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Shaun Patton

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Shaun Patton
Personal information
Irish name Seán Ó Peatáin
Sport Gaelic football
Position Goalkeeper
Born 1995
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Occupation Full-time professional footballer (former)[1]
Retail assistant (former)[2]
Garda (current)
Club(s)
Years Club
2018–
 St Eunan's
Club titles
Donegal titles 1
Inter-county(ies)
Years County
2018–
 Donegal
Ulster titles 2

Shaun Patton (born 1995) is an Irish goalkeeper who has played in that position in two different sports. A former professional soccer player in the League of Ireland with Derry City, Finn Harps and Sligo Rovers, Patton changed to Gaelic football in 2018, playing for St Eunan's and the Donegal county team.[1] He has twice won the Ulster Senior Football Championship with Donegal.

Early life

Patton is from Letterkenny.[1] He went to primary school at Lurgybrack in Letterkenny.[3] He attended St Eunan's College for his secondary education. Patton played in a MacLarnon Cup Final for the college. He did so while on the books of Finn Harps, a soccer team.[4] His teammates on an earlier St Eunan's College team (when Patton was 14) included future professional footballer Dale Gorman.[5] He also played for the Republic of Ireland at schoolboy level.[6] He made his League of Ireland debut at the age of 16 before becoming disillusioned with that game at the age of 22 and pursuing Gaelic football instead.[1] He did not attend a third-level institution as he was playing full-time football.[1] He joined Derry City in November 2014 in what was considered a surprise development, though he had lost his position in the Harps team after taking time off to study for his Leaving Certificate the previous year.[7][8] Michael Murphy employed Patton to work in his shop in Letterkenny.[2] Patton became a Garda in 2020.[9][10] He was posted to Navan, a town in County Meath.[11]

Playing career

Club

Upon being reappointed Donegal Gaelic football manager in 2017, Declan Bonner set about trying to recruit Patton.[4] The goalkeeper had never before played a local league or championship game in the sport of Gaelic football, only appearing for St Eunan's in two Ulster club games against Roslea and Omagh during the 2014–15 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship.[4][12][13] At the time of Bonner's request, Patton was negotiating the possibility of joining soccer outfit Cork City.[4] He was doing so from a position of having played for one year for Sligo Rovers — where he deputised for Micheál Schlingermann when Schlingermann was injured — and had started 12 games for the Sligo soccer outfit in 2017.[1] Patton said at the time:

"I've committed to the Donegal panel for the foreseeable future. I had offers from two [League of Ireland] clubs and I was chatting with some others, but I've decided that the GAA is the best option for me at the moment. Eventually the chance to play for Donegal was going to stop presenting itself. Now is the right time".[1]

Patton won the 2021 Donegal Senior Football Championship with his club, scoring one point (from a '45) in the final.[14]

Inter-county

Patton began training with Donegal for the first time in January 2018.[1] He had fractured his ankle the previous October while playing for the Sligo soccer team against an outfit from Drogheda.[1] Under the management of Declan Bonner (second spell), Mark Anthony McGinley was initially the first choice goalkeeper, having been brought in by Bonner's predecessor Rory Gallagher. However, during the opening fixture of the 2018 National Football League against Kerry, McGinley sustained an injury and second choice goalkeeper Peter Boyle came on as a substitute.[15] Boyle then started against Galway in the second league fixture,[16] and again started in the third fixture against Dublin (at Croke Park).[17] Then, in the fourth league fixture against Kildare, manager Declan Bonner opted for Patton as Donegal's first choice goalkeeper, prompting Boyle to quit.[18][19][20][21]

Patton continued in goal for the remainder of the season. He made his Ulster Senior Football Championship championship debut from the start against Cavan, and played every minute against Derry and Down on the way to the final against Fermanagh, which Donegal won.[22][23][24][25] He then played every minute of Donegal's 2018 All-Ireland challenge, making his Croke Park debut against Dublin in the quarter-final group stage on 14 July 2018, only for Donegal's challenge to come undone against eventual finalists Tyrone.[26][27][28]

Patton started the opening game of the National Football League,[29] before briefly alternating with McGinley,[30][31][32] until taking over completely as Donegal's first choice goalkeeper when McGinley withdrew from consideration in March due to his reluctance to commit in the competition against Patton.[33][34][35][36][37]

Patton won his second Ulster Senior Football Championship later that year, again completing every minute of play.[38][39][40] He did so while competing against Paul Durcan (regarded as having the sport's closest ability in the goalkeeping position to Stephen Cluxton); Durcan had availed of McGinley's departure to seek a return to Donegal.[4][41]

Style

Patton's short and long range kick-outs, as well as his and shot-stopping abilities, have garnered him comparisons with Paul Durcan[6] and Stephen Cluxton.[42][43][44] His kicks have been likened to "laser darts".[42][45] RTÉ noted as early as the 2018 Ulster Senior Football Championship victory over Derry that "Patton's long, accurate kick-outs were highly effective in setting Donegal back on the attack".[23] His ability at saving was also on display against Down in the following match, when he used a trailing right boot to prevent a goal from a Donal O'Hare shot.[24] In the next game, the final, Patton showed his saving ability again.[25]

Honours

Donegal
St Eunan's
Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Dollery, Paul (14 January 2018). "From a League of Ireland debut at 16 to the Donegal senior panel in 2018: Shaun Patton is leaving professional football behind to pursue success in a different code". The42.ie. Retrieved 14 January 2018. I have my Leaving Cert but I didn't go to college because I was playing football full-time. At the moment I'm thinking of going back to college or applying for the guards and getting myself a stable job… I loved the year in Sligo and I really like the manager.
  2. ^ a b "Patton embracing battle to be number one". Show Your Colours: 2019 Ulster Championship Preview. North West of Ireland Printing and Publishing Company. pp. 24–25.
  3. ^ McLaughlin, Rachel (25 June 2019). "Watch: A surprise musical send-off for Master Reynolds at Lurgybrack". Retrieved 25 June 2019. Special guest and past pupil Shaun Patton, goalkeeper for Donegal, was in attendance.
  4. ^ a b c d e Bogue, Declan (25 June 2019). "Why Donegal goalkeeper Shaun Patton is glad he made switch from 'fickle' soccer to GAA". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  5. ^ "Limerick and St Eunans set for Minor final". Football Association of Ireland. 6 May 2010. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  6. ^ a b "Shaun Patton". Clár Oifigiúil: Quarter-Final Group Stage, Group 2 Phase 1 (i.e. the Dublin match). 14 July 2018. p. 11.
  7. ^ Forker, Mark (21 November 2014). "Derry City sign Cillian Morrison from Cork City". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 21 November 2014. City boss Peter Hutton has also signed keeper Shaun Patton from Finn Harps as back-up to number one Gerard Doherty.
  8. ^ Forker, Mark (21 November 2014). "Cillian Morrison and Shaun Patton sign for Derry City". Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  9. ^ "Donegal goalkeeper & Garda Shaun Patton discusses life on the frontline". Newstalk. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  10. ^ "Donegal's Shaun Patton on his front line experience". Highland Radio. 24 April 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  11. ^ McNulty, Chris (24 April 2020). "Watch: Donegal 'keeper and Garda shaun Patton on frontline work". Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  12. ^ "Ulster club SFC: Eunan's get the job done early". Hogan Stand. 9 November 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  13. ^ "Ulster club SFC: Tierney goal the difference for Omagh". Hogan Stand. 16 November 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  14. ^ a b Campbell, Peter (7 November 2021). "St Eunan's overpower Naomh Conaill in Donegal SFC final". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  15. ^ O'Toole, Fintan (28 January 2018). "Casey hits winning point, O'Shea fires 0–7 and 3 red cards shown in Kerry Donegal clash: The sides met in Killarney today". The42.ie. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  16. ^ Foley, Alan (4 February 2018). "Last-gasp Galway snatch victory in Donegal to make it two from two". The42.ie. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  17. ^ O'Brien, Kevin (10 February 2018). "Dublin survive strong Donegal fightback to make it three wins from three: Paddy McBrearty impressed with 0–7 for Donegal". The42.ie. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  18. ^ McLaughlin, Gerry (8 March 2018). "Mark Anthony McGinley return a boost for Donegal". The Irish News. Retrieved 8 March 2018. Boyle quit the panel after the match against Kildare in Ballyshannon after former Sligo Rovers 'keeper Shaun Patton replaced him for that match.
  19. ^ Bogue, Declan (10 March 2018). "Two-goal Tyrone move closer to safety with big win over Donegal in Omagh". The42.ie. Retrieved 10 March 2018. Patton
  20. ^ Graham, John (18 March 2018). "Monaghan ease past relegation-threatened Donegal". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 18 March 2018. Patton
  21. ^ Gannon, Colm (25 March 2018). "McLoughlin's stunning 74th minute equaliser sees Mayo survive the drop". The42.ie. Retrieved 25 March 2018. Patton
  22. ^ McNulty, Chris (13 May 2018). "Ulster SFC: Donegal too good for Cavan". Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  23. ^ a b Mooney, Francis (27 May 2018). "McBrearty excels to fire Donegal past Derry". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  24. ^ a b Mooney, Francis (10 June 2018). "14-man Donegal cruise past Down into Ulster decider". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  25. ^ a b c Mooney, Francis (24 June 2018). "Energetic Donegal end Fermanagh's Ulster title dream". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  26. ^ Sweeney, Peter (14 July 2018). "Dublin do enough to see off Donegal in Super 8s". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  27. ^ Rooney, Declan (21 July 2018). "Michael Murphy masterclass gets Donegal back on track". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  28. ^ "Tyrone surge into semi-final after Ballybofey raid". RTÉ Sport. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  29. ^ Lynch, Derrick (27 January 2019). "Missing a host of regulars, Donegal come away from Clare with victory". The42.ie. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  30. ^ Campbell, Peter (2 February 2019). "Fortuitous goal sees Donegal come back to beat Meath". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  31. ^ "FL2: three-goal Tipp trip Donegal". Hogan Stand. 10 February 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  32. ^ Campbell, Peter (24 February 2019). "Fermanagh rally against 13-man Donegal to stay unbeaten in Division 2". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  33. ^ McNulty, Chris (26 April 2019). "Mark Anthony McGinley in Finn Harps panel for derby in Sligo". Retrieved 26 April 2019. In March, McGinley withdrew from the Donegal senior football squad… McGinley was on the Donegal panel from then until he pulled out due to limited game time in March.
  34. ^ Foley, Alan (2 March 2019). "Super sub Murphy makes decisive impact in narrow win for Donegal: Michael Murphy came off the bench to score 1–2 as his side overcame Armagh this evening". The42.ie. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  35. ^ Campbell, Peter (16 March 2019). "Cork on brink of drop to Division 3 as Donegal power home". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  36. ^ Branigan, Peter (24 March 2019). "Murphy masterclass fires Donegal back to top flight". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  37. ^ a b O'Brien, Kevin (30 March 2019). "Murphy masterclass helps Donegal to Division 2 glory after comeback win over Meath". The42.ie. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  38. ^ Mooney, Francis (26 May 2019). "Donegal overcome Fermanagh in Ulster arm-wrestle". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  39. ^ Mooney, Francis (8 June 2019). "Donegal power past Tyrone to make Ulster decider". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  40. ^ a b Sweeney, Peter (23 June 2019). "Donegal power past Cavan to claim Ulster title". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
  41. ^ "Durcan battling for goalkeeper spot". Donegal News. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  42. ^ a b Considine, Tony (17 July 2019). "'He knows everything about Mayo' — Why Stephen Rochford could play a crucial role in Super 8s finale". Irish Independent. Retrieved 17 July 2019. They have a keeper whose kick-outs are Cluxton-esque. He's been brilliant in all the games. His kicks are like laser darts and they always seem to favour the Donegal man. He regularly goes long and Donegal win most of them.
  43. ^ Bogue, Declan (25 June 2019). "Cluxton's No.1 contenders for his successor as kickout king". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 25 June 2019. Is Shaun Patton best-placed to succeed Stephen Cluxton as the game's most influential goalkeeper?
  44. ^ Keys, Colm (20 July 2019). "'Getting to grips with speed of Patton's kick-out service will be a major priority for Kingdom'". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 20 July 2019. Tomorrow, Kerry's focus on Shaun Patton will need to be 'Cluxtonesque'.
  45. ^ McNulty, Chris (2 March 2020). "How good was this kick-out by Donegal 'keeper Shaun Patton against Monaghan?". Retrieved 2 March 2020. …he delivered one of his best darts yesterday.
  46. ^ O'Toole, Fintan (27 September 2019). "13 players from Dublin as 11 counties feature in 2019 All-Star football nominations: Kerry, Donegal, Mayo, Tyrone, Meath, Roscommon, Armagh, Clare, Cavan and Cork also have nominees". The42.ie. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
Sporting positions
Preceded by Donegal Number One Goalkeeper
2018– 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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