Despite being only 27, Brian Donohoe is one of the veterans of the Ballymachugh football team. In 2005 he'll carry a fair bit of the responsibility as his club seeks to make it back into senior ranks Hands up those among you who boast an Ulster Senior Football Championship medal. Not many takers. Ballymachugh's Brian Donohoe has one tucked away though. Back in 1997, the inspirational defender was part of Martin McHugh's all-conquering provincial title-winning Cavan squad. He was barely 20 at the time. Seven years on and the forceful central defender is still on the hunt for a medal; this time gearing himself up to win a second intermediate championship medal or if not a division two league medal. Of course, like the rest of his team-mates down Ballyheelan-way, Brian would rather still be competing at senior league and championship levels in 2005. Sadly that's not going to happen though as the Longford border side's summary relegation from the top flight means it'll be a whole new ball game for Ballymachugh this coming year. And Ballymachugh's former countyman is all too aware of just how important 2005 will be for the club's premier team: "We've had a few dismal years where we haven't made any progress and we need to turn things around. "It's very disappointing to have gone down to intermediate championship and division two league but we have to make the best of it and that means getting back up to senior at the first attempt." It seems that by the end of 2004 there was a genuine concern among Ballymachugh's rank and file that the club was in danger of making a B-line for junior ranks. It appears though that the recruitment of incoming new team-manager Gerry Brady (Gowna) has brought a new sense of optimism and ambition to the scene. "We had a good turnout at the players' meeting just after Christmas and Gerry spelt it out to us just exactly what we needed to do to get back into senior ranks. "He saw us play a few times in 2004 and he's hopeful of building on the bit of form we showed in patches then. "But we all know that managers never kicked any wides in a match and didn't commit silly fouls so it's basically down to us, the players, to change things around," the 27-year old comments. Brian, understandably, concedes that he didn't enjoy his football last year. Heavy defeats to the likes of Cavan Gaels and Ballymachughs don't exactly engender a sense of satisfaction. But, true to form, the newly-graduated primary school teacher doesn't begin to try and hide from the truth. "There wasn't the full commitment there from the squad and we got what we deserved at the end of the year. "We're representing our parish and we'll need to prepare better, on and off the pitch, in the coming year if we're to realise the potential that's in the side. "We've a lot of talented players but talk is cheap and a lot of hard work will be needed in 2005." Brian feels Ballymachugh need to attain a greater level of consistency in their performances if they are to get back on the winning track. Staying in touch with the Cavan Gaels of this world for the first half isn't good enough. "We played some good stuff in a few games, such as against Bailieboro and Cavan Gaels. "We even beat Knockbride and Castlerahan early on. "The team has to improve our mental strength and our fitness so that we can kick on for the last twenty minutes of a game. "Scoring more and keeping their forwards quieter would have to be on the agenda too but if we can string together a handful of wins in the first eight games of the league, that'll give us confidence and heart to take it on from there." Certainly with young talent such as Barry Kiernan, Paraic Galligan, Paraic Kelly and Vincent Ellis available in the coming year, the team won't lack for youthful exuberance. And with chairman Tony Tierney leading from the front and new selectors Eugene Kiernan and Dan O'Reilly the perfect foil for supremo Brady, everything seems in place along the line to help ease the players back into a winning run. Indeed with a fully equipped gym also in place at the club's Ballyheelan headquarters, the Ballymachugh players won't have anyone to blame should they fail to make considerable progress in 2005 as Brian admits: "We'll have no excuses. "Results tell the tale, at the end of the day, and you'll only get out of it what you put in and I think most of the players know that by now." Reflecting on the past year in its entirety, the Ballynarry-based teacher believes that the team showed some of its true worth in the South Ulster League, a competition he rates very highly. Brian recalls, especially, Ballymachugh's fine display in Terry Coyle Park against crack Armagh side Mullaghbawn. "I thought it was a brilliant competition and it's a pity we won't be playing against the likes of Mullaghbawn again this year. "It made for a welcome change from playing the same teams, year after year, and I think it'll become an even more prestigious competition in the years to come." The prestige associated with winning a senior championship title seems far removed from Ballymachugh's world right now, Brian admits. And that of a lot of other clubs too, he suggests. "There's no doubt that the Gaels are a few notches ahead of the rest of the clubs in the county. "They've got massive strength in depth, a huge panel, with something like ten of the players on the county panel right now. "They basically won the league title with a reserve team but it's up to all the clubs to get their act together to close the gap. "I'd like to see the Gaels push on and, if they defend their county title, win the Ulster club title. "It would be great for Cavan football if they did so," the former UCG student added. One of just a handful of survivors of the Ballymachugh team that won the 1999 intermediate championship title, Brian says that it's about time the club consolidated that title win. "We've got to look forward even though it's nice to remember the win in '99. "Back then twelve of that championship winning fifteen were under 22 but time has moved on and it's time we made an impression again. "We're facing into a few local derbies this year plus lengthy trips to Cootehill and Drumlane so it won't be easy but I think we can turn things around." But while Brian has proven himself to be one of the fittest and most resolute of players over the years, he's hoping that he'll not have to face into as many matches in 2005 as he did last year. The rock-solid defender, who prefers to play at centre-back, reckons that eleven championship games plus 13 league games, along with five South Ulster league games in 2004, was just too much. "I'd prefer to see the championship revert to groups of four but I suppose if you happened to win the championship, it wouldn't really matter how many games you had to play on the way." One wonders is Brian on his way to a recall to the senior county team? "I don't know about that. "I'd be ambitious enough to want to play for Cavan again but it's up to others to decide whether I'd be good enough. "For the meantime all I can do is play to the best of my ability with Ballymachugh and try and help the club win something." A good enough philosophy. Tweet

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