A deserved promotion
December 31, 2010While it may look like an easy mission for some teams in the top tier, promotion from the depths of Division Three is no simple task. In recent years intermediate outfits like Ballymachugh and Laragh United have struggled amongst the junior ranks to push for a top two finish and even scrambled for a mid-table place at the end of the season.
This year Cornafean were the undoubted surprise-package in the third division and its reserve branch, winning ten games in the former to secure their promotion and 13 in the latter to contest the ACFL Reserve Division Three final in September.
In his second year as team manager, Mullahoran man Gerry Cadden underlined his aims for the squad when they began training for the new season.
"Our first objective would have been to get promotion from Division Three," stated club secretary, Bernard Martin. "Thankfully, we got it, finishing joint-second with Swanlinbar after winning games.
"We'd have been hoping to win the junior championship after that, but we just didn't have the same form as we had in the league and went out in the group stages. Even in the league play-offs we fizzed out a bit, but we'd have to be happy with promotion because they're some good teams in Division Three."
Cadden, along with his selectors Oliver Gormley and Padraig Cosgrove, had helped improve the team's fortunes in 2009, when they just missed out on a league semi-final place, and aimed to go one better come the new season.
Bernard believes the main attribute Cadden has shone through in his players during his time in charge of Cornafean is belief.
"He's brought belief and a bit of discipline since he took over two years ago," stated Bernard.
"Cornafean have always had the players but just couldn't win the games and I think the belief factor was something that Gerry had brought to the team more than anything else."
With the league scheduled for a late start in February, the hard slog in training started for the players around late February and they prepared to embark on their season by hosting the annual John Joe O'Reilly tournament. The competition also involved junior rivals Arva along with intermediate big guns Killeshandra and Drumlane, with the Reds claiming a big scalp against the latter at the end of March before shaping up for their Division Three opener away to Killygarry's second-string.
The trip to Crubany would end in disappointment as the hosts registered a four-point win to brush aside a below par performance for Cadden's team which would be mirrored again when Munterconnacht were visitors to Cornafean and came away with a the same margin to spare over the Reds.
"Our first two matches were against Killygarry and Munterconnacht and they both beat us. It was disappointing because we hadn't played to our potential in either game, but at the same time it gave us a wake-up call," Bernard explained.
"We had players like Gary Sheridan, who went to Australia at the start of the year, and Gerry Sheridan missing which was a blow to us. Gerry suffered a reoccurrence in a leg injury in the first game and it left us short two good players for most of the season.
"We had a few lads come in. Tommy Duffy, Wayne Johnson, Cillian O'Reilly, Cian Gargan and Adrian McCaffrey were all young lads to come into the team at some stage in the year and done well for us. Mark Johnson would have been involved with the county and he was one of our strong players and playing all over the field for us."
The first two points of the year were secured in emphatic fashion when Cornafean visited newcomers Kingscourt Stars and scored a 3-14 to 1-8 victory.
Bernard comes in: "From there we started winning games and got into a good winning routine all the way to the end of June. We were promoted before the championship started in July and there would have been a good buzz in the club after that."
As the weeks and rounds rolled by, Corlough, Laragh United, Maghera, Ballymachugh and Ballyconnell First Ulsters were all teams to fall on Cornafean's sword as Cadden's charges made a surge towards the top end of Division Three come the start of June.
With the wind firmly in their sails at this stage, the high-flying Reds made the short journey to Michael Cully Park, where they handed Arva a comprehensive 2-11 to 0-6 defeat to record their sixth win on the bounce.
Next up was a showdown with league-leaders Shannon Gaels at Pairc Naoimh Fionnain in a match which would all but guarantee the winners passage to Division Two for 2011. In what was a close battle, goals made all the difference for the Gaels and left Cadden's men needing maximum points from their remaining three games to assure themselves promotion.
A trip to junior championship favourites Swanlinbar was next on the fixture list for Cornafean, who came away from St Mary's Park with a resounding-13 to 0-11 win which paved the way for a top-three finish, as hard-earned wins over Templeport and Mountnugent at the finish sealed the deal and focus turned towards the championship.
"We were in a strong group which was always going to be very tough for us," Bernard explained.
"It was us, Munterconnacht, Swanlinbar and Shannon Gaels and even though we knew that we were in with the bog boys; we also knew that who ever came through in the group would have a good chance in going all the way in the championship and we certainly weren't afraid of any of them after the run we had in the league."
All roads led to Ballymachugh as the now promoted Reds met Munterconnacht at Sheelin Park. Liam Duignan opened the scoring for Cornafean with a well taken point after four minutes and it was a close run with both teams missing numerous opportunities.
However, Munterconnacht finished out the half stronger and went in at half-time with a 0-6 to 0-4 advantage. Cornafean came out after the resumption with much more hunger and urgency about the team. Val Sheridan and Mark Johnston played well in the middle, while veteran Art McSeain proved a torn in his opponents' side, scoring 0-6 out of Cornafean's 0-12 tally.
Ciaran Duignan played a stormer in the Reds' defence while Gordon Morrow also played well up front, but the straw that broke the camel's back as far as Cadden's team were concerned was when Sean Nolan fired in the game's only goal for Munterconnacht, which proved the decisive score as they Munchies held out for a 1-12 to 0-12 win.
Cornafean (JFC v Munterconnacht): A Smith; P Brady, E Gaffney, S Harrington; C Duignan, B Doyle (0-1), C Geoghegan; M Johnston (0-1), V Sheridan (0-1); G Morrow, A McSeain (0-6), F Reilly (0-1); J Cullen; L Duignan (0-2), P Tully. Subs: Thomas McGlade for F Reilly, E Reilly for J Cullen.
A 0-13 to 0-7 defeat to Swanlinbar the following weekend practically ended any hope of a place in the quarter-finals and when Shannon Gaels turned in a five-star performance in the final round of the group to emerge 1-12 to 0-6 winners Cornafean's championship campaign was over by mid-August.
Reserve Division Three champions
It wasn't the end of their season though after the seniors crashed out of their league semi-final, it was left to the juniors to try and salvage some silverware for their season as they took on Shannon Gaels in the ACFL Reserve Division Three semi-final. Nothing could separate the teams in the first game as they finished on 1-8 apiece, but in the replay Cornafean held the upper hand as the game's only goal led them to a 1-6 to 0-7 triumph and to a final meeting with Ballyhaise.
Played in Crosskeys, the game was on a knife-edge throughout as Ballyhaise started off well, with Cornafean taking 13 minutes that to register their first score when Pauric Tully popped up to fire over from the distance. Art McSeain was the big threat for the Reds up front and converted a well-taken free straight after this, as Cornafean upped the ante with goalkeeper-come-full-forward Andrew Smith fielding a fine pass from Ciaran Duignan and shooting over to keep his side right within touching-distance. A Ballyhaise goal put a spanner in the works, but an instant reply from Tommy Duffy down the other end meant that Cornafean only trailed by 1-7 to 1-4 at the interval.
With the second-half introductions of James Cullen, Killian Reilly and Wayne Johnston, Cornafean threw all they could at their opponents and an early point from Barry Doyle kept the pressure on. Ballyhaise notched what proved their last point ten minutes into the restart, which could be viewed as a credit to the Cornafean defence of Paul Brady, Eamon Reilly and Adrian Caffrey. With six minutes to go the sides were level thanks to an Andrew Smith point and in the attack Adrian Caffrey bored through for the winning point which started the jubilant scenes among the Cornafean contingent. Great credit must go to the players and mentors Pauric Cosgrove and Oliver Gormley for their effort all year.
Cornafean (Res Div 3 final v Ballyhaise): T McGlade; N Corocran, B.Doyle, L Young; P Brady, E O'Reilly, A Caffrey; B Doyle, C Duignan; P Tully, T Duffy, C Geoghegan; P Brady, A Smith, A McSeain. Subs: J Cullen, K Reilly, W Johnston.
U14s unlucky in league final
A special mention most go out to the club's Under 14 footballers who reached the Division Four league final in June after an impressive unbeaten run in the campaign. In the decider the Reds took on Mullahoran on the Kingspan Breffni Park 3G pitch and suffered a heart-breaking 1-12 to 3-5 defeat. David Egan had handed Cornafean the perfect start with an opportunist goal inside the first two minutes but their opponents recovered well before James Galligan struck over the final score of the half. In the second-half, Mullahoran signaled their intentions for a goal but were kept out by some brilliant defending by Stephen Woods and Gerald Olwill and some fine saves by goalkeeper Daniel Cullivan. Emmet Goldrick struck his side's second goal, but it still wasn't to be enough as the Dreadnoughts finished strong to claim the title by the narrowest of margins.
Division 3 honours for Cornafean ladies
2010 ended on a high for Cornafean Ladies as they took the Division 3 nine-a-side title in a hotly contested Halloween final against Ballymachugh.
The meeting in Gowna was the fifth between the two teams that season, with Cornafean having come out as runners up on each previous occasion. From the beginning of the year the ladies were aiming high, with aspirations for Division 3 League and 9-a-side titles. Under the management of Brian McCaffrey and Eamon Gaffney, the girls' work was duly rewarded when they reached their first Championship semi-final in July. Facing Ballymachugh in Killygarry, the reds suffered a heartbreaking defeat which ended hopes of Championship success. Never a team to lie down Cornafean came back with fighting determination to achieve their League dream. They progressed fluidly, and treated spectators to a thrilling extra-time encounter versus Killygarry in the League semi-final. Level at full time, Killygarry blasted Cornafean with a goal in extra time. However, the Reds fought back to win by six points in a gripping victory. In the final the girls would once again face Ballymachugh. Played in Milltown in October, Cornafean Ladies showed real grit during the game, but it was not enough to overcome the might of Ballymachugh.
One week after the Division 3 League final, the ladies would once again face Ballymachugh in their last match of the year. Eager to break with tradition the Reds took ownership of the game from the start, notching up a comfortable lead by half time. Though Ballymachugh fought back well in the second half, the Reds' resolve and desire for success lead them to a five point victory and the title of 9-a-side champions for 2010.
Having reached finals every year for the past four years, and having brought home silverware for three of those four years, the Ladies of Cornafean are continuing to develop as an effective unit. With a healthy supply of young talented players, aspirations remain high for the future of ladies football in Cornafean into 2011 and beyond. Tweet
