What to make of Castlerahan's year in 2004? Irish Officer Paddy McInerney says it had a bit of the curate's egg look about it. There aren't many clubs in Cavan that can boast the kind of quality at underage level that Castlerahan can muster. But the Ballyjamesduff-based outfit is desperate to make an impression at senior level. For that to happen, the talent existing at minor and under 21 levels right now will have to be given time to mature, physically and mentally, before they can be expected to launch a concerted drive for the top prizes Cavan football has to offer. So says Paddy McInerney. Castlerahan's long-serving official and is a man who has spent a lifetime coaching players at his native Redhills club and thereafter at his place of work in Denn. Paddy insists that the maroon and whites are working from a small base and that numbers aren't exactly thick on the ground. It's quality rather than quantity at Castlerahan GFC, it seems. And certainly judging by the efforts of all concerned with the football club in 2004, the cream looks to be slowly but surely rising to the surface. "We reached the minor league final and then the under 21 final so its fair to say that we've some of the best young talent in the county. "We'd hope that a lot of those fellas will get stronger and be in a position to strengthen the senior panel over the next couple of years. "There's not a lot of competition for places on the senior team right now and if three or four are missing, the team suffers a lot." Reflecting on Castlerahan's travails at senior level over the course of the past year, Paddy says the team "had a bad start but recovered to finish well at the end of the year." At the outset of the year, things did go a bit pear shaped fairly early on for Castlerahan's as their form in the novel South Ulster League wasn't of the earth-shattering variety. "The team didn't win any of their matches in the South Ulster League which got them off to a bad footing. "Injuries early in the year didn't help confidence in the camp either," Paddy explains. And yet an opening round win in the All County Football League over Kingscourt was much more promising. Sadly victory over the Stars proved to be a false dawn and a string of defeats in the senior league was suffered and when team-manager Gene Cusack broke his ties with the club, by mutual consent, it looked as if 2004 was on the cusp of turning really sour for the maroon and whites. With the return to the helm of former favourite Tony Brady, things slowly but surely picked up for Castlerahan and victories in a couple of league games served to patch up morale in the camp. As the season gathered pace, Castlerahan's finest turned their attention to the blue riband championship fare. "We thought the team had a good enough chance of making it through to the quarter-finals," Paddy says. Instead, the team was destined to have to stave off the threat of relegation. "We were in trouble in the championship early on and never really looked like qualifying for the quarter-finals. "A heavy defeat to Cavan Gaels took a lot out of the team. "But the players stuck with it and showed enough determination to beat Ballymachugh in a relegation play-off." Grave disappointment then for the 2001 intermediate championship winners. But there were genuine mitigating factors. For instance, team-manager Tony Brady had to try and work the oracle without the services for much of the season of county minors Cian Mackey, Ronan Flanagan, Paudie Reilly and Daniel Lynch. Their value to the senior team became all the more evident once they became available later in the season. Having tasted senior championship fare in 2003 - the first time in three decades - Castlerahan have been finding the going tough at the highest level. In that respect, Paddy hasn't been that surprised. "It's a big step-up from intermediate to senior and with not all the lads available during the summer, it was all the more difficult. Brian Mulvey was another big loss. "The team hadn't got Alan Mulvey or Finian Callaghan either and Sean Brady was injured for a good part of the year. "There's a good mix of youth and experience in the team though with the likes of John Clarke and Sean Fitzpatrick important and experienced players. "They seemed to play better in the last part of the year with their victory over Knockbride doing a lot to restore confidence. "Training got better after that match and there seemed to be a better spirit in the camp." As is his wont, Paddy still finds much to remain optimistic about when he looks at the overall picture. He is greatly impressed by the level of skill and potential inherent in the club's minor squad that went all the way to the minor league final, only to lose out to Lurgan. "A lot of those fellas have won county medals at under 12, 14 and 16 and they should be an even stronger outfit this year. "They're a very disciplined group of players as well as being talented. "They've a lot of potential and it would be important that the older players on the current senior team stayed on for another couple of years at least to give the minors time to compete for their places on the senior team. "The young fellas have the skill and if they grow a bit and put on a bit of weight, they'll be big additions to the club in the years to come." The achievement of the club's under 21 side also adds to Paddy's innate sense of optimism. The club's comprehensive 3-10 to 0-5 victory over Lurgan indicates the class within the side. With players of the calibre of Fiachra Cork, Emmet McBreen, Fiachra Sweeney, Sean and Paul Brady plus Dane Smith, Daniel Lynch, Cian Mackey and Enda Mulvey, it was hoped that Castlerahan would go the distance in the under 21 championship. And victory thereafter over Erne Gaels by 1-13 to 2-5 - the goal coming from Enda Mulvey - duly secured the side a place in the final with Cavan Gaels. Sadly defeat (0-7 to 2-7) was the club's lot in the decider. "For us to have won the final, the players needed to play to their potential and take all their chances. "There was an opportunity to put Cavan Gaels under real pressure during the match but unfortunately the moment was lost," the Redhills native explains. So where does Castlerahan rank in Cavan football circles, all told? "I think there's a big gap between the Gaels and the rest of the clubs in the county. "The Gaels have raised the bar over the years with the quality of their work at underage level and it's up to every other club to work just as hard. "After the Gaels, there's not a lot between anyone. "We could hold our own, on our day, with the likes of Gowna and Mullahoran. "We beat Bailieboro in the 2003 senior championship but the team needs to recover that sort of form this year coming." While convinced that the quality of coaching at clubs across the county has risen beyond recognition over the last ten to fifteen years, Paddy is at a loss to determine just why the Breffni Blues haven't won the Ulster minor football championship since 1974. He feels that on a number of occasions in the recent past, the county minors have been unlucky in attempting to regain the provincial crown. In this regard, he remembers in particular when would-be All-Ireland champions Derry nicked a last minute fisted goal at Kingspan/Breffni Park to deny John Tierney and co. "I think we need to get a few more players with a bit of strength and height up through the middle. "Self-belief seems to be missing among Cavan minor teams too and maybe teams from across the border have been showing that bit more of a desire to win." Has the current Castlerahan squad the necessary desire to win? "I think so. I've no doubt but that they'll retain their senior championship status this year and I'll be surprised if they don't at least qualify for the play-off stages." Tweet

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