2005 was a year where Killeevan experienced that the fine line between success and failure, between victory and defeat is indeed a very thin one. It was the season that promised much but ultimately delivered nothing with Sarsfields missing out on silverware on a couple of occasions. By John P. Graham. That is not to say however that it is all doom and gloom or that there is an air of depression around the club because nothing could be further from the truth. In a club like Killeevan playing the game is the reward, being involved in competition is the objective and the motivation is, to be in there challenging for honours. In that regard Killeevan had a very successful year in that they were still in line for promotion to intermediate ranks right up until the second last day of the season. Team manager Ciaran Brennan while disappointed with the outcome was nevertheless very pleased with Killeevan's performances over the year and the attitude in the club. "I suppose people will say that we could have done this and we could have done that and there is the proof that we could have won a title, but I think we just didn't get it right in the end. I think the biggest problem that we have, and it's my problem as well as team manager, is how to win vital games. That's something that players learn and there are teams around that would certainly have capitalised on the situation that we found ourselves in for instance in the semi final of the Dr. Ward Cup. "It would be easy to apportion blame in these situations but that would be to take the easy way out although I do have to admit that when you're winning a game by three points going into injury time it's not a match that you should be losing, particularly by double figures. That's just one of those disasters that happen from time to time and we have to take collective responsibility for it. "I said to the lads after the match, it's not any one person's fault but it's just that, for whatever reason, Corduff were more alert than we were. In balancing that particular game, indeed in balancing any match you have to look at all aspects of it including chances that we missed at the other end as well as maybe conceding soft scores. I suppose it's a strange thing to say but even though we didn't win anything this year I would be very happy with how the season went and I think we had the best year since I came to the club. "You have to work with these lads to see the commitment they put in and there is great spirit in the club. We have some very young players coming through and we have some very experienced players like Darren Greenan, Ian Larmer and Vincent Martin and they have been of enormous help and have put in a serious effort. Ian Larmer is just an amazing player because he is willing to do anything to play and win, his personal commitment is unbelievable, he is so dedicated. "Darren Greenan never misses a match. He travelled down from Dublin for every game and that takes a big commitment by himself and his family. "Vincent Martin has also put in a great season and has played some of his best football for a number of years and those experienced players have done wonders to bring the young lads along. It was great to see those fellows sitting chatting to the young lads when we were socialising of Monaghan after the Crawley Cup final. That's the type of bonding that we have been working on and it will produce results. "We suffered a little bit too from the fact that we were without a couple of vital players during the year. Niall McCooey I think only played about 45 minutes football for Killeevan this year. He had a bad run of injuries and had to have an operation on his knee and then Colin Quigley was away in the USA for three months and that left something of an imbalance there. I suppose maybe that imbalance was seen in the league semi-final because we didn't go into that match with a settled team and that might have affected the overall result but you take it as it comes and you make decisions and stand or fall by them. "In the championship we should have beaten Monaghan Harps the first-day but look at the season they had after they got over us in the replay. I've often said to the boys that winning a game is just maybe trying to do one thing less wrong in each match and the second day we played them they didn't make as many mistakes and they went on to not only win the Monaghan junior championship but the Ulster junior club championship as well. "We got to the final of the Crawley Cup where we came up against a team from intermediate but again we made it difficult for ourselves when we had a player sent off. That could be seen as the reason we lost the game but again you have to also look at the overall picture and again the chances that we missed, cutting down on mistakes it could have been an awful lot closer. But everyone learns as we go and as I said we had a great season and I would be very proud of the boys for the work they put in and the responses I got. "They have shown me great respect as a manager and that makes my job all the more worthwhile and enjoyable. Killeevan maybe didn't win anything this year but they will be up there challenging again next year, I know that". Away from the playing side the club enjoyed continued success off the field with chairman, Gerry McGuigan, leading a very energetic committee. Central to the club's well-being of course is the continued success of the club Lotto which club secretary Patricia Smith says "had its best year so far". Patricia doubles as the clubs county committee delegate and in that capacity is the channel for communication between the county committee and the club and she does an excellent job in that regard. Treasurer Jane Flynn, who is an ever present at the Lotto on Sunday nights, will have a very healthy balance sheet to present at the club's annual general meeting with Lotto sales at an all-time high now that the jackpot has reached E11,000 (euro). "We had a very successful annual get-together on Easter Sunday night this year where the highlight of the night was the presentation of the Hall of Fame award to Pat Gilsenan and he kept the attendance enthralled by recalling people, players and matches from his playing days back in the 50s and 60s". At under age level the juvenile teams did well in their respective competitions but overall Patricia Smith sees problems in that the club simply does not have the numbers coming through. "We are struggling for numbers and we will be joining with Aghabog in minor and under 16 next year. That's not a problem that is confined to Killeevan though because our neighbours are suffering similarly and Aghabog, Currin and Killeevan will have to amalgamate to take part in the under 14 competitions. It is not an ideal situation but if the numbers are not there, there is nothing we can do and it is important that those young lads are getting football. "Unfortunately it's a problem that will manifest itself further down the road as well. Jim Graham and Enda Kilpatrick did excellent work with our juvenile their teams this year and that is work that will pay dividends in years to come." The club suffered a number of bereavements during the year and in particular we mourned the passing of one of our all-time greats, the late Sonny Smith who died during the summer time and the late Frank Lynch, one of the club's best supporters over the years. Sonny Smith started his playing career with Killeevan as a minor back in 1949 but quickly graduated to the senior team, playing his first senior game in 1951. He was a corner back on the victorious intermediate championship team of 1955 when Killeevan beat Cremartin, Latton, in the semi-final, and Blackhill in the final. However for him the year that stood out was when he captained Killeevan to the junior championship in 1965. At that time too he was involved in coaching and training under age teams and he managed the successful minor double winning team of 1967 and steered that team to the minor championship final of 1968. His last season with Killeevan was in 1970 after which he transferred to Clones where he won a Dr. Ward Cup medal in 1972. Sonny served Killeevan in a number of administrative capacities and did likewise on his transfer to Clones, serving a couple of terms as club chairman. Sonny was also very involved with the Credit Union movement and became president of the Clones Credit Union. The GAA in Killeevan and Clones as well as the Credit Union movement is the poorer for his passing. Frank Lynch of Serkin, father of Casement and Dermot, who have both represented Killeevan at all levels for almost two decades, while not a player himself, was one of the club's staunchest supporters over the years. He rarely missed a game whether at home or away and always had only words of encouragement and praise for the players. One of last games he attended was Killeevan's championship match against Toome when despite failing health, he still visited the dressing-room after the game to compliment the players on a great performance. Ar dheis De go raibh a nanamnacha. A tribute - the loss of two Killeevan gaels During the past year the Killeevan club suffered a double bereavement with the untimely deaths of former player and vice president Sonny Smyth and a great supporter, Frank Lynch. The GAA in general but particularly in Killeevan is now much the poorer with the passing to his eternal reward of the late PJ 'Sonny' Smith earlier this year. A recipient of the Club Hall of Fame a couple of years back for his decades of service on and off the field, 'Sonny' Smith started his playing career with Killeevan as a minor back in 1949 but quickly graduated to the senior team, playing his first senior match in 1951. He was at corner back on the victorious intermediate championship team of 1955 when Killeevan beat Cremartin, Latton in the semi-final and Blackhill in the final. However, for him the year that stood out was when he captained Killeevan to the junior championship in 1965. At that time too he was involved in coaching and training underage teams and managed the successful minor double winning team of 1967 and steered the same team to the minor championship final of 1968. He also served in a number of administrative capacities with the club. His last season with Killeevan was in 1970 after which he moved to Clones where he won a Dr. Ward Cup medal in 1972. Also this year the club lost the services of one of its most loyal supporters with the death of the late Frank Lynch of Serkin. Father of Casement and Dermot, who have served the club loyally for the best part of two decades now, Frank was ever present at Killeevan matches and was always very positive in his views on the games and the players. He rarely missed a match, either home or away and despite being in failing health attended the championship game versus Toome earlier this year, coming into the dressing room afterwards to have a word with the boys. For his dedicated support Frank was guest of honour at the club's annual dinner earlier this year on Easter Sunday night and the little presentation piece he received from the club took pride of place in his home. The club members past and present and players formed a guard of honour at both Sonny and Frank's funerals. The Killeevan club can ill afford to lose people of their calibre and we again offer our sympathies to their families and thank them for their contribution to Killeevan Sarsfields. Go ndeanaigh dia trocaire ar a nanamnacha. Tweet

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