Building towards the future
November 27, 2011Remarkably in 2007 the Killeshandra were plying their trade in the Junior Championship as well as the ACFL Division Three but in the interim period the club has made outstanding progress.
That unforgettable season was really the start of an exciting journey for the club as they secured promotion from both competitions. After a year of consolidation in Division Two and the intermediate championship, they returned a stronger outfit back in 2009 to clinch promotion to the top grade in league football.
However, this past season they discovered that getting to the top is the easy part - it is staying there that can prove problematic.
Last year, in their first season in the ACFL top grade, the team was expected to struggle but they defied their doubters to secure their status for another season. This time around though things proved to be more difficult and the team appeared to suffer from what is commonly referred to as 'second season syndrome'.
Their league campaign turned out to be a massive disappointment and a record of four wins, nine losses and two draws in the end saw them relegated back to the second tier. Heading into their intermediate championship campaign, they had the opportunity to put those worries to bed for a while as they went in search of a title that has not been too far out of their reach in recent years.
In a group with three Division Two league teams in the form of Killinkere, Swanlinbar and Butlersbridge, the Leaguers would have been expected to advance to the knockout stages as table toppers. However, that is not how the action unfolded.
In their first game against Butlersbridge, they stuttered to a 0-9 apiece draw but they followed that up with a comfortable victory over Killinkere. That win was enough to more or less secure their path to the knockout stages but a narrow defeat to Swanlinbar in their last game showed signs that there were difficulties in the camp.
Through to the last eight, the Leaguers were paired off with Knockbride and after two titanic tussles with the east Cavan outfit they advanced one step closer to the intermediate decider.
After the first contest finished all level, Killeshandra regrouped for the replay and pulled off an impressive 1-11 to 1-7 victory despite being reduced to 14 men. Shane O'Reilly's 24th minute goal had the Leaguers coasting through the quarter-final replay by the halfway stage, when they led by seven points, but in the second-half Knockbride upped their performance vastly to test Killeshandra's steel.
A fantastic goal from Larry Reilly, who finished with 1-5, shot them into life and further points from the classy attacker brought the difference down to a goal in the dying stages, when Killeshandra lost Colm Duffy to a second yellow card but they still managed to hold out for a crucial victory.
The team to start that day for Killeshandra was: Damien McCaul; Conor Smith, Colm Duffy, Joe Masterson; Ciaran Owens, Darragh Tighe, Shane O'Reilly (1-0); Declan McKiernan (0-3, 3f), Tomas O'Reilly (0-1); Adie Burns (0-1), Austin Fitzpatrick (0-1), Finbar Rudden (0-2); Justin Hayes, Cein Sweeney (0-1), Eamonn O'Reilly (0-2). Sub: Adrian Martin for A Fitzpatrick (49 mins).
According to team captain Declan McKiernan, that result was without doubt their best of the year.
"Getting past Knockbride was the biggest challenge we overcame all year and we were looking to kick on from that," stated McKiernan.
"It was a big, big test and it was the first time all year we showed we had the character and to get over the finishing line in a big game. It gave us a much needed confidence boost and you could see in the next few training sessions after that game that it had picked lads up."
Despite the impressive victory though, the team were unable to build on that hard-earned momentum as they slumped to a three-point defeat to eventual champions Drumgoon on a score-line of 1-9 to 1-6 at Kingspan Breffni Park.
It was a disappointing end to their championship campaign, but for the last couple of years the Killeshandra have been knocking heavily on the door that is preventing them from joining the senior ranks of Cavan football. The learning curve over the last couple of years has been a steep one but if what is a relatively young side can learn from these tough lessons then there is no reason they cannot rise again.
Relegation to Division Two in league football was clearly not part of that master plan but star player McKiernan believes it is a setback the club can bounce back from.
"We had a poor season there is no denying that. We got relegated in the league and lost a semi-final in the championship so it wasn't one to remember," said the midfielder.
"With injuries and lads going away, our preparations weren't as good as we would have liked. I think we only had three lads that played every game this year and that's just not enough. You need that figure to be up around 10 or 11 if you want to have a settled team that are confident playing with each other. It's disappointing for us but sure that's just the way it is."
After a torrid league campaign which gradually drained confidence from a young team Killeshandra went into their championship under the radar. McKiernan admits that the team felt they could use that to their advantage.
"Honestly I thought teams would underestimate us because we weren't going well. We drew with Butlersbridge in our first game and that was a poor start. We came back with a win over Killinkere and you would have felt we were slowly building and improving on each performance," he stated.
Their loss in the final group game to Swanlinbar was disappointing but with both teams already through it was a meaningless game. The first big test they faced came in the shape of Knockbride and to dig out a hard-earned win was a massive boost to a camp that was suffering from low morale. Unfortunately for them Drumgoon in the last four would prove a bridge too far.
"Against Drumgoon we were up by four at half-time but we completely folded in the second half and let them back in to it. They got a goal then which put them a point ahead of us and we never recovered from that. It's no consolation that they went on to win it out. Absolutely not. We didn't perform on the day and it's as simple as that," he confirmed.
"We had been suffering with the same problem all year and we just weren't killing teams off. I think we lacked confidence this year. Our poor league form really knocked us and I think we went something like seven games without a win which obviously affected us. We would be winning at half-time but just not kicking on and getting over the line and as they say winning is a habit and we just weren't doing that."
Despite their 2011 woes there is no denying that the Leaguers are very much a team for the future. Conor Smith was a key player for the Ulster winning Cavan minor side, while Darragh Tighe, Shane O'Reilly and Paddy King all featured for the Under 21s, who also marched to a provincial title this year. The latter was sprung off the bench in the final against Tyrone and kicked two stunning points to drag the team over the finishing line in a nail-biting affair. McKiernan himself and Tomas O'Reilly are also graduates of underage teams, while Cillian O'Reilly featured on the Cavan junior side this year.
"We have eight or nine lads that have played for Cavan at some level and that gives us hope. We definitely have the ability in the team but we just need to get things right on and off the field if we are going to go all the way," said the skipper.
The team will be plying their trade in Division Two next year now after suffering the heartache of relegation but McKiernan say's they deserve to be where they are.
"The league table doesn't lie and we deserved to be where we were," he said. "It's a reflection on our whole season and we just didn't win enough games. We lost a lot of games by a point or two and in the end they are the ones that come back to haunt you. One game we were beating Belturbet by seven points or so at half time and we let that come back and win it and you just can't afford to be doing that over and over again.
"The last two years we have been telling ourselves that we have a good young team and that next year will be our year but you can't keep saying that.
"Next year we really want to get a good start and get some momentum going. It's important to get that habit of winning because is what sees you come out the right side of those close games. We just didn't have that this year. We are back down to Division Two now so we will see how we get on. Of course you want to be playing against the best teams in the county when possible but if we want to get back there we'll have to earn it. It won't just happen for us."
McKiernan, one of the many promising underage footballers the county has produced in recent years, was part of the Cavan Under 21 team which lost the Ulster final in 2010.
However, his year was plagued with groin troubles and in the end he was forced to sit out the club championship that year. After that setback, the reliable free-taker was just happy to be back wearing the saffron jersey this year. Next year he also hopes to wear the blue jersey of Cavan once more.
"I missed the whole of the 2010 championship so for me personally I was just glad to be back playing and enjoying my football," McKiernan stated. "I wasn't as fit or as sharp as I would have liked and not being fully fit can be frustrating. I'll be working hard in the winter and will be fully focused on getting ready for a new year.
"Trying to get into the Cavan team is a new challenge for me and I want to give it a real go this year and try to force my way on to the Cavan team. I know a lot of the lads from playing underage with Cavan and there is the bulk of a good squad there. First though I just want to get myself in shape and then I'll take it from there," he concluded.
Junior D title secured
September saw Killeshandra's second-string claime Junior D Championship honours by defeating Killinkere in a thrilling final at Terry Coyle Park in Cavan town on a 2-14 to 3-7 score-line.
Having defeated Redhills (3-12 to 0-7) and Laragh United (1-12 to 1-10) to reach the competition's decider on September 24, the Leaguers kept their best performance until last as they raced into a brilliant start which saw the outstanding Cyril Reilly bang in the game's first goal in the early minutes, before points from the same player, John Cosgrove and Sean McKiernan saw the town side open a up commanding lead. Killinkere hunted for a goal of their own, but were denied when Kevin McKiernan pulled off a brilliant save from Brendan Stafford's 24th minutes effort, and it proved crucial as Killeshandra went down the other end to bury in their second major through Karl Reilly for a 2-7 to 0-4 half-time lead.
Killinkere would strike a goal of their own within 40 seconds of the restart, but points from Aaron Brady and Cyril Reilly helped keep them at bay. John Lynch struck the trailers' second goal soon after to offer Killinkere more hope, but some resolute defending by the likes of Glen Shanley, Christopher Reilly and Kyle Duffy would keep them scoreless for another 16 minutes as Aaron Brady, Karl Reilly and Cyril Reilly all picked off points which deservedly secured the title for the Leaguers.
Killeshandra (Junior D Championship final v Killinkere): Kevin McKiernan; Paudie O'Reilly, Glen Shanley; Aaron Brady, Christopher Reilly, Kyle Duffy; Aaron Brady (0-3), Karl Reilly 1-3); Conor Higgins, Sean McKiernan (0-2), Ronan Sweeney; John Cosgrove (0-1), Cyril Reilly (1-5). Sub: Conor Calder
Official re-opening of Packie Devlin Park
Killeshandra Leaguers added a new piece to the jigsaw that is their on April 30, 2011, when legendary GAA broadcaster Micheal O Muircheartaigh officially re-opened their superb new playing facilities at Packie Devlin Park. On the day, a large crowd gathered at the Killeshandra town venue to witness Cavan and 2010 beaten All-Ireland finalists Down play out a thrilling senior challenge match, which was preceded by the meeting of Killeshandra and neighbours Ballyconnell First Ulsters. The new facilities are a credit to the club's hard working committee and everyone else involved in erecting them. Tweet
