Goalkeepers are special and good goalkeepers are very special. Down the years, goalkeepers have always held their own place in footballing history. Perhaps, it is because of their ability to turn a match on the face of it; that impossible save that lifts us in an instant from what was the inevitable despair of defeat and ingite an inner defiance that we will not be beaten, not today. For Irish fans of a certain age they will remember Packie Bonner’s penalty save that put us through to the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 1990, rather than Dave O’Leary scoring his spot kick. Shay Given’s many heroic performances in the green jersey meant we were always in with a chance.
Cabo’s net minder Evan Whelan has already caught the eye in making more than a few impressive saves in his opening games between the sticks. Keepers they say can’t win a match but they can save one. Those present in the 89th minute of the EA Sports Cup against UCD witnessed such an event in the UCD Bowl, when Evan made a miraculous penalty save, followed in what seemed only moments later, by Shane O’Neill scoring Cabo’s winner at the other end of the pitch.
You could be forgiven for thinking that Evan is older than his 18 years. At 18 he is the eldest of three boys and yes all three play football. A sporting family includes his mother Paula and Evan tells me that his dad Darren was also heavily involved in sport. His two younger brothers Gary and Alan play for St. Malachy’s. One of his younger brothers started as a keeper, but Evan says with a sense of resignation that “he has been converted to centre half”.
At 18 Evan rightly sees himself “as only starting out, more or less” as a keeper. Maybe we should have given Kevin Keegan more credit when he famously said “Goalkeepers aren’t born today until they’re in their late twenties or thirties.”
Who did you start your football with? I started with with St. Malachy’s aged 4 and I also played with WFTA. I played up front or centre midfield until I was 14.
The decision to play in goal was it accident or design? Well funnily enough I originally played outfield for St. Malachy’s, but they were stuck for a goalkeeper so I jumped in and ended staying in nets.
You have something of a GAA pedigree? I played (goalie) GAA for Dublin Minors up to last year. I played for the Dublin Minor team and played in front of 60,000 people in Croke Park. It was in the All Ireland Semi Final. It wasn’t until the end of the match that I looked around and saw how packed it was. We were beaten that day by a point in the semi-final. Beaten by Donegal but it was a great experience. We had won the Leinster final against Kildare and there was about 45,000 people at that game.
So was GAA your first sport? No I always played soccer. I only started GAA at 13 and it took off for me then. In Gaelic I played with the Trinity Gaels.
Are you still involved with Trinity Gaels? I still go down to watch the matches but I am not as involved.
What do you do with yourself when you are not playing for Cabo? I am involved in the FAI Soccer Coaching Course in Ringsend as well. It runs Monday to Friday. it’s a good standard; there are other League of Ireland players involved as well. Fellow Cabo players Jordan Buckley “Bucko”, Evan (Finnegan) and Gav (Fahy) are on the same course with me.
So what was the connection that linked you up with Cabo? Eddie came out to watch a match and had a look at a few of us in the course of the game and decided to sign us.
What is your best sporting moment? Playing in the Leinster Minor Final for Dublin in Croke Park in front of about 45,000 people. We went on to beat Cork in the quarter-final before losing to Donegal in the semis.
You have good memories of the Leinster Final? Well yeah I saved a penalty and was voted man of the match so that was good.
Goalkeepers brave or foolish? Which camp are you in? A bit of both probably. You can be kicking yourself standing in goal on a freezing winter’s night saying what am I doing – but other times saying yeah I really like this.
What is going through your mind when you are facing a penalty? I try to concentrate on him more than anything else – I look at his body language – at what he is doing – sometimes a lot of players give it away – how they open up their body or how they are standing – it’s harder to tell with the good players.
What do you see as the biggest challenge for the season? To keep the fans happy, there’s a good buzz and to keep that going for the whole year.
Your ambitions for the season? To win as many games as possible – to keep as many clean sheets as possible.
Worst sporting moment? Probably being relegated from the DDSL Under 17 Premier with Malachy’s, we hadn’t won a game that year. It was a tough season.
Biggest influence? My dad, Darren – he’s always there for me – always chauffeurs me around and still does – picks me up from training.
Best advice given? By the GAA manager, Cyril Kavanagh, before the Leinster Final – go out – win it, enjoy it – don’t look back – don’t walk by the cup at the end without lifting it up.
Favourite team? Man Utd
Favourite player? Eric Cantona
Favourite music? House music – Arctic Monkeys would be my favourite band.
Favourite TV show? Breaking bad
Favourite film? Gran Torino or the Fast and the Furious
Messi or Ronaldo? Ronaldo
Favourite food? Chinese
Best trainer? Ger Pender
Worst trainer? Gavin Fahy
Future manager? Rob
Biggest moaner? Evan Finnegan
Most skilfull? Bucko (Jordan Buckley)
Joker in the pack? Vito
Manager’s pet? There’s a few but I’ll go with Bucko
Quickest? Shane O’Neill
Slowest? Daniel Campbell or Rob
Worst dancer? Evan Finnegan – he’s a bad dancer
Best dress sense? Bucko
Worst dress sense? Gavin Fahy
Best dancer? Myself!
Hardest? Victor or Ger Pender
What would you like to say to the Cabo fans? Thanks a lot for coming out – for coming to the games and spending your money – keep it up.