Paul Durcan (Gaelic footballer)

His father John Durcan is a retired garda, originally from Foxford, County Mayo. He watched his son rise through the ranks at Four Masters alongside Karl Lacey and Barry Dunnion, winning numerous underage titles along the way. He said, "He was always an outfield player, until Martin McHugh made a goalkeeper of him for the U16 Ted Webb Cup in 1999. Although he was nine years younger than his brother Adrian and six younger than Sean, they always had Paul in goals, smashing shots at him. They never let him out!" Durcan's heroes include his fellow Donegal goalkeepers Gary Walsh, Packie Bonner and Shay Given. At the age of nine he watched Donegal win the 1992 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, which he later described as the greatest game he had ever been to in any sport. ==Playing career==

Club Durcan originally played his club football for Four Masters, sometimes playing outfield for the club. It was McDaid who put Durcan in touch with the Firhouse Road club. Durcan later explained: "I decided to play with Ballyboden to cut a bit of time coming and going from Donegal. I was up there all weekend for club and county but when I switched clubs I had more time around the weekends. I had been living on the northside but I had the connection with Ballyboden through Robbie. Then (manager) Andy McEntee rang me himself. Robbie, I suppose, may have said something to him. I met Andy, I got on well with him and he brought me around the club." Durcan dislodged fellow goalkeepers Darragh Gogan and Conor Dooley to win Dublin and Leinster titles in 2015 and an All-Ireland Club Championship in 2016. He joined Drumcliffe–Rosses Point and made his championship debut against Tubbercurry at Connolly Park in Collooney on 1 August 2020, playing in the club's first Sligo Senior Football Championship final the following month (lost to Tourlestrane). College Durcan notably saved two penalties for Sligo IT during the 2005 Sigerson Cup, the first in the semi-final and the second in the final. Durcan played against Armagh in the 2004 Ulster final at Croke Park. He played in the 2006 Ulster final against the same opponents at the same venue. He was part of the Donegal team that won the 2007 National Football League. Michael Boyle would later rival Durcan, occasionally taking his place on the first team. Boyle retained his starting place for the games against Galway at Markievicz Park and Cork at Croke Park. He played more league and championship matches under Jim McGuinness's management than any other player. On 30 June 2012, in the Ulster semi-final against Tyrone, Durcan received much credit after putting Donegal into the final with his outstretched foot. Donegal were three points ahead and it was practically the last action of the game. Durcan went low to his left and deflected Martin Penrose's shot out off the post for a 45'. Tyrone manager Mickey Harte said Durcan's last-gasp goal-saving intervention had denied Tyrone a replay. Durcan would later describe it as the most important save of his career. In 2013, Durcan made his 100th appearance for Donegal in the county's third 2013 National Football League game against Tyrone at Healy Park. In the following game he contributed to Donegal's defeat of the mighty Kerry by saving a penalty. In the Championship he helped his team to a third consecutive Ulster final. 2014 brought a third Ulster senior title and another extended run of games in the Championship. Somewhat unusually, he scored an own goal in the 2014 All-Ireland quarter-final defeat of Armagh at Croke Park. He was involved in a traffic collision during the 2015 National Football League campaign, though his injuries were not severe. After his team exited the 2015 championship, Durcan announced he would be moving to Qatar. In 2019, Durcan returned home from Qatar sporting a long grey beard and rejoined the Donegal panel to contest for a place against Shaun Patton and Michael Lynch. He was reported to be living in Sligo since returning from Qatar. ==Training regime==

Though based in Dublin as a Quantity Surveyor with Errigal Contracts, Durcan tries to get back to Donegal several times a week for training. On several occasions he has made use of a passing helicopter to fly home. The journey by road is an eight-hour round trip and during the successful Jim McGuinness era he would make this trip once every week then train at other times in Dublin with strength and conditioning coach Eugene Eivers. His influence has been likened to that of Peter Schmeichel. His restarts and shot stopping have been compared to those of Stephen Cluxton. He regards Cluxton as the benchmark for goalkeepers and also admires Gianluigi Buffon. ==Coaching==

In December 2020, it was announced that Durcan would serve as goalkeeping coach under newly appointed Sligo senior manager Tony McEntee. ==Personal life==

Durcan is a former employee of construction recruitment firm, 3D Personnel. ==Honours==

;Donegal • All-Ireland Senior Football Championship: 2012 • Ulster Senior Football Championship: 2011, 2012, 2014 • Dr McKenna Cup: 2009, 2010 • National Football League Division 1: 2007 2015 • Irish News Ulster All Star: 2012 • The Sunday Game Team of the Year: 2012, 2014 ==References==