Success is relative. Although Shercock didn't garner any silverware in 2001, they had by their own standards a very positive year at both juvenile and adult level, writes John Loughran. Pinned against the Monaghan border, and sharing the parish of Killann with near neighbours Bailieboro, Shercock haven't got the required muscle to compete with the likes of Cavan Gaels, Gowna, Crosserlough and Mullahoran on an annual basis. They just haven't got that constant stream of young talent that is needed to compete in the upper echelons of Cavan football. Intermittently, a talented group of footballers burst on the scene. It happened in the lates 1970's. In 1979 they won the Junior Championship. They built on that success when they lifted the Division 1 Senior League title in 1982. They were at the pinnacle of their success in 1984 when annexing the Intermediate Football Championship. Emmigration in the mid- 1980's robbed them of the chance of launching a serious assault on the Senior Football Championship. At least half a dozen players were lost to the cause. The backbone of the team, so to speak, never got the chance to shine in the senior ranks. The slide back towards the junior grade was inevitable. Their star rose again in the late 1980's when they reached a Junior Football Championship final only to go under to Shannon Gaels. In 1997 they suffered a similar fate at the hands of Kill. In 2001, Shercock acquitted themselves well in Junior Football Championship. They bowed out to Drumgoon in the quarter-final. They can consider themselves a tad unlucky to have drawn near-neighbours Drumgoon who subsequently justified hot favouritism by going on and lifting the title. On the day lady luck deserted the men in green and gold when the sides met in Cootehill. They conceded two early goals, but undeterred, managed to claw their way back into contention, only to be rocked by a third killer goal. The fortuitous nature of the third and ultimately fatal goal confirmed that Drumgoon's name had been written on the Cup from the start of the season. It was a case of "mission accomplished" in the League. Their prized Division 2 status was comfortably preserved with a number of games in hand. Injuries to a number of key players didn't help their task, but to their credit, they had sufficient strength in depth to achieve their goal with a little to spare. Shercock's underage teams proved a source of inspiration throughout the year. Their under 12, under 14, and under 16 teams all performed above expectations in their respective championships. All three teams made it to the semi-final of the Championship only to lose out to the eventual winners Swanlinbar, Kildallan and Templeport. The under 10's, the club's nursery, made steady progress and will have benefited greatly from the experience while the under 12's did well to advance from a tricky group to advance to their semi-final meeting with Swanlinbar. The under 14's put up a brave show in their semi-final before finally succumbing to Kildallan in extra time. Indeed 10 of the under-14 team are eligible again this year, and the club have high hopes for success. Gerard O'Reilly (under 14 coach) Patrick O'Reilly, Pierce McDermott Francis McPhillips (under 12 mentors) and Paddy Donnery (under 10 manager) can all be proud of their charges' performances in a bright year for the club. However the under 16 team under the expert tutelage of Jody Clarke and Paddy Reilly caused the greatest surprise in reaching their semi-final. It was felt that the team was a little understrength, and would find some of the stronger teams in the competition just too hot too handle. To the delight of mentors and parents alike, the team performed brilliantly during the year and were fully deserved to reach the semi-final. While Shercock may not have the same powerbase as near neighbours Bailieboro' they are acutely aware of the importance of nurturing the young talent at their disposal. If 2001 represents an accurate snap-shot of the young talent in the town, Shercock are definitely heading in the right direction. Off the field Shercock are definitely looking to the future. For the first time in the history of the club outside trainers have been appointed to coach the first team. In a player-led move Peter Rooney and Pat Byrne from Kingscourt have been drafted in to train and coach the team in 2002. The term "player-led" may conjure up images of clandestine meetings, revolt and power-shifts but in the case of Shercock, nothing could be further from the truth. It was a realisation on behalf of the players that they have been under achieving in recent years despite the best efforts of their mentors. In bringing in outside trainers, the players have laid down a new yard-stick. They have put their reputations on the line and shown a new level of commitment that may have been lacking in previous years. It is a brave step on behalf of the players, and one which received the backing of the committee. The arrival of Peter Rooney and Pat Byrne may just supply the impetus that Shercock require to launch a serious campaign in the Junior Football Championship. The development of the town's three-in-one sports facility at the rear of the new National School also bodes well for the future of the club. The 18-hole Pitch and Putt course, 300-metre all-weather running track and playing pitch will be completed in the early Spring. Run under the auspices of Shercock Sports and Recreational Facilities, the football club donated £23,000 towards its development. The first team trained on the new all-weather track under floodlights in the early part of last season. No doubt they will make good use of the facilities again this year. Late last year, the playing pitch was sanded to complete the development. The underage footballers of Shercock will be amongst the first to reap the benefits of the facility. In the years to come it is hoped, the three-in-one development will become the spiritual home of the underage set-up. Who said success was all about winning trophies? Tweet

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