Many of the 'wiser' heads at the club are only too well aware of the talent at their disposal. It is well recognised throughout the clubs of the county that Drumalee when they take on the mantle of contenders usually have the ability to finish the job and emerge champions. It is only one season ago that the county town team were playing their football at the highest level having secured the Cavan Intermediate football title in style. A number of factors have conspired to their recent dip in form, the loss of some key players, injuries and the slow emergence of young talent into the top ranks, have all played their part in the club's dynamic.
The statistics show the club having played thirteen league games - winning five, losing six and drawing two. To gauge how the club may have responded to their season you are left in little doubt to the positive mood at Drumalee when you talk to the club's PRO, Peter Donohoe. Peter, who has been involved with the town club for the past fourteen years, came to work in Cavan having been involved with his local club Mullahoran for over twenty-three years. He has been involved in all aspects of his adopted club and is in a position to speak on how the club is progressing.
"I suppose when you look at the final league position, we finished mid table, it was not what we aspired to at the beginning of the season. Having just been demoted from the senior league in 2008 we felt that we had the players at our disposal to bounce back up in 2009," said Peter.
"We had restructured our team management with former player, Mickey Lee, taking over as team manager. According to Mickey himself this was always going to be a difficult year for him as a manager as he had just recently retired from playing football. He had two great club stalwarts as selectors in John Pat Reilly and Martin Sexton. From the very beginning of the season we had a great response to training with all of the players making a committed effort. Enthusiasm was high and our aspirations were realistic in thinking that we could bounce straight back up to Division 1.
"We got off to a good start but we sound found that the wheels were abruptly 'sheared off the wagon' as we experienced an unprecedented run of serious injuries to key players. Long term injuries early on in the season saw Mickey Goldrick, Kevin Gavigan, Mark Ferncomb, Sean Lee and Kevin Donohoe sidelined for most the league. The loss of so many key players was indeed a tremendous setback. We had to re-evaluate our goals as we began to leak defeats in the league in games we could have won if we had our full complement of players.
"The realisation that we would not 'bounce' straight back up to Division 1 did not have the negative effect we felt it might have. The response from the players was exemplary. Training never dipped and the players were just as enthusiastic as they were at the beginning of the season. Indeed our second team could deem themselves unlucky not to have made it into the top four their league. Their performance throughout the entire season was heartening. The great bonus for club officers and team management was the fact that the players, although realising that the goal of playing in Division 1 in 2010 had slipped away, they remained focused and determined to keep the 'show on the road," said a very proud PRO.
"This attitude was evident during the championship as we accrued three points in our first two outings against Lavey and Ballyhaise. We had an unexpected dip in form against Killeshandra and lost out in that game. This forced us into a play-off with Lavey to see who would progress into the knock-out stages of the championship. Lavey, who eventually went on to win the championship, were beginning to come into form and with our side depleted through injuries we had to give way on the day," stated the PRO.
"We have assessed our performances and we feel that we can look to the 2010 season with confidence. The club has given the team management a vote of confidence. The management showed throughout 2009 that they have the respect of the players and have a realistic approach to the needs and aspirations of the club. We all feel at the club that given an injury free run we can be serious challengers not just for promotion back up to the Division 1 but also serious contenders for the Intermediate Championship. We have a very strong group of seasoned players and also have a number of younger players coming through the minor system. I feel that players like Thomas O'Keeffe, Matthew O'Kane, Craig Sheridan, Timmy Fallon to mention a few are quite capable of making a serious bid for places on the senior team. This can only augur well for the prospects of Drumalee with so many young talented players coming on stream. We have a great administrative committee in place who also feels that we can set our targets high and achieve them," stated Peter.
While Peter gave his thoughts on how the year panned out for the senior players he went on to express his genuine belief that the work past and present at underage level has always been of the highest calibre.
"Over the years Drumalee has invested a great deal of time and energy into the promotion of gaelic games at juvenile level. While there have been many people involved I feel that there are a number of those who merit mention. Our U16 team made it to the final of the Division 2 championship but lost out to Crosserlough in a fine encounter. The team management of Kevin Donohoe, John Young and Peter Donohoe deserve full credit for their efforts. While not all juvenile teams make it through to the final, the work put in throughout the year is equally important.
"To this end, Barry Egan, I feel has put in tremendous work over many seasons and is a credit to the club. Barry also took over the mantle of Chairman of the Juvenile Board, a position in which he proved very capable of. His trojan work is matched by the efforts of people like Kevin Downey, Bernard Young, John Lynch and Rossa Gaffney. We have been very fortunate to have a very hard working minor management team in Ger Shaugnessy, John Gorman and Michael Lyons. When you talk about underage football at the club one name springs instantly to mind and that is Michael Lyons. Michael is passionate in his commitment to juvenile coaching and has helped to form the talent of many of the present senior team. While we talk about the coaching efforts at underage level we have been blessed at Drumalee to have had the services in an administrative capacity of both Sean Smith and his daughter Mairead. They have served as chairman and secretary and have given great guidance to the structure of juvenile football at the club," stated the club PRO.
"When you look back at the entire season of 2009 there is little doubt that we could have done better but circumstances dictated otherwise. While it is only right to look at the results of the playing side of the club it in itself masks the great hidden work and commitment that is running in the background. There is a vibrancy at Drumalee that I feel will help us achieve our ambitions in 2010. We have always been a progressive club and to this day remain one. We have one of the best playing surfaces in the county and have over the past twelve months installed floodlights at our grounds. We hope to have the entire playing area fully floodlit by the middle of 2010 and will be able to play competitive games under lights. Our aim now is to provide a training field for the future and this something I have no doubt that the club will achieve in the not too distant future. We have always been blessed with great fund-raisers and workers," stated Peter Donohoe.

Underage structure
A vibrant and successful underage structure is thriving at St. Felim's Park. The club's U16 sides won their way through the Division 2 championship final where they took on Crosserlough. While they entered the fray as favourites, the final result proved that on any given day the favourites are prone to shocks.
A superb effort from the U16 side just came up short on final day when they lost out to Crosserlough by four points 1-11 to 1-7.
Drumalee took control early on in the first half but resolute defending by Crosserlough kept the town side scoreless. Brilliant individual skill by Cian Byrne saw him register a point from all of 35 metres. A further point from Andy Fallon after good work from Sean O'Kane and Leigh Dunne kept this game alive as a contest. With Dunne and Byrne tagging on further points Drumalee were ensuring that this game would go to the final whistle. An on form Crosserlough defence was making it difficult for the town side to register scores. Down five points at the break, Drumalee came storming out at the restart and a quick point from Leigh Dunne reduced arrears and set up a pulsating final thirty minutes. A further point from Byrne now had the Crosserlough lead down to three points. They responded with determination but resolute defending by the Drumalee backs kept them at bay. A superb save by keeper Thomas McCabe kept Crosserlough out from what looked like a certain goal. With just ten minutes remaining Drumalee struck a goal when Patrick Sheridan found Leigh Dunne with a high ball before Dunne finished his effort to the back of the Crosserlough net. Just as it seemed that the town team now had the advantage, Crosserlough moved up a gear and fired over a point to leave three between the sides with just five minutes remaining. Two great efforts from Byrne sailed tantalising wide of the Crosserlough goal but a point from Crosserlough's Cusack gave them the security they needed to eek out this victory.
It was a pulsating performance with great skill and commitment from two very determined sides. As a contest, it was played down to the final whistle with sportsmanship from both sides.
Drumalee - Thomas McCabe, Ryan Smith, Fionnan Lee, Ben Breslin, David O'Keeffe, Conor Fegan, Tommy Walshe, Andy Fallon, James Donohoe, Kevin O'Hanlon, Sean O'Kane, Ciaran Brady, Leigh Dunne, Cian Byrne, Patrick Sheridan. Subs - Karl Wynne, Thomas McMahon, Steven O'Connor.

While the juvenile mentors may have been disappointed at the final whistle, they can take comfort from the fact that their work is now beginning to produce the results necessary to help the club move forward in the right direction for the future.
"In the recent county U15 blitz, Drumalee provided some excellent performances to make it to the semi-final stages of the competition. They lost out to neighbours and county kingpins, Cavan Gaels by just a few points. Drumalee played very well throughout the competition and should be a force to reckon with as they moved into the U-16 category," stated Peter. Tweet

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