A Rematch Between the Brothers Gallagher

There’s something to be learned from every failure. Nick Gallagher has seen his share as well as successes on the sidelines, both as a freshman coach for as well as during the 5 years he spent as an assistant and JV coach under his older brother Mike, who helmed the varsity squad at .

When the younger Gallagher took the position as head of the Cougars, he knew facing his brother and the players he once coached was an inevitability.

Three weeks ago on September 27 the brothers found themselves in their first matchup on Chaminade’s Ott Field, which the Flyers took in a 3-0 shutout.

The younger Gallagher admitted that he had “butterflies” thinking about coming back home but “I was more worried thinking about the way that we played.”

The Cougars only managed seven shots on goal that day to Chaminade’s 15, far more indicative of the defensive style of play Gallagher learned under his brother and which they hope to bring to the West Islip program.

“I’m glad its over and he did a great job as far as by the way he coached,” Gallagher said after the match walking over to shake his older brother’s hand.

Despite being siblings, the elder Gallagher said that he didn’t even look in the direction of the other bench during the entire 90 minutes “and I don’t think that I could’ve.”

“He knows us inside and out,” Mike said of his brother, who helped design Chaminade’s , a fact hammered home as the younger brother bid farewell to the Chaminade players who responded with a collective “bye coach!” as he walked off the field.

Despite the results, they are still brothers who are  “unbelievably close”

Mike says and can still call themselves friends.

“You coming to the house later?” Mike would ask his brother.

Their parents had made the trek up from Jupiter, Florida to see the coaching match between their two sons as well as a pair of games each of them played before the sibling rivalry – if one exists – played itself out.

“He might be,” Mike said when asked if his brother would be bragging slightly.

“What it means is we won this round,” the Chaminade coach said, hinting at a playoff showdown beyond Thursday’s game. “It’ll be good soccer. It’s good rivalry, it’s great competition.”

This afternoon as Chaminade , the other brother gets a chance to brag (slightly).