Virginia VS were again the dominant force in schools football during 2008. We take a look back at what was a competitive year. Virginia seniors underpin pedigree A 50th minute goal from team-captain Darren Smith proved to be the vital score as Virginia successfully retained (1-11 to 0-12) their senior county title despite a bravura display by St. Aidan's Comprehensive School at Kingspan/Breffni Park. Smith put the ball away with calculated delicacy - after being put through by the vision of team-mate Emmet Fitzsimons - to put Virginia on their way to a 9th successive blue riband county title. Virginia went about their work with due diligence and a vaulting ambition which ran through their team like a silver lining on a 50 euro note. Three unanswered points between the 14th and 18th minutes, the latter from the impressive Jack Brady, had Virginia two points in front, 0-5 to 0-3, for the first time in the match. The would-be champions would lose and then regain this two point advantage twice more in the match but Cootehill's tenaciousness and an inability by Virginia to cut their opponents adrift ensured that nothing more than a goal ever separated the sides. The first goal chance didn't arrive 'till the 22nd minute when Cootehill threatened but Alan Treacy reacted best in the Virginia goal to hoover up a well-aimed shot and clear with some aplomb. But then Cootehill upped the ante with a point to leave the sides deadlocked at 0-5 apiece. Virginia showed the mark of champions by upping the ante each time the Saints threatened to steal into the lead and fine points by Chris Shiels and Jack Brady had the champions going into the second half two points in front once more. The sides were still level, 0-7 to 0-7, by the 39th minute, mainly because of a great block effected by a Cootehill defender to deny Shane Tierney's point-blank shot for goal in the 37th minute. Virginia crept back into a two point lead but two Cootehill points meant that stalemate was the name of the game yet again. Cue Darren Smith's aforementioned intervention. It was a goal as significant as it was simple. With just under ten minutes to play, Virginia looked oh so comfortable in the driver's seat. Virginia made it clear they weren't for turning. A clear 'no surrender' oozed from the Virginia ranks as they circled the wagons in a bid to maintain their slender lead. All but the proverbial kitchen sink was fired in Virginia's direction but St. Aidan's just couldn't turn the tide with Shane Tierney notching a vital point and then man-of-the-match Emmet Fitzsimons putting the tin hat on it for Virginia. Virginia College (Snr final v Cootehill); Alan Treacy; Enda Farrelly, Aoghan Daly, John Brady; Garry Denning, Colm Murphy, Ruairi O'Connell; Jack Brady (0-3), Greg Kerrigan; Darren Smith (1-0), Chris Shiels (0-1), Kevin McCabe; Simon Cadden (0-1), Emmet Fitzsimons (0-5), Shane Tierney (0-1). Subs used; Shane O'Reilly (0-1); Adam O'Connell. U16s reach the summit A virtuouso Virginia display saw Bailieboro Community School lose out by 1-5 to 0-10 in a cracking U16 Vocational Schools finat at Kingscourt last December. Virginia's success meant that the college achieved a clean sweep of Vocational Schools titles in 2008. Virginia began on the frontfoot, hitting the ground running and racing into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead inside the opening 13 minutes with points from James Bradley, Sean Lawless and Enda Flanagan. Solid defending thereafter kept Bailieboro mostly at bay which allowed Kevin Mulvaney to pop up and put Virginia four points clear. Virginia remained on top and then Jack Brady eased them into a 0-6 to 0-1 lead after 27 minutes before young Flanagan scored his second point to make it a six points game just moments later. Bailieboro worked hard to chisel out a foothold and managed to narrow their deficit to five at the interval but then a speedy start to the second half saw Virginia once again go seven points clear by the 35th minute. After Jack Brady edged Virginia 0-9 to 0-2 in front, Bailieboro enjoyed their best period of the match and they cut the winners-elect's lead to just four points when they were awarded a penalty kick. However Aaron Farrelly made a fine save from the spot kick only to be beaten just minutes later to leave just a minimum between the two teams. Like true champions, Virginia rolled up their sleeves in a defiant manner and in a sweet counter attack Cian McEnroe stroked over a free, after he himself was fouled, which sealed the win after a pulsating hour's action. Virginia College (U16 final v Bailieboro); Aaron Farrelly; Stephen Keogan, Niall Patterson, Ciaran O'Connell; Darren Lynch, Adam O'Connell, Padraig Flanagan; Kevin Mulvaney, James Bradley; Cian McEnroe, Enda Flanagan, Sean Lawless; Darragh Wright, Jack Brady, Ryan Clarke. Virginia College cements pre-eminent position Back in 1969/70, underage football in county Cavan got a boost when competition at Vocational Schools level was re-organised. Virginia lay down the gauntlet from the off The first senior Vocational Schools final saw Virginia get the better of their counterparts in Cavan town. Between 1969 and '75, Virginia would remain unbeaten in senior schools fare. Winding the tape fast-forward, Virginia remain on top of the pile at the top level with yet another victory in the senior Vocational Schools football final. For good measure, the east Cavan football behemoth also annexed the U14 and U16 crowns to complete a clean sweep of titles. Here's how the titles were won: In early December, Virginia College's U14 footballers firmly embellished their school's football pedigree at Kingspan/Breffni Park when they withstood a concerted comeback from Cootehill's St. Aidan's Comprehensive to land the county title by dint of a 3-8 to 2-8 scoreline. A goal after barely three minutes - notched in soccer style - from Wayne Delaney had the Virginia fans warming their hands in appreciation on an evening borrowed from Siberia. The lights remained stuck on green for the red and blacks as the first quarter gathered pace and a second goal for them in the 8th minute, scored by Darren Donegan, served to cement their place in the driver's seat. Things got worse before they got better for the green and whites but a huge chink of light emerged for them inside 90 seconds when they blasted home two goals. From a basement bottom position, Cootehill were now only a point adrift, 2-1 to 2-2, and their gritty fightback was climaxed by the 28th minute with two points putting them in front for the first time. Virginia held firm and Tomas Cooney and Padraig McManus continued to chisel out the majority of possession for their side with their superior strength and running power giving Virginia a major foothold in the cockpit. In a textbook counter-attack, a long, teasing ball was fetched quite brillantly by Tomas Cooney close to the Cootehill goal and with one clever lay-off he put Conor Bradley through for an equally cheeky finish to the net. Virginia's dynamism was maintained on the restart as they sought to consolidate their 3-2 to 2-2 interval lead with vim and vigour. Virginia were in luck when Cootehill struck the post in the 39th minute and in the follow up the Saints were denied another goal chance by a cluster of Virginia players. With 51 minutes on the clock, Virginia's lead was cut to just three points, 3-6 to 2-6. Cootehill enjoyed the major part of possession in the final ten minutes but while Virginia's defence bent, crucially it didn't break under quite consistent pressure. Conor Bradley then gave Virginia some relief with a neat point in the 58th minute. However Cootehill pointed to leave just two between the sides on the hour mark but then young Bradley replied less than 40 seconds later for the would-be winners. Cootehill were out of luck with a last-ditch shot at goal in the dying seconds but the game was up on Cootehill and Virginia were left to celebrate yet another schools title. Virginia College (U14 final v Cootehill); Cillian Cahill; Dominic Clowes, Liam Gordon, Brian O'Connell; Mark Magee, Tomas Farrelly, Mark Farrelly; Tomas Cooney (0-2), Padraig McManus; Conor Bradley (1-2), Patrick Burdis, Cormac Daly (0-1); Darren Donegan (1-1), Richard Foley (0-1), Wayne Delaney (1-1). Subs used; Micheal Smart; Cathal Maguire; Killian McEnroe; Darren Cooney. Tweet

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