in the EA Sports Cup.
Last season, they also played Longford Town in the FAI Senior Cup, losing 2-0 at the Charlie O’Donnell Sports Grounds.
Cullen has enjoyed the step into management.
“It’s been easier than I thought actually,” he said, “but the players here make it easy. They don’t make excuses at all and they aren’t messing about.
“If they miss training it’s for a genuine reason. I hear other managers complaining about getting all the excuses of the day. Hand on heart, I’m not getting that here.
“I worried about boys coming and complaining about not getting on the squad or the team, but it hasn’t happened once. They’re a great bunch of players.”
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