For Ray McCarron's Currin, this past season's junior football league offered them their best chance for promotion to the intermediate ranks for 2010. A gap of 58 years since their last junior league title win was ended in some style in mid-December.

The year started with a focus on the championship but once that avenue was closed, Currin made sure their would be no slip up in their chase for promotion. It was a drawn out campaign as Emyvale's Ulster championship run impacted on games, but Currin were in it for the long haul and nothing would stand in their way of a return to the intermediate grade and a first junior football league title since 1951.
Currin's Championship campaign was one to forget, but a credible third place was secured in the league. It garnered a meeting with county junior champions Emyvale in the semi-finals of the Dr Ward Cup. Gerry McCarville's side would later to go on to capture the Ulster title, so the challenge facing Currin was a considerable one.
Club treasurer Brian McCabe expected a tough ride against the North Monaghan team.
"I thought we would have trouble with them, but the boys played very well," he said. "They weren't as good against Seans, and were lucky enough to get a replay. We have a young team here, so I think they have done well. Most of the boys would be 17-22, except for Dick and Ben Clerkin. Ray McCarron thinks they are ready to step up, but they have to prove that."
And prove it they did.
Having held the role of treasurer for the past 51 years, Brian McCabe has seen his fair share of Currin teams down through the years. In his opinion, the current group compare favourably with those who preceded them. Now, success in the intermediate division would do much to legitimise that belief.
Captain of the team in 2009 was established county midfielder Dick Clerkin. Similar to Brian McCabe, he considers Currin a side of massive potential. This has been the case for a number of years now, but now he wants to see promise finally being realised. Last season's near miss in the league final meant progress in 2009 could only be achieved one way - promotion.
"The final last year was a big disappointment," admitted Clerkin. "We thought we were well positioned going into that game, and played well for large parts of it. Things looked like they were going our way; then Aghabog scored some fortuitous goals. That knocked us back and the result went against us. We were confident we could go up to Intermediate and compete there, so losing the final was a big knock. So after coming so close in 2008, our main aspiration at the start of this season was simply to get up to Intermediate - beg, steal or borrow."
That determination saw Currin pick up wins in their first two games against Oram and Blackhill. Their next two encounters would prove more troublesome, as defeat to Emyvale and a draw with Clones upset momentum somewhat. It was an unfortunate time of year to lose form - the Championship opener with Toome confirmed as much.
Dick Clerkin recalls an opportunity missed by his team.
"We had a number of injuries and suspensions, so we fielded a weakened team against Toome. Even with that, we should have won both games. We held the lead both times, but let both them slip. It was a real disappointment to go into the backdoor so early. Credit to Toome though, they fought back well. You have to give them respect for the way they came back," he said.
The defeat to Toome sent the club into the back-door. Waiting there were a side who cultivated an already strong rivalry into something much more fervent in 2009 - Sean McDermotts.
The Seans had already beaten Currin twice in the league, and this gave the Sons of St Patrick a real point to prove in their Championship clash.
"The Seans game in the league set a marker for the Championship," explained the Currin skipper. "They beat us in McDermott Park and we felt a bit peeved that night. The Championship tie was in Clones, so it was a big game for us. Losing to them in the league gave us that extra edge, and in the end it was a great performance and win."
The 1-17 to 1-9 scoreline was emphatic, but not surprising according to Dick Clerkin. For him, Currin v Seans was a much more accurate barometer than their previous Championship game with Toome.
"We know when we play well there's no-one in Junior that can touch us. Even
Emyvale, when we played them with a full team in the league and championship, we ended up comfortable winners," he said.
"It was the same against Seans that day. We have a lot of talent in the panel - good forwards and we're very solid. It isn't a large panel though, so when players are missing it can weaken us a lot."
The team were obviously on a high after the Seans victory, recording another thumping victory over Killeevan in the league 2-14 to 1-6.
As is often the case in these situations, however, pride comes before the fall. Clones in the quarter-finals of the Championship proved just that.
"After the win against Seans, maybe it was a case of a weak mind getting ahead of itself. We didn't perform on the day at all. Clones were deserving winners and it was another case of not doing ourselves justice," admitted the Monaghan midfielder.
After their Championship campaign ended, it was now all or nothing in the league for Currin. They responded in kind, winning their next three games against Killany (2) and Emyvale. Gerry McCarville's team were widely considered favourites for success in Junior at the season's outset. Those predictions eventually proved correct, with provincial glory also returning to Oliver Plunkett Park.
Currin played Emyvale three times in 2009, winning twice. In Clerkin's opinion, this gives an accurate guide of what his team are capable of, all things being right.
He stated: "If we could play to 70-80% of our potential in games, I would be confident we would win most of them. The times we lost this year, there was such a marked difference with the matches we played well. Currin can put most teams to the sword when they're on form.
"Just looking at Drumhowan - they walked through the Intermediate division this year. Last season we beat them the same amount of times, three, as they lost all year in the Intermediate league. They are now a senior club, and that's basically the same team. It just proves there is absolutely nothing between Intermediate and the top four teams in Junior. Clubs that come down realise that pretty quickly."
Due to Emyvale's involvement in the Ulster club JFC, Currin were made wait a total of six weeks after defeating Clones to defeat Gerry McCarville's team and book their place in the final. Ironically, the final against Sean McDermotts ended in a draw and forced a replay which would take place on December 13th at St Tiernach's Park, Clones.
"I have a lot of respect for the County Board, and they do a lot of hard work, but something has to be done to make sure this doesn't happen again next year. It's no way to run our club structure," said Clerkin.
"Monaghan isn't the only county still playing club games, but the league doesn't mean as much in those places. If you take into account how important the league is here, then obviously it's wrong that games are still being played in mid-December. We went six weeks without a match from Clones in the league until the semi-final with Emyvale. I know they were involved in the Ulster club, but the semi-final could have been played before then."
The big midfielder needn't have been too concerned after all, as the Scotshouse men delivered their club back to the intermediate ranks with a 0-15 to 1-9 win over Sean in the replay to claim their first Dr Ward Cup since 1951.
The two teams simply couldn't be separated after 120 minutes of football, as they went in level on 0-5 apiece at the break in this decider and Seans were then made survive a point onslaught from Currin in the second-half thanks to Damien Larkin which left the full-time score at 0-11 to 1-8.
In extra-time, Gerard O'Callaghan restored Currin to the lead in the second minute with Ciaran McCaffrey then putting them two up in the 5th minute following good work by Francis O'Callaghan, Gerard O'Callaghan and Ben Clerkin. Both sides did have chances in the following five minutes but Currin stayed ahead by two at the break in extra time, 0-13 to 1-8.
Currin goalkeeper Waylon McEniff made a superb save off David McEntee early on in the restart of extra-time to keep his team in front and soon after Gareth Beattie sent a nice ball in to Jack McCarron to wrong foot his opposite number and slotted over and put his team three points in front and Seans needing at least two scores to turn it around.
Damien Larkin pointed a free in the fourth minute, but Currin again picked up the pace and finished much the stronger with Jack McCarron pointing a free a minute into stoppage time at the finish and it took some last-ditch defending and the intervention of a Sean McDermott's upright to deny them further scores with three points separating the sides when Damien Helferty blew the full-time whistle to signal the Currin club's return to intermediate level for 2010.
Currin (JFL final replay v Sean McDermotts): Waylon McEniff; Sean Brady, Conor McCaffrey, Enda McCaffrey; Stephen Beattie, Francis O'Callaghan, Declan Smyth (0-1); Dick Clerkin, Paul Rudden; Gerard O'Callaghan (0-4), Philip O'Callaghan (0-1), Ben Clerkin, Jack McCarron (0-6, 5f), Ciaran McCaffrey (0-1), Stephen Smyth (0-2). Subs: Gareth Beattie for S Beattie. In Extra Time: Eoin Morrow for B Clerkin. Tweet

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