If Butlersbridge succeed in winning the 2002 Cavan Junior Football Championship, it's doubtful whether even their keenest rivals will begrudge them their passage through to the Elysian Fields. Kevin Carney talks to club chairman Paul Henry about the way forward for the 'bridge. One wonders what Butlersbridge GFC has to do to make the breakthrough in the junior football championship? No club has knocked on the door more often than the 'Bridge, at any level in Cavan football circles, without ultimately garnering some relief. The past year was yet another case of what might have beens at adult level for the 'Bridge. Another year when the bridesmaid tag was unceremoniously handed out to the club when it came around to cranking up the church organ. Frustration has been the name of the game for the proud, close-knit club now for more years than onlookers can rightly remember. Sadly for club chairman Paul Henry, he can too vividly recall just how often his beloved club has come close but not close enough to gaining entrance to the winners' enclosure: "Between league and championship competitions, we've been to seven semi-finals over the last four years and came away with nothing to show for our efforts. "People crack a joke about us being the bridesmaids but never the bride but we don't find it funny when you're being narrowly beaten when you could and should have won. "Each year we begin the season in optimistic mood and it was the same at the start of 2001 when everyone connected with the club genuinely fancied the 'bridge's chances of finally winning the championship. It wasn't to be though." Certainly, most of the county - jokers apart - wouldn't begrudge Butlersbridge their day in the sun at this point in time. They've served their time in purgatory at this stage, all would be agreed. Strangely, the window of opportunity that beckoned the club's premier group of footballers in 2001 looked even more inviting, more inveigling than it did even in other years of seemingly rich promise. Such a theory doesn't brooke much debate from the club chairman, ensconced in his current role for five heart-wrenching years: "I couldn't disagree with the notion that we were one of the favourites to lift the junior title last year. With the likes of Drumlane removed from the scene, we felt the team had the beating of any of the other sides in the championship. "Over the years, our players have gained a lot of experience and learned a lot from going so far in the competition, year after year and there was a great buzz in the camp as the year got underway. We thought everything was going smoothly right up until we were knocked out of the competition at the semi-final stage," John recalls. Certainly, the 'bridge were quoted at short odds to go the distance in the blue riband junior competition. They had the talent on the field, one suspected, and a good think-tank team in place too. "The lads were very eager, very hungry to put things right last year after so many near misses and team-manager Phelim Plunkett and his selectors Michael Cryan, Gerry McGearty and John Shannon had the lads well prepared and organised for a successful season. "I thought our panel in 2001 was probably the strongest we've had in a number of years and with the likes of Pauric McGearty coming through from the B team, we had a greater strength in depth than in years past. "Last year's team seemed to be at its peak with most of the fellas being around together for 12-15 years. We had a good mix of youth and in the likes of Paddy McGovern, the three Boylans, Paul Murphy, Daragh Keogh and Paul McCorry, we had as much experience as any team at junior level. Things looked really good at the start of the year and that's probably what made the disappointment the club suffered later on all the harder to take." Having lost out in the 2000 junior championship semi-final to Kildallan, it was hoped, and expected, by the Butlersbridge faithful that the club would go at least one step further in 2001. And in engineering an opening round championship win in mid-July in Cootehill (1-12 to 1-8) over many people's championship favourites, Drumgoon, genuine optimism swept across the bows of the success-starved north-west Cavan club. "We hadn't a bad start to the league and we were unbeaten by the time the championship came around. When we beat Drumgoon, the morale of the players and enthusiasm right throughout the club increased a lot. "Attendance by the players at training were really good and it wasn't uncommon to see over 25 lads turning up for the sessions. Maybe in beating Drumgoon, the team peaked too soon. Who knows?" Either way, victories thereafter over Maghera and Corlough did, as expected, secure a place for Butlersbridge in the quarter-finals of the championship. According to Paul when the club advanced to the semi-finals with a fine win over Cavan Gaels, the level of expectancy soared within the club. That said, there was the not-so-small matter of having to dispose of the challenge of bogey team Kildallan in the semi-finals in Killeshandra. Like Butlersbridge, the Ballyconnell-based crew had its fair share of heartache in recent times and they were determined to make up for past disappointments. In the end, a late surge by the 'bridge wasn't enough to deny the white and reds a place in the county decider as Trent Fitzpatrick fired over the winning point for the west Cavan side in injury time. "We were bitterly disappointed to go out to Kildallan in the way we did. We had lost out to them twice in the championship in the last three years so we were looking for revenge as well as a place in the final. " The most disappointing thing about that semi-final was that the match was there for the taking but the loss of Ronan Flanagan from our attack in the first half was a blow we found very hard to overcome." So what's the missing piece(s) in the jigsaw, from a 'bridge perspective? "Not much more than a wee bit of luck. We've been so close at times to making the breakthrough but the ball hasn't run kindly for us at times and we definitely didn't get the rub of the green at crucial times in the championship especially. "I think most neutrals at the match would have had to agree that we deserved to go through to the final. Even some of the Kildallan officials told us as much after the game." Mindful of the importance of having the proper structures in place at every level of the club, from underage upwards, Paul is fulsome in his praise of all the work being done by the club's juvenile committee and the imput being made by Terry Leddy in the local national school. In addition, Paul expresses his delight at the ongoing success of the lady footballers in Butlerbridge who continue to set the heather alight under the stewardship of Tom Canning. "The GAA is the knub of activity in the area and most social events revolve around the club or people involved in the club. We've a small area to pick from but the GAA is at the heart of everything that happens in and around the village. I've no doubt that the club will remain the focal point in the area for years to come," Paul concludes. Certainly, in the short-term victory in the 2002 blue riband junior competition will be the mother and father of elixirs for all sited at the coalface of football affairs at the 'bridge. Win, lose or draw though, one thing is certain - the hard core gaels in Butlersbridge won't give up the faith for want of silverware. Tweet

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