For those who are involved in football, whether it be directly with club or county, or as a supporter, there is is one common word constantly used to describe what is needed to achieve success, and that is the word passion. A simple word which is easily rolled of the lips but difficult to instill. It is a virtue that is found in abundance with the south west Cavan club, Gowna. Proud holders of eight senior championships dating back from 1988 up to the present, having won the senior double (league and championship), as recently as 2002. For such a small parish to have spanned sixteen years in the top flight speaks volumes to the men and women behind the scenes, the players in the parish, throughout that era, who have managed to hand over a quiet but determined commitment to their game of gaelic football. Like all parishes throughout Ireland, football is a talking point, but as Dermot McCabe once said prior to an Ulster club championship final, "remember lads, we have come a long way with a long way to go and all this is achieved from a half a parish not much bigger than the size of your bootlace". The mere fact that McCabe, who is recognised as the best player in Cavan, was still looking at how much further they had to go, is testimony that they feel they have not come to the end of their glorious era. While the present Gowna team, are labelled, incorrectly, with the tag as being "too old" and over the hill, the infusion of youth and experience has been a blend that is difficult to beat. While a number of players on the senior squad are on the wrong side of 30, many of the present team are just out of their teens. Considering that nearly all young players in Gowna, 17 - 21 have already won at least one senior championship, then you have a young experienced team. Aligned this data with the inescapable fact that they have among their ranks some of the best young talent in the county. Already, a number of their 'young guns' have made it into the senior county panel. Gerald Pierson, has proved to be an outstanding prospect, setting the inter-county scene alive last year, with his scoring feats in the Ulster U-21 championship, and his smooth transition to the senior ranks was only interrupted by an injury which sidelined him for a great deal of the summer campaign, both at county and club level. The other talented players to come to prominence are Mark McKeever and Paddy Brady. Brady, despite carrying a dibiltating injury which was to hamper the progress of his rich talent, and eventually necessitated surgery which ruled him out of all football for over six months, while the mercurial McKeever, has no problem displaying at this young stage of his career the rich talent he is. Both, hopefully, will prove two great assets to the Cavan senior team in the coming seasons. While the 2002 season was a pinnacle of success, wrenching back the championship from 'old rivals', Cavan Gaels who had defeated them in the 2001 final, the manner in which they achieved victory was stunning and probably one of their best displays at this level in the history of the club. The impressive final display, only proved to be what all victories are, fleeting, and the season of 2003 which promised much, was to fall flat on its face. Working from a small panel of players, any disruption to the composition of the panel can have a knock-on effect. This was to be case throughout the 2003 season. Injuries were to prove to be the one real cause of their undoing in the latter part of the championship campaign. With Dermot McCabe, such an influential figure at club level, spending the summer in America, Gowna showed their true character in his absence and with players like Brady, Pierson, and McKeever all carrying injuries, the team under the captaincy of Fergal Hartin were quick to wish Dermot the best of luck on his sojourn and set about the task of making it to the semi-final stages when he would be available again. Many clubs would have viewed Gowna, with the absence of McCabe, as beatable, but performances of heroic proportions by Bernard Morris, Fergal and Gavin Hartin along with the young brothers, Niall and Emmet Madden, Gearoid O'Reilly, Bernard Sorohan, and Ciaran Fitzpatrick were instrumental in paving championship victories. Easing their way through the first round game in their group against Ramor Utd., the defending champions met much stiffer opposition in their next game when they took on Belturbet and with the knowledge that the Rorys had won the last three encounters, two league games and a championship tie, Gowna were well prepared. Playing with a commitment not seen since the day they won the county final, they completely annihilated the Belturbet threat and were so dominant in the first half that they kept the east Cavan side scoreless until a minute before half-time. This victory set Gowna up for the knock out stages and a quarter-final clash with the talented but inconsistent Crosserlough team. Wary of the threat that Crosserlough posed, Gowna were up for this game and it took all their football experience, with Christy Madden giving a virtuoso display at wing back to help fashion a way through into the quarter-finals. However, it must be honestly said that only for two magnificent saves by goalkeeper, Ronan Bannon, Gowna could have easily lost this fixture. With the return of Dermot McCabe for the championship semi-final clash against, 'old rivals' Cavan Gaels, it looked as if the lakesiders could retain their title despite the awesome threat from the town team. However, this hope was badly dented with the news that McCabe was troubled by the crippling injury known as 'Gilmore's Groin'. Heading into such a daunting task of having to play against tough opposition with a players of the calibre of McCabe, Paddy Brady, McKeever all carrying injuries, the task indeed was going to be challenging. The return of the influential Ciaran Brady after injury, was a bonus but in a full blooded display by both sides, Gowna were denied passage into the final when Anthony Forde converted a sixth minute injury time free to bring the game into a replay. In a replay that was played a week later, Gowna were to suffer a further setback at a crucial time in proceedings when centre-back, Ciaran Brady was sidelined for an alleged late tackle. With McCabe struggling up front through injury and Brady at midfield suffering with leg injury the Gaels were quick to stamp their authority on the game and in a ten minute blitz put themselves into a commanding position to advance to the final. With their backs against the wall and the town side rampant and looking as if they would overwhelm the depleted lakesiders, Gownas passion, stemmed the tide and although beaten, they went under by only five points in the end. The Gaels, who went on to be crowned county champions with their victory over Mullahoran, were to prove to be undoing of Gowna in the league quarter-final when they sides met at Terry Coyle Park. This was a game that despite having to field a fledging team Gowna could deem themselves unlucky not to have come away with a victory on that occasion. Two penalty misses and three players dismissed left the game in the balance right up to the final whistle. So ended Gowna's year at senior competition but as a club their run in the junior league was moving with great pace under team manager, Martin McKeever. With Dessie Brady, Joe Brady, Bernard Morris and Larry Brady back-boning a determined side which included the Sorohan brothers, Jim and Padraig, Raymond Keogh, Barry Martin, Willie Stephens, the 'evergreen' Terry Harten and Kevin Madden only lost out in the semi-final against Killinkere in injury time by a point. Gowna, who failed to reach a final in their own right this year will refuse to ponder on the negative fallout of defeat and have already put in place what they hope will be a successful package for the coming year. With the loss of team manager, Eamon Coleman, as much part of the Gowna psychic as he is of Derry folklore, trainer Tony Dunne and hard working selectors Seamus McCabe and Kevin Madden, the club have held onto the services of committed clubman and selector, Gary Donoghue to help ease the passage of new team manager, Davy Nelson for the coming season. Behind every successful team, there is a hard working group of officials who rarely ever get the chance to bask in the light of success and is no exception in Gowna. With Phillip O'Reilly officiating as chairman the club have a determined policy maker, who has a great feel for the game and a realistic outlook for his own club. The quietly spoken but equally determined Phillip will do everything in his power to see the club achieve further success. His workload is shared by a very active and extremely efficient secretary, Peter Sheils. His work-rate is equal to the commitment shown on the playing field and his pleasant manner has earned him the respect that he deserves. The Morris tradition with the club is not the sole reserve of Bernard, as his sister Aileen is a hard-working assistant secretary, never missing a club meeting or function and as a fund-raiser is second-to-none. With the sudden death of one of the great Gowna figures, treasurer Brendan Finlay, his position was filled by another softly spoken gentleman, Seamus Sheils. The two common denominators among the present top table is their reserve nature and passionate commitment to the Gowna club. Their stewardship and the resolve of the players, both young and old will see this proud club a real force to be reconed with again this coming season and no doubt the defending champions will be very aware of their potential threat to their crown. Tweet

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