Lavey hold what they have
November 27, 2011Acccording to Lavey club secretary, Liam Sheridan, remaining in the top tier was their number one target.
"Retaining our position in the top flight of Cavan football was indeed a priority for us at Lavey. This was achieved through the efforts of all the players involved and a dedicated team management," said the club secretary.
Liam is well placed to talk about his club, having played all the grades from juvenile up to senior level, before retiring a number of years back. His playing career, which spanned over twenty years, was followed up with his involvement at executive level on his retirement as a player. Holding down the position of secretary and treasurer over the years has him well placed to see how his club has evolved and what the future will hold for them.
Quietly spoken and thoughtfully pragmatic, Liam is fiercely proud of what has been achieved at the club throughout its history and what is currently happening at Lavey.
"It may seem modest ambitions but we are a predominantly young side and it is important that as a club we remain in the top flight. Our 'older' players age profile is around he mid-20s with the remainder of the panel in or just coming out of minor. We have a wonderful juvenile structure with a lot of good players coming through the ranks so it is imperative that we remain in the top stratus of Cavan football," said the Lavey secretary.
The loss of two key senior experienced players in Sean Maguire and Declan Murphy to work commitments abroad was going to make life in the top stream that bit more difficult for the 2011 season. The club had appointed a new team manager, John Brady along with selectors Martin Smith and J. J. Flood. The appointment of John as senior team manager brought an air of expectation. The players responded well to the new management structure and hopes were high that they could compete well at senior level.
"We were fortunate that we only lost two players from our panel- although two very experienced and valuable assests to the team - but we had a number of young minors coming on stream to help fill this void. We had excellent service and commitment from the established players who worked very hard to ensure that we play our future football at senior level and to this end their dedication must be commended," said the club secretary.
"Through our excellent juvenile structure we were fortunate to benefit from the talent of three gifted young players who came into the senior set-up - Aaron Smith, Karl Duke and Christoper Conroy. All three had represented Cavan at minor in 2010. We also had a number of players on the current Cavan minor panel, Gerard Smith, Darren Monaghan and Chris Conroy.
"Exposure at county minor level for these young players can only be a good thing for the club. Indeed their contributions to the club has been extremely valuable. In our relegation senior championship play-off Chris Conroy scored eight of our nine points in this tense championship victory over Lacken 0-9 to 0-8.
"The dedication of these young players was empitomised by Chris putting off his holidays so that he would be available to play this vital game for his club."
The composition of the senior panel with its mix of youth and experience should augur well for us for the incoming 2012 season.
"Hopefully we do not have a drain of players to emigration as the loss of any of your young talent could create a problem," said Liam.
Juvenile
Lavey have always prided their efforts at juvenile level and have over the past number of years seen great results from their endeavours. The 2011 season was no different with a number of their promising young starlets eeking out great results, with their U14 and U13 not just staking a claim for a final placing but emerging worthy champions in what can only be described as two fascinating contests. The club's minor side continued on the 'Lavey way' when they withstood a spirited final quarter from Ballyconnell First Ulsters to win the Division 3 championship final by a single point.
U13s spirited fightback seals silverware
One of the highlights of the club's season had to be the performance of the U13s in the Roinn D league final. This was a game of tremendous excitement as Lavey showed great qualities in staging a spirited fightback to pip their opponents Drumgoon on a scoreline of 2-11 to 2-7. The game which was played on the 3G pitch at Kingspan Breffni Park saw the losers get off to the brighter start and but for superb goalkeeping by Jamie Walsh could have taken an early lead. Drumgoon looked much the stronger side as they notched up four points in the first seventeen minutes without reply.
It was not until the twentieth minute that Lavey opened their account when the quick thinking Ryan McCabe found full-forward Aaron Smith in space who made no mistake as he fired over the bar for Lavey's first score. This score seemed to settle the winners as they rattled over five points through Enda McGonagle, Danny Cusack and Killian Muldoon. This brace of scores gave Lavey a 0-6 to 0-4 with time running out in the first half. Just as it looked like Lavey had settled their troops, Drumgoon struck in injury time when Wesley Moore penetrated the Lavey defence to give goalkeeper Jamie Walsh no chance. This score gave Drumgoon a one point half time lead 1-4 to 0-6.
Drumgoon came out with all guns blazing for the second half and seemed to have the silverware heading their way as they dominated the exchanges. By the forty-first minute Drumgoon held a three point lead 1-6 to 0-6 as the completely dominated exchanges. It looked as if Drumgoon would run away with the title but some great goalkeeping by Lavey's Walsh was to keep hopes alive for his side. Despite Walsh's heroics Drumgoon went further ahead when in the forty-seventh minute they went seven points clear as they bagged their second goal.
Just as Drumgoon felt that they had this game secured, the Lavey fightback began and ended in stunning fashion as they registered 2-5 in the final eleven minutes.
This emergence came through a greater defensive blanket and a forward line that began to work and gel. Aaron Smith got the revival underway with a free to reduce the arrears 2-7 to 0-7. This was furhter reduced two minutes later when Ryan O'Sullivan blasted the ball to the back of the Drumgoon net. With the score down to manageable measures 2-7 to 1-7, Lavey increased the tempo and with greater momentum began to erode the Drumgoon lead and with fifty nine minutes played had edged in front by 1-11 to 2-7. With the game now in injury time and the result still on a knife edge, Aaron Smith stepped up and put the game beyond the reach of Drumgoon with a well taken goal.
Lavey: Jamie Walsh, Enda Cusack, Luke Cunningham, Stephen Brady, Enda mcGonagle, Gavin Tierney, Danny Cusack, Martin Cunningham, Killian Muldoon, Ryan McCabe, Joey Tiernan, Aaron Smith, Daire Smith.
The Lavey spirit was once again in evidence as the club's U14 boys recorded a narrow victory over opponents Cornafean in the U-14 Roinn D league final. Played on a beautiful summer's evening on the 3G pitch at Kingspan Breffni Park in front of a large crowd both teams produced a standard of football worthy of the occasion. With excellent displays from both teams it was always going to be a close encounter and this was to be the case. The large crowd was treated to an exciting pulsating contest with the final outcome in the balance up to dying seconds. Lavey's greater accuracy in front of goals was to be the defining factor in the outcome of this contest. This was to prove vital as the final scoreline of 2-10 to 2-9 saw them edge out a spirited Cornafean outfit.
"It was a tremendous spirited display from our juveniles and great credit must go to them and their entire team management. The Lavey spirit was very evident on the day as this side overcame a seven point deficit to edge out a strong challenge from Cornafean," said the Liam.
Lavey: Eoin Brady, Enda McGonagle, Jamie Walsh, Dillon Nelson, Danny Cusack, Martin Cunningham, Jason Tierney (1-4), Dean Lynch (1-3), Ryan McCabe, Emmet Brady (0-2), Killian Muldoon, Joe Tierney, Aaron Smith. Sub: Enda Cusack.
Minors secure championship title
While the final score read Lavey 2-11 Ballyconnell First Ulsters 2-10 all the tension of this tie was packed into the final quarter of this contest. Lavey opened this game in spirited fashion and for most of the first half dictated the trend of this final. Their 2-6 to 0-4 interval lead did not flatter them as they had held the upperhand throughout. Lavey showed their intent from the start playing fast fluent football and it was not long before Barry Cusack had found the back of the Ballyconnel net. By the end of the first quarter, Cusack was on target again to blast his side's second goal and give his team a a 2-5 to 0-1 advantage. At the other end, Lavey's keeper, Seamus Tierney saved what looked like a goal bound shot from the First Ulsters.
Ballyconnell tried to stem the flow of the Lavey onslaught but had to settle for an eight point deficit at the interval 2-6 to 0-4. From the restart the influence of county minors, Gerard Smith and Darren Monaghan ensured that Lavey held the upperhand. Playing well within themselves, Lavey had pushed their advantage out to 2-8 to 0-5 as the game entered its final quarter. The First Ulsters got the much needed boost they needed to help them make a contest of this tie when their corner forward fired an unstoppable shot to the corner of the net. Buoyed on by this score, the west Cavan side grew in stature and brought the fight to Lavey. After so long in command, Lavey now had a contest on their hands. True to the Lavey spirit, they never buckled and while their opponents grew in stature Lavey never flinched and held firm to run out deserved winners.
Lavey: Seamus Tierney, James Cunningham, Diarmuid Conaty, Darren Donnegan, Dean Rutherford, Paul Gilchreest, Gerard Smith (0-6), Darren Monaghan, Jake Buckley, Darragh Conaty (0-1), Killian Conaty (0-2), Shane McGonagle (0-1), Barry Cusack (2-0).
Sub: Senan Gilcreest (0-1).
"We also made the semi-final of the U14 and U16 championships. This has all been achieved through the hard work of the underage team managers. Denise McGonigle and Aidan Cunningham take charge of the U-13 and U14 while James Gilchreest and Mosie Conaty are in charge of the U16s.
"The minor side is in the capable hands of Paul Smith and John Conroy. All of these teams are the culmination of our juvenile structure where we start with players from U8 upwards.
"Training takes place on Saturday mornings for boys and girls and it is not an uncommon sight to see upwards of one hundred children going through their paces under the watchful eye of their respective coaches," said Liam.
Ladies Football
The ladies club has grown in stature over the years and this season of 2011 saw them compete for the very first time in the senior championship. Under the stewardship of Paul Conaty, Tony Fitzsimons and senior team manager, Dermot Sheridan the team has seen their progression into the senior ranks through merit.
"The team management are focused and have earned the respect of the entire panel. Having tasted their first season at senior level the ladies side will be hoping to earn some silverware and create their own bit of club history," said the club secretary.
Having just completed two magnificent pitches at Lavey, the next phase for the club will be the refurbishment of the dressingrooms.
"This is something that we at the club hope to do in not too distant future. We have already made a large capital investment in our playing surfaces and to complement this we would hope that we will soon be in a position commence the development of the clubrooms" said Liam.
The club secretary said that "while a club is obviously about the playing end of things, the people that do quiet trojan work in the background also need to be acknowledged. We have a great and dedicated number of people at the club who give of their time freely for the good of Lavey GFC and this is truly appreciated. I would also like to pay tribute to a great club stalwart, Patsy Lynch, who passed away this year. Patsy was a Lavey clubman through and through and his loss will be sorely missed at New Inns" said the club secretary. Tweet
