2008 saw Maghera make the dreaded drop down to Division Four for the 2009 season, but now, in his fifth year as club secretary, Martin Reilly is optimistic that the MacFinns can make the leap right back to where they need to be in order for progress to be made. Last year, a winless season flew past the Maghera MacFinns' senior side, leading to an early exit from the Cavan Junior Football Championship and ultimate relegation from ACFL Division Three. While that doesn't make for pretty reading for any supporter, it should be known by outsiders that one of Cavan's oldest clubs are now an outfit firmly in the process of building for the future. After eight years in exodus, the club has put together a colossal effort to reform its underage structure and get Maghera's youngsters competing out on their own, rather than having their native players join with neighbouring clubs in order to get a game. Maghera have developed a knack of timing things to perfection, particularly when you look at when the club decided to start the new developments at their home grounds. In 2006, the MacFinns club undertook a costly project to upgrade their changing facilities, extend their complex to provide a meeting room, put in a referee's room and install pitch floodlights. Had developments not gone ahead until now it would have been hard to see the project being carried out in full, given the current economic climate. Now, Maghera are quite safe financially but their turnover on the football field last year has left them in a heavy debt to try and get out of. However, club secretary Martin Reilly believes that the right figures are there in order for the team to surface from the depths of Division Four. "I think we are well capable of getting out (of Division Four)," said Reilly. "I think the level is going to be that bit higher and it may take us more than the first year. "In football, it's all about what you do on the day and how the team performs overall over that hour. We are after having a bit of bad luck recently, but we feel now that we are sitting bottom, looking to build, and the only way is up." Reilly, rightly so, puts a positive spin on things for the coming season, but where did it all go wrong for Maghera in 2008? Under the management of former Cavan senior 'keeper Paul O'Dowd, who was backed up by local clubmen Jim Geraghty and Noel Lynch in his backroom team, Maghera certainly weren't lacking in experience along the sidelines, and went into the new season with an affirmative approach. "Firstly, our objective for last year was to finish as high up the league table as we could," explained Reilly. "We felt with the squad we had that it wasn't too much to ask to go into every game looking for a win. "We went into the first game very positive and I don't know what happened. Things just seemed to go from bad to worse, and nothing was going right for us." Three draws and 10 losses by Division Three's conclusion reeled the MacFinns into the fourth tier, where they will spend an entire season battling against the second-string of the top team's in the county and Reilly feels it could have been very different if Maghera were to have a little bit more rub of the green. "We had three draws all year against Templeport, Cornafean and Mountnugent," he stated, "and many of the other games we played we were just within a point of the teams, but it just didn't seem to go our way and it kind of sums up the season we had." Reilly's opinions mirror into Maghera's junior championship campaign as well. A harsh defeat at the hands Shannon Gaels in the first round in Drumlane sent O'Dowd's men crashing into the qualifiers, where they met a formidable Kildallan side, who had been shocked in their first round defeat to Munterconnaught and were anxious to put things right. Played in Crosskeys, Maghera really put the fight up to the west Cavan outfit with their centre-forward Brian McHugh in sensational form on the day to torment the First Ulsters. The game was very much still in the air entering the final quarter, but Ronan O'Reilly's goal provided a massive blow to Maghera with 10 minutes to go, and from there things started to go against them once more. "I feel there's a moment in every game where when you have a decision go against you, whether it's a free or whatever, where it just sinks you and no matter how hard you try and fight it, it's impossible to come back from. I think that's what happened to us against Kildallan that day," explained Reilly. "There's always a feeling of disappointment once you go out of the championship. I mean, we know we can achieve at this club but it's just a case of getting a rub of the green every now and again. This current team is getting on, and it's hard to ask players that have family commitments or are building houses to give 110 per cent every day to the club. Make no mistake, when they train and they play they give the team 110 per cent, but after that there are other commitments that they need to look after outside playing football for the club." With a new season comes a fresh approach from Maghera MacFinns. Having established their underage structure and appointed Clare native Brian Galvin, who has recently moved into the parish, as the club's new senior manager, Reilly believes that things are moving in the right direction for 2009. "I think in both (senior and underage), you have to look to start off on a winning note," stressed Reilly. "To approach it any other way would be a waste of time. If you want to achieve you need to go into competitions with a winning mentality. "We have a club that is strong, vibrant and going places. There is an input from new people coming into the community that are willing to ward hard for the club. It's a joy and privilege to be able to serve your club and in '09 I think we can definitely start go places." With a real opportunity to use this year's Division Four campaign as a stepping-stone and an underage structure reborn, not too many will bet against the MacFinns club taking a step in the right direction for the next decade. Ladies take first SFC crown Lurgan ladies enjoyed another successful season in 2008, capturing a senior league and championship double as well as silverware in the county's senior nine-a-side tournament. After losing out on the senior football championship in '07, the Maghera/Ramor combo were taken over by Cavan Gaels clubman Finnian Farrell and came back with a stronger resolve last year to take an elusive treble. In truth, Farrell's side had over shot the mark somewhat. From collecting just the nine-a-aside trophy the previous season to becoming deserved champions of the two biggest prizes in Cavan ladies club football, while also defending their crown from the previous year. Out from an early blip in the league against Knockbride, Lurgan were simply unbeatable in 2008. Backboned by seven Maghera natives, including their midfield captain Michelle Cole, Farrell's charges impressed in the other rounds of their league campaign to book their place in the Division One decider against the reigning champions Lacken in May. In a fairly one-sided affair, Lurgan defeated the holders on a comfortable score-line to claim one half of their senior double. By the time the senior championship decider came around in September another nine-a-side title had been secured against rivals Knockbride in Killinkere with an impressive 3-14 to 1-7 win, but the Lurgan ladies' focus was firmly on a first ever Senior Football Championship crown for the club. On September 6, Lurgan made the stretch to First Ulsters Park, Ballyconnell, in search of a much coveted piece of silverware, where they would have to overcome the might of West Cavan Gaels to get their hands on the trophy. Hungry for that first senior championship success, Farrell's side raced into an early 1-4 to 0-0 lead thanks to Claragh Reilly's sixth minute goal, which had the ladies from Maghera and Ramor steadily on their way. Ciara Farrell's pair of points ushered Lurgan into a comfortable lead, before Bronagh Sheridan and Leanne Drumm knocked over points for the Drumlane/Templeport amalgamated outfit and Cavan ace Sharon Cassidy hit the net to throw the trailers a lifeline at half-time. Early on in the restart, Reilly had picked up where she left off by notching over another brace of points, while Lurgan's midfield pairing of Michelle Cole and Julie Cahill continued to shadow the threat of Aisling Doonan for their side. In the final quarter, West Cavan Gaels switched Sheridan to midfield and the two-time All Star nominee tested Lurgan's resolve with a brace of quick scores In a nail-biting finish, the westerners managed to bring the difference down to just a point as their efforts sailed over the bar instead of under, with Lurgan 'keeper Claire Foley in inspired form to keep out the goal efforts of Sheridan, Cassidy and Drumm. Against a tenacious breeze, Lurgan mounted an attack in response and once again Reilly was on hand to fire over point number eight of the afternoon, accounting for her impressive 1-8 tally for the day. West Cavan Gaels done their utmost to try and spoil the party, but Emma McDermott, Laura Hanratty and Eimear Gisenan were in inspired form to keep their danger forwards out, which ultimately helped them hold out for a 1-11 to 1-9 victory in the end. The full-time whistle sparked wild celebrations at First Ulsters Park with the Maghera and Ramor contingent jubilant after such a tense finale. Claire Foley would receive the 'Player of the Match' award for heroic performance between the posts for Lurgan, while Michelle Cole hoisted the Michelle Keating Cup aloft as a mark of history being made by her and her team mates on a memorable day for the club. Lurgan (Cavan SFC final v West Cavan Gaels): Claire Foley; Emma McDermott, Laura Hanratty, Siobhan O'Reilly; Eimear Gilsenan, Ann Lynch, Fiona Murphy; Michelle Cole, Julie Cahill; Ciara Brady, Claire Carpenter, Philly McDermott; Nicola O'Dwyer, Claragh O'Reilly, Ciara Farrell. Subs: Vanessa Brady and Eleanor Orminston. Under 16's make it three-in-a-row Just over a month later, Lurgan's Under 16 footballers ensured that the club would be finishing on a high note as they ousted Drumgoon by two goals to capture the Ladies Roinn B Championship title for third successive time at Kingspan Breffni Park. Fiona Skelly got Lurgan off the mark first by finishing off a fine solo run over the bar for the amalgamated side after four minutes. From there, Drumgoon began to edge things at centre-field and took a two pout lead by the quarter hour mark, before that was halved by an accurate free from the reliable Niamh Brady. The Éire Ógs continued to pick off some nice scores early, but lively attacker Emma Sommerville made sure her side remained in contention with a neat point and went one better moments later by sending in a soccer-style finish to the net on 23 minute to send here side back in front. Five minutes before the break, Lurgan's heat wave against the struggling Drumgoon defence continued to boil as another blistering move up field saw Lise Taite pounce on a mistake from the opponents' rear guard and blasted in her side's second major in as many minutes for a clear advantage. Drumgoon's never-say-die attitude saw them respond through Orla Smith, but more points from Daly and Sommerville had Lurgan going in at the break with a comfortable 2-5 to 0-6 lead to boast. As she had in the first-half, Fiona Skelly opened proceedings for Lurgan with a skilful move towards goal, which was ultimately finished over the bar to stretch the advantage. The trailers hit back with a single from Jordan Cole and the same players almost rocked the Maghera/Ramor mix when she pierced through for a chance on goal only to her effort brilliantly denied by the quick reflexes of Evelyn Baugh in the Lurgan goal. Drumgoon's determined attack continued to mount and looked to pay off when they were awarded a penalty towards the final quarter for a foul on Maggie Smith inside the square. Another Smith, Orla, stepped up to convert but blazed her spot kick over for a point instead, as Baugh stood tall. Just as Lurgan had looked to weather Drumgoon's storm, Maggie Smith hit the net on 45 minutes to cut her side's deficit down to just two points. At that an interesting finished looked to be on the cards, but it was short-lived as Lurgan responded like true champions and located Tanya Smith on the edge of the square with possession, who rifled the ball to the top corner of the net - all but sealing a third championship crown in as many years for the Virginia girls. 'The Goonies' battled hard towards injury time to try and make up the six-point difference, but with the likes of Laura Hanratty, Fiona Murphy and Siobhan O'Reilly holding firm at the back for Lurgan, there was never any doubt where the Cup would be heading for 2008. Tweet

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