Ramor United stuck together in 2002 and pluckily consolidated their top-flight status for the forthcoming season. Long-serving player and club vice-chairman David McDonnell is wholly optimistic that the lakesiders aren't too far away from rediscovering their glory days ... and few could argue with that contention. On the face of it, one could hastily conclude that 2002 was a disappointing year for Ramor United. No silverware was garnered; their league form was poor; and they only retained their senior championship status via the relegation play-offs. However, to judge the club's degree of success exclusively on those mere facts would be to look at only half the picture. Placing things into firmer context, a different outlook emerges . . . one which suggests that '02 was in fact a relative success for the Virginia satellite club and that there is every reason for optimism in the Ramor clubhouse. Shorn of as many as SEVEN county minor and under 21 stars for almost the entirety of the season ended, Ramor were always going to be up against it. They were rarely at full strength. At best, all we were ever afforded was a distorted view of their true potential. Ramor are essentially a very young side, possessing awesome potential for the future. They boost some of the most exciting young talent on show anywhere in the Breffni County and the ongoing rampant success of underage arm Lurgan demonstrates clearly that the players continue to come through on Cavan's most prolific production line. While Ramor were struggling to achieve their prime objective for the year (preservation of their senior status - a target which, let us not forget, was successfully reached), their Lurgan brothers in arms were enjoying another superb season. Certainly, a first county senior football championship since 1992 now seems closer than ever for this famous club and one suspects that it is now simply only a matter of time. Once the rich crop of talent at their disposal has fully seeped through onto the first team and matures - and the demands of underage football dissipate - we will see a very capable Ramor side emerge. They consolidated their senior championship/Division One status in 2002 - an important feat. With the younger players now that crucial year older, wiser and stronger, they have top-flight fare to look forward to again in '03. Is it any wonder midfielder and team veteran David McDonnell is in such upbeat mood when assessing the lie of the land out Ramor way? It would appear that things are looking pretty good after all: "It was our first year back up in Division One and we had a very young team, apart from maybe two or three of us. For most of the games towards the end of the season, we were fielding twelve under 21s!" An astonishing statistic! Of course, the main problem with fielding so may young players is that the team will tend to be under-developed physically, something which certainly worked against Ramor in '02: "We are still a bit on the light side," David concedes. "It'll take another couple of years before the team is at its physical peak. But the lads are going to the gym and working on building themselves up, so that will come with time." Against such a backdrop, would it be fair to conclude that Ramor did as well as might have been expected last year? "To be honest, it was still a little disappointing. I still thought we'd have won a few more games than we did, particularly in the league. I think we only won two matches in the league all season. "But, in fairness, we were never really at full strength. We were missing five county minors virtually all year as well as two under 21s for a large part of the campaign. That's a very big loss for a small club like ourselves." Indeed, it's fair to say it would represent a considerable loss to any club ... in any county. What was Ramor's aim for the year? "Having returned to Division One, we wanted to win five or six matches in the league, which we didn't manage to do. Our other objective was to avoid relegation in the championship. We managed that and I suppose that was ultimately more important as we'll now be senior again this year." In the 2002 Cavan SFC, Ramor United were in Section 3, against Bailieboro, Killygarry and Ballymachugh. They lost all three outings, thereby slipping into the relegation play-offs. David reflects: "The championship went badly. We ended up bottom of the group and under pressure, but we played okay in the relegation games, which was probably our best football of the year. We had everyone back and our performances were much more encouraging. We won two of our four matches and could easily have won all four, so the year finished on a high note." With the league and championship competitions now basically joined at the hip, the end result is that Ramor will play senior championship and Division One football again in 2003. What are their targets for the year? "We won't be getting carried away. I certainly don't think we're going to be good enough to win the championship just yet, or even to challenge for it, but we'll be able to hold our own and we'll be aiming for a Top Six place in the league. "We'll have most of our players back and will be approaching full strength again. We'll only be missing two county minors this year and, as far as I know, they're going to be made available to play for Ramor most of the time anyway. "Having said all that, we have a proud tradition and we'll still be going into the championship with our heads high. We won't be making it easy for anyone." Assisted by selector Gerry Farrelly, David's brother Kevin was manager of Ramor in 2002 and will be in charge again this term (his fourth successive year at the helm). Kevin always makes sure the players are fit and in prime physical condition to meet the challenges that lie ahead, as David testifies: Last year, we started training in January and we trained hard three times a week - Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. There was no problem with fitness going into the season, let me tell you! The younger lads started going to the gym to do weights in January this year. We are a small, light team at the moment, but the lads are determined and well disciplined and they'll build themselves up in no time." Ramor's long-term prospects are most encouraging. When the average age of the team reaches 23/24 in three or four years' time, they will surely be a force to reckon with at senior championship level. With the likes of Patrick McNamee, Philip Fitzsimons, Shane Cole and Peter Monaghan (four big names for the future) filtering through along with many others - things are without doubt looking up. David McDonnell may no longer be on the team when that potential is eventually realised (at 35, he says 2003 may well prove his last season), but the former county man has served his club exceptionally well over the years and has more than paid his dues on the field of play. Although he has done it all with Ramor already, David admits he'd love nothing more that to see United return to the Holy Grail. He won senior championships in 1985 and '92, as well as three Division One league medals, the last of which was garnered in '96. David also represented Cavan at minor, under 21 and senior levels. In 1988, he won an Ulster under 21 championship and the Breffni County went on to face Offaly in the All-Ireland final. He made the senior county panel in 1992 and played in the national football league that year. With his playing days grinding to an inexorable halt, David (following in the footsteps of his father Patsy, a former club chairman) has already made moves to give something back, this year joining the club's executive committee as vice-chairman. In that capacity, he notes: "I've always been interested in helping the club progress. Even though we have good enough facilities here at the moment, we have to start looking at improving them to cater for the ongoing expansion in the Virginia area in general. There's a rapidly growing population here and we need to respond to that. "I would hope to see Ramor winning a senior championship within the next four years. That's a realistic objective for the club at the present time. The underage club has been doing exceptionally well and that has to augur well for us. "I've been playing with Ramor since 1985 and at one stage we had no young lads at all coming through for about twelve years. There are now only two lads on the team between the ages of 21 and 30! Because we were so successful, we let the underage go. But that situation has been addressed now and we're ready to reap the fruits of all the work that has been going in." Maybe not today; maybe not tomorrow; but some day soon: watch Ramor go! Tweet

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