'This is one of the first finals I've scored in, it's a great feeling' - Luke Rudden

One wonders what would’ve happened if Cockhill Celtic player Luke Rudden was taken off due to injury moments before Conor Graham found him at the back post to header home and give his side the lead in extra-time on Sunday in the Donegal Signs Cup final. 

It was the first goal that Rudden has scored in a final at senior level, and it couldn’t have come at a better time, with local rivals Cockhill and Buncrana Hearts deadlocked at 1-1 with six minutes of extra-time left in the game. 

Rudden’s header at the back post to make it 2-1 didn’t stop there, with the 22-year-old following it up a few moments later when Garbhan Friel squared it to Rudden to fire home and make it 3-1 and clinch the Cup for the green and white side in Maginn Park and finish their season on a high. 

“It was crazy towards the end, I nearly went off injured about five minutes before I got the goal,” Rudden said. “I got a kick, and I was really feeling it, but then a few minutes later Conor Graham got a lovely pull back and found me at the back post to header it. I didn’t even see it go in, I don’t know what happened then. 

“Then for the last one, it was classic Garbhan running the line, he squared it to me, and I just had to hit it first time. Those goals were my first two goals against Buncrana all year, it happened in the last few minutes of a final, so it was a lovely time to get it.” 

The Cockhill man acknowledged how hotly contested the match was but was puzzled that Buncrana failed to capitalise when Jack Mullen was sent off on the 61st minute. Despite being a man down, Rudden found that his side discovered a new burst of life as they began to dominate the game. 

For Rudden and his side, they never panicked. They knew the goal was coming. 

“Buncrana are unreal at making it difficult for their opponents. Like Calvin Gallagher mixes it so well in midfield, he’s one of the best in the county. So, when you’re up against it, you have to win the ball, you know you’re in a battle and thankfully we just got over the line,” he said. 

“It was a bit of a worry playing with only 10 players, but we did it in the FAI Junior Cup final too. I don’t know but it seems like every time we get a man sent off it looks like we start to dominate the game. We were all over Buncrana after that. We wanted to take our chances and they were the ones looking to waste time, it was weird. 

“I think when it went to extra-time, the message was to just keep fighting. We knew something was going to fall for us eventually, we were inches away on a few occasions but thankfully it came our way. 

“It’s a perfect way to end the season against your rivals. That is a serious Buncrana side, they’re no pushovers and they’re the next best to us in the league, so it’s nice when you’re beating the team that’s challenging you the most.” 

After dropping from Intermediate football last season when the Ulster Senior League was disbanded Cockhill knew it was important to end this season on a high and put down a mark early doors. And it’s fair to say they did that as they finished the season with four trophies to their name 

“I know from the start of the year our aim was to win as much as we could. We dropped from Intermediate football last year, so our aim was to win the league and the FAI Junior Cup. That was our aim, but then you add this cup today and the League Cup too, they’re extras, which is great.” 

And for Rudden, scoring in a Cup final against his side’s biggest rivals, where does it rank? 

“Scoring two goals in the final against Buncrana, it’s definitely up there as a top moment for me. It’s probably on par with winning the Ulster Senior League and scoring two goals against Bonagee on the final day last season, that was special too, but I think this is one of the first finals I’ve scored in, so it’s great,” he admitted.