The former Dungannon Swifts star undertaking 6,000-mile round-trip for Irish Cup final

Gallagher, who came through the ranks at Stangmore Park, played in Dungannon’s only other final appearance prior to last year’s success, suffering penalty shoot-out heartbreak against Linfield in 2007.

With the Co Tyrone club booking a spot in the showpiece decider against Cliftonville, Gallagher swiftly made arrangements to attend, travelling from his home in New Hampshire to throw support behind a side which retains a special place in his heart.

After his own cup final agony – Gallagher says “I won an Irish Cup in 2010 with Linfield but I think about the 2007 one more” – he savoured every second of ecstasy provided by Rodney McAree’s side reigning supreme at Windsor Park.

Having reached only two finals in the competition’s 144-year history, you could forgive Gallagher for thinking another might not come around again so soon, but Dungannon are on the cusp of defending their crown – Saturday’s showdown with Coleraine the last remaining hurdle.

This time around, Gallagher hasn’t travelled alone – six-year-old son Brogan has also made the journey and will be wearing the colours of a club his dad once proudly represented.

"Myself and my son landed this morning (Thursday),” said Gallagher. "I've a daughter who lives in Ireland so I try to come home twice a year and she would come out twice a year.

"When I'm home I try to book it around a Dungannon home game...I spent most of my life there outside of a few years at Linfield.

"I loved it (last year’s final). It was the most enjoyable day I've ever had at a football match.

"I was nervous when it was going to penalties, but being able to go up the road with a few friends and get that whole atmosphere, it was brilliant.

"It's very hard to enjoy it when you're playing...you're so focused on it and in the build-up you're getting suits ordered and training.

"Even the day of the game you're up early and it's long. It only becomes enjoyable if you win and we didn't.

"I loved every minute of last year and that's why I had to bring the young boy with me this time. It was so much fun that I want him to enjoy it.”

McAree was Dungannon captain for the club’s first Irish Cup final, scoring in normal time before converting his penalty in the shoot-out, and has continued to cement his legacy as a Swifts legend with impressive managerial exploits.

He returned to Stangmore Park from Glentoran in 2023 after Dungannon had narrowly avoided Premiership relegation – they’ve now recorded consecutive top-half league finishes and sealed a European return for the first time since 2007 last summer.

The McAree family name is synonymous with Dungannon Swifts – Rodney grew up at the club while father Joe held a number of roles, including first team manager and developing countless players in the youth system.

"What Joe has done over the years is unreal and now Rodney is carrying it on,” added Gallagher. “Rod is the best footballer I ever played with.

"When Joe took over as manager, I think we were bottom of the First Division and the first thing he did was bring Rod back from Glenavon.

"Rod carried us. That first season Joe came in with 10 or 12 games already gone and we missed out on promotion by something like two points, then we won a Mid-Ulster Cup and the First Division.

"Rod carried us to that...I'm not just saying that, that man carried us into the Premiership.

"He was a great lad to have around the changing room - funny, hardworking, knew when to be serious and when to have a laugh.

"If you talk to Rod about (the current success), he'll say it's not just him - Dixie Robinson is in the background, one of my best friends Terry Fitzpatrick, Ryan Harpur, Adrian Whittle, Keith Boyd as chairman, it's amazing what can happen when everyone is pulling in one direction.

"The reason why I love going back to Dungannon is the same people are doing the same things as when I was there. There's some new faces, but the bulk of the foundations have been laid by the same people.”

Despite their status as reigning champions, Dungannon enter Saturday’s contest as underdogs against a star-studded Coleraine side which has lost just three matches in 2026 – one was a 3-1 February defeat to the Swifts.

It’s a tag which Dungannon are familiar and comfortable with – Cliftonville were priced as favourites for last season’s decider and it was a similar situation for this term’s semi-final shoot-out success against the Reds.

Gallagher believes the experience of 2025 can stand his former side in good stead and has warned against underestimating Dungannon.

"We're definitely underdogs - Dungannon will be underdogs in every big game we play for the foreseeable future - but I think a bit of the pressure is off,” he said. “The pressure is fully on Coleraine, I'm sure everybody is expecting them to win, but I wouldn't be ruling Dungannon out.

"Even the final in 2007, Linfield were expected to wipe the floor with us but we got it to penalties. We're in with a shout anyway.”