McDermott Eyes Irish Call after Linking Up with the Robins

By Ben Fitzgerald - 21 August 2017

Sport

There is often a negative connotation attached to the word ‘journeyman’ in football, with the general theme being a player who has been unable to settle at a single club for any length of time for a myriad of reasons. These journeymen are typically in the winter of their careers, rather than in summer bloom.

While Donal McDermott is perhaps deserving of the tag, the truth is that this is a young man – he’s just 27-years-old – who had slipped out of the professional ranks after losing his footballing mojo, but a spell out of the game made him realise exactly what he was missing.

A career spent largely in League 1 with the likes of Bournemouth (2011-2014) and Rochdale (2015-2017), McDermott fell out of love with the game after leaving the Cherries. A brief spell at Dundalk was followed by 18 months in the wilderness pottering around in non-league at the likes of Salford City and Ramsbottom United. The Irishman’s career was very much on a downward trajectory.

He has been very open and honest about his past indiscretions – “It's my own fault, I wasn't living right” – he has since admitted. But McDermott had seen the light, and now needed someone to take a chance on him.

Unlikely Lads

Saviours often come in the unlikeliest of forms, and that was certainly the case here. Keith Hill, the highly-rated Rochdale manager, may not appear a messianic figure at first glance but it was he who offered McDermott a football lifeline, handing him a one-year contract at the Dale.

"There's a special, special talent there," Hill told the BBC. "He wants to put into practice the losses of the last two or three years where he's not really made the most of his ability.” “What we’ve seen since he has been at the football club is desire and a real focus on not losing any more football time.”

After a decent first campaign at Rochdale, McDermott’s contract was renewed for another year, and while the 2016/17 season did not go as smoothly thanks in part to injuries, the winger’s passion for the game had been reignited.

So, it’s a canny signing on the part of David Flitcroft to secure the signature of a man who had been offered a new deal by Hill and who has spent the vast majority of his career playing at a higher level than League 2. McDermott impressed in a handful of trial games, and he will surely offer plenty of creativity and the guile on the flanks for the Robins as they seek an instant return to the third tier of English football.

Early Days

It was McDermott’s performance in the behind-closed doors friendly against Oldham that convinced Flitcroft he was the man he needed to help spearhead the promotion challenge.

The 27-year-old came on as a second half substitute and ‘changed the game’ as Flitcroft told the official club website.

“He [McDermott] carried the game forward,” Flitcroft continued. “He came onto the pitch and his aggressive nature just changed the game and gave us that punch we needed.

“He understands what I want, he plays with enthusiasm, he plays with a drive, he plays with a commitment and he’s a man’s man.”

An ankle injury saw McDermott sidelined from the opening day win at Carlisle, but a strong 45-minute showing in the 1-1 draw with Exeter – and a sublime left foot strike that ultimately was the winning goal against Morecambe - suggests the wide man has a key part to play for the Robins this season.

The Robins are now firmly among the title contenders this year. Promotion will Donal McDermott him back in the third tier, and alert the selection panel of the Republic of Ireland national side that he is back and looking to make up for lost time.

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