Seven cups brighten up Gaels' lot
December 31, 2010A review of Cavan Gaels' 2010 innings without the warts and all story detailing the loss of their SFC title would amount to nothing short of perjury.
The club remains the standard bearer for Cavan football such is the array of quality teams it boasts but losing the blue riband title hurt, big time.
Ironically, the first of the six cups collected in 2010 would be the ACFL Division One gong, awarded to the blues by the Competitions Control Committee of the Cavan County GAA Board after opponents Castlerahan conceded the final.
They would finish the year retaining that title with a replay win over Kingscourt, which was some measure of revenge for the county final loss to the same opposition.
The defending champions went into this year's championship once again short odds favourites to go the distance in the competition.
Their dominance at the top echelon of Cavan football is such over the years that a degree of inevitability has hovered over proceedings for the guts of the past decade.
But what transpired last autumn has raised more questions about the Gaels' pre-eminence and the standard of club football in Cavan than ever before.
In 2010 Cavan Gaels were gunning for their 12th blue riband title having completed their second three-in-a-row of the noughties last year when beating Denn in the final by 1-20 to 2-11.
The county board kept faith with the group format which, in 2009, replaced the All-Ireland style knock-out system with all its backdoor connotations.
Whatever the format, the vast majority of pundits and punters countywide felt sure that the 2010 SFC was yet again Cavan Gaels' prize to lose.
Those blessed with 20/20 vision will tell you now that they thought otherwise. They pointed to the Gaels' stuttering early season form, don't you know.
In one of the most significant and stark senior championship shocks in modern times, rank outsiders Kingscourt Stars dethroned the almost unbackable Gaels in the final to regain the trophy they last won in the early nineties.
It wasn't that the Gaels were caught on the hop either in the final. Though serious discontent with officialdom surfaced, they shouldn't have lost.
In even shocking their most optimistic supporters, the Stars awoke from near comatose beginnings at Kingspan/Breffni Park to tear the script into shreds in what was a slow-to-the-boil Cavan SFC final.
The Meath-border side went into the county decider as 4/1 shots but they dramatically timed their run to the winner's enclosure to perfection.
The Gaels had it all too easy in a tepid first half but their failure to covert their hard-won possession into the hard coinage of scores would come back and haunt them.
The defending champions were their own worst enemies at times as they failed to build on Mickey Lyng's vision and expert long-distance kicked pass in the 16th minute which was bookended by Johnston's exquisite finish to the net.
For the Cavan Gaels players and their team-management of Monaghan-based Garret Coyle, Mark Gillick and, in the dregs of the season, former Derry manager Damien Cassidy, losing the final amounted to a shattering experience.
A squad that had just previously put senior championship and league doubles back-to-back under the stewardship of Mick O'Dowd (Monaghan), JJ Reilly and Philip Finnegan had apparently imploded.
For many another club, the seismic change in the club's fortunes at the premier level would have resulted in a doom and gloom prognosis.
But Cavan Gaels haven't got to where they are now at the summit of Cavan football without being able to half-fill their trophy cabinet every season.
Trust the following players who lined out in the 2010 SFC final to be the crew to beat in 2011: E Elliott; M Leddy, C Collins, K Crotty; E Reilly, G Duffy, P Smith; D Reilly (0-1), E King; A Forde (0-1), M Lyng, N Smith (0-1); C McClarey, N Murray, S Johnston (1-6, five frees).
Subs; M Dunne for N Murray (half-time); D McCormack for K Crotty (36); D Graham for G Duffy (39); Robert-Maloney Derham for C Collins (inj,44).
Minors gain major successes
Those Gaels looking at the bigger picture in the aftermath of the championship final defeat to Kingscourt had a ready-made comfort blanket.
That blanket came in the form of a sprinkling of other silverware which didn't escape the county town club's net.
In that regard, the realisation that the club's pristine record at minor level received further lustre some time earlier was heartwarming and re-assuring.
In mid-May last, the latest starbursts at minor level in the club annexed the MFL Division One title with a 1-9 to 0-8 win over Lavey in sunny Crosskeys.
The victory was particularly sweet for the players as, for all the club's star turns at underage level over the last 15 years, the league-winning Gaels' squad hadn't ever appeared in the winner's enclosure before as a unit, at any age level.
The Gaels' triumph owed a lot to a powerful second half performance after the teams produced a disappointingly low-scoring first moiety.
The would-be champions were much the better side after the interval though and a cracking goal from the in-form Paul O'Connor did much to sweep aside Lavey's gritty challenge.
Playing against a strong breeze in the opening half, the Gaels laboured to fire on all cylinders early on and spurned at least one goal chance.
Indeed, the Gaels were reminded that they weren't going to have things easy as Lavey eased their way into a two point lead after 13 minutes.
Lavey went three up by the 19th minute before Cian Byrne finally got the Gaels off the mark with a great point in the 21st minute.
The Gaels went onto trail by 0-1 to 0-4 but with the Lavey 'keeper being called into action several times, the omens weren't good for Lavey.
A fine left-footed point from county minor Paul Graham fired up the Gaels but Lavey finished the half that bit stronger to retain their lead at the break.
Just two minutes after the restart, Lavey's lead was halved by Paul Graham's rousing point before the teams exchanged points soon after.
The decisive score of the game arrived in the 46th minute when Cian Byrne and Andrew Graham combined to put Paul O'Connor through for a goal.
Now in front, the Gaels went about turning the screw on their opponents but Lavey showed their intention by levelling matters once more.
The Gaels edged in front again with a converted free by young O'Connor but then the same player was denied a goal when the Lavey 'keeper saved his spot-kick.
At the other end of the field, the county town side battened down the hatches. Meanwhile a lovely point from Andrew Graham left the Gaels with one hand on the cup.
Darragh Sexton got two hands on the cup just four minutes later, after another unerring shot from Cian Byrne and one from Paul O'Connor.
The Cavan Gaels' MFL Division One final -winning line-out was: M Young; P Mulligan, S Fitzsimons, D Mulligan; F Donohoe, D Sexton, J Jackson; P Graham (0-2), C McKiernan; P Sexton, C Byrne (0-3), R Johnston; S Murray, P O'Connor (1-3), A Graham (0-1).
Subs used; C Donohoe; V Coyle.
Going into the autumn of 2010, ten of the previous 12 years witnessed a familiar tale unfolding at MFC level in county Cavan.
The traditional bluebloods of the minor game in Breffni land went into the 2010 MFC final will attempt to stave off the threat of back-to-back championship disappointments by defeating St. Joseph's in the county championship final.
As things panned out, one of the most dramatic conclusions to a minor final in Cavan transpired as St. Joseph's came from eight points down with three minutes of normal time left to play to snatch a draw, 2-12 to 2-12.
An excellent goal from substitute Vincent Coyle with time almost up - adding to an earlier major from Paul O'Connor after the sides were tied at 0-10 apiece - had helped steer the Gaels into a 2-12 to 0-10 lead but the Saints had a sting in their tail which saw them force a replay.
"Even with five minutes left to play, we thought we had done enough," minor selector Kelleher explains.
"But, looking back on it, maybe we could have lost it as well 'cause they could have gotten a free late on.
"Needless to say the dressing-room after the game was like a morgue and everyone knew that the team just didn't play to their potential."
Paul Graham's fitness held up for the replay and that was vital in the Gaels' success in the replay.
What was also vital was the team's turbo-charged finish which saw livewire attacker Paul O'Connor bag a couple of match-clinching goals.
Elsewhere man-of-the-match Padraig Sexton's contribution cannot be forgotten as it was his hat-trick of points which helped peg back the impressive Saints in the second half.
Even having a player sent off didn't prevent the Saints from bursting from the blocks and engineering a cushioned lead inside the opening ten minutes.
But once the Gaels came back to level matters (thanks to young Sexton's equaliser), the county town side were never subsequently headed.
"The winning margin was a bit flattering in the end but the lads played a lot better in the replay," the aforementioned Kelleher explains.
"In the drawn game, we didn't play to our potential but given that each of the games we played went to a replay, maybe we shouldn't have been surprised that the final also went to a replay."
Double joy for U16s
The script held good in Cootehill in mid-June as Cavan Gaels annexed the U16 Division One league title with a 0-7 to 1-2 win over Kingscourt Stars.
Having beaten the Stars earlier in the campaign, the onus was on the county town side to prove that their tag of favourites was fully justified.
The Gaels did all they needed to do against honest but mostly punchless opponents, not that the winners will mind that the film of the game will never make the purist's library.
With Kevin Brady to the fore for the long-time leaders in midfield and Andy Graham full of vim and vigour, it appeared as if the Gaels would drive home their outfield superiority as the game wore on.
Jason McConnell was afforded a half-chance of bagging a goal in the 18th minute but instead chose to take his point and put his side 0-3 to 0-1 in front.
An accomplished finish by Oisin Sheridan after a lung-bursting run consolidated the Gaels' advantage but it failed to copper-fasten their title challenge.
Instead, Kingscourt continued to nip away at the heels of the leaders and it was a three point game at the interval.
The Stars got a major leg-up in the 38th minute when Jack Sheenan's speculative shot eluded the clutches of Gaels' 'keeper Mulherin to level matters, 1-2 to 0-5, for the only time in the game.
Amazingly, Kingscourt would not score again as the Gaels poured forward with intent and looking more fluid as the chequered flag came into view.
But with the young Gaels players failing to unearth a killer punch in their locker, the issue duly went to the wire.
Both sides worked hard to put some gloss on their performances but, in the end, the Gaels' only concern was getting over the white line and that they did to the delight of their hard core support.
The triumphant Cavan Gaels under 16 league-winning team was;
Dara Mulherin; Niall McHugh, Cathal Cronin, Cian Mulligan; Barry Fortune, Vincent Coyle (0-1), Liam Fitzsimons; Oisin Sheridan (0-1), Kevin Brady; Louis Coleman, Jason McConnell, Leon Smith; Andy Graham (0-3), Padraig Sexton (0-2), Jack Hayden.
Sub; Liam Sharkey for J Hayden.
With great vim and vigour, Cavan Gaels' under 16s repeated their heroics in the championship to demonstrate their class and re-inforce the belief that they were in a class of their own in 2010.
"To win a double proves without any doubt that you're the best team," leading underage mentor Jerome Kelleher,"and is a great tribute to the management teams who made it back-to-back doubles at under 16 level.
"Most clubs in the county would be delighted to win one underage cup in any given year so for the under 16s to again win the double is a great credit to the players and the lads over them."
Juniors add to trophy cabinet
Things went swimmingly (2-9 to 0-3) for the Gaels in the Junior 'B' Championship final as monsoon-like conditions visited Ballinagh for the clash with Mullahoran in the dregs of 2010.
Played in a near constant downpour, the final was a game in which the destination of the spoils was as clear as the clouds were rain-laden.
The county town side led from pillar to post and won pulling up having built up a commanding 2-6 to 0-1 interval lead against a punchless Mullahoran side who scored just one point from play in the entire match.
With SFC medallists like Darren Rabbitte, Kevin Meehan, Cormac Nelligan and Daniel Graham in their ranks, the Gaels had an abundance of guile and experience to draw upon.
In addition, the winning outfit had much too much firepower to offer up front in comparison to their greatly out-gunned opponents.
While the Longford side gave as good as they got in the physical exchanges, they were simply out-classed in the finer aspects of the game.
Kevin Meehan got the Gaels on the road after just 11 seconds following a driving run from the throw-in.
Richie Graham added another point 90 seconds later before Mullahoran got their only score of the first half in the 4th minute.
From the 6th minute to the 20th minute, Mullahoran enjoyed quite a decent spell of possession but a handful of wides bedevilled their best efforts at putting a stop to the Gaels' gallop.
At the other end of the field, the leaders carved out a decent goal chance but Sean Briody made a good save to deny Cormac Nelligan a goal after the strapping number 14 was set up by Ciaran Flynn.
There was no denying the aforementioned Nelligan a goal though in the 16th minute when a quick-free was collected by Flynn and his flick across the square was finished to the net.
Mullahoran worked hard to stay in contention but they were thwarted for a goal in the 25th minute by a tremendous save from Niall O'Riordan.
One minute later, the Gaels did manage to notch their second goal when Robert Maloney-Derham finished up a rebound from his own shot to help make it 2-6 to 0-1 at the interval.
The second half saw a continuation of the Gaels' dominance without, admittedly, the same damage being inflicted on the scoreboard.
It must be said though that the would-be winners weren't nearly as efficient in the last third of the field and seven wides inside the opening eleven minutes of the second half fairly told a tale in that regard.
Fortunately for the leaders, Mullahoran hadn't their shooting boots on either or, more importantly, their creative juices flowing.
Too many Mullahoran forays forward were crab-like in direction and tentative to unduly worry the Gaels' backline.
Ciaran Flynn opened the scoring after the break with a 33rd minute point but, for Mullahoran, nothing concrete came off their manoeuvres 'till the 45th minute when James Anderson converted a free.
The Gaels were quite comfortable in adopting a 'what we have, we hold' stance but still managed to consolidate their cushioned advantage with a brace of points from Cormac Nelligan.
Mullahoran continued to play second fiddle 'till the death with the county town side winning pulling up. Once again the Gaels' strength in depth was all too obvious.
Cavan Gaels' Junior 'B' Championship-winning squad last September was:
Niall O'Riordan; Damien Kellegher, Darren Rabbitte, Michael Meehan; Kevin Meehan (0-1), Niall Gurhy, Sean Hanley; Ed O'Hanlon, Ciaran Flynn (0-1); Cian O'Donoghue, Daniel Graham (0-1), Robert Maloney-Derham (1-0); Richie Graham (0-3), Cormac Nelligan (1-3), Mickey Graham.
Subs; Niall Smith for D Rabbitte; Pauric Byrne for M Meehan; Anthony Curran for R Graham; Stephen Maguire for C Nelligan; Michael Murphy for N O'Riordan. Tweet
