After a few disappointing seasons, Killinkere turned the corner with some spirited displays in 2003. Their league form was particularly impressive. The Green & Golds will be amongst the favourites for intermediate championship honours during the months ahead - and they certainly boast facilities worthy of senior football! Killinkere GFC made notable strides on all fronts during 2003. On the field, they finished top of Division Two and rediscovered the winning touch that had practically deserted them for the previous two seasons. They won the Castlerahan Tournament but a couple of below par displays prematurely put paid to their IFC ambitions. Still, their form in general was convincing and Killinkere have laid down a clear signal of intent for campaigns to come. On the development front, Killinkere were equally productive. The second pitch is now virtually completed and the Green & Golds have facilities to rival most clubs in the Breffni County. Not a bad year's work by any standards! Brian Clarke was Player of the Year in 2003 and he also doubles up as assistant secretary. Though determined not to lose the run of himself on the back of one encouraging campaign, he looks back on the events of '03 with a tremendous amount of satisfaction: "There were very few positives to draw from the last couple of seasons, so 2003 was definitely a step in the right direction. We got ourselves back into a winning mindset and hopefully we're now in a good position to strike for a return to senior football. Okay, we could have done better and the championship was obviously a big disappointment, but all in all it was a big improvement on recent years." That's the key: Killinkere may not have set the world alight but they did show blatant signs of improvement. Brian takes the story up: "We started alright and had a great run in Division Two of the league, winning something like nine or ten games in a row at the start, and finished top of the table. But there was no promotion in the league last year, which was a complete joke, and we lost interest at that stage. "We didn't progress beyond the group stages of the intermediate championship and that was very disappointing, as the championship was our main priority. We hoped to make an impact - especially considering how well we were doing in the league - but we paid the price for a couple of poor performances. "We lost to Drumlane and Butlersbridge, after beating Cootehill in our first game. We were annoyed with ourselves because we had beaten both Drumlane and Butlersbridge in the league. They both upped their game for the championship but we weren't able to, and it's something we'll have to learn from. "Winning the Castlerahan Tournament was probably the highlight of our year and that success showed just what we're capable of on our day. To win it, we beat Crosserlough and Killygarry, who are both senior, and Denn, who went on to win the intermediate championship. That took place in May and we played some good football - but perhaps we peaked a little too early." Structure-wise, 2003 was a strange year in Cavan. There was no possibility of getting promoted in the league, much to Killinkere's obvious dismay! "The way the system was last year the only way to get up was to win the intermediate championship and move up to senior. Once our championship didn't come to fruition, our season was over as there was nothing left to play for. The league had effectively been reduced to a series of challenge matches. "They have reverted to the old system again for the current year and I think everybody is a lot happier. Of course, we're under no illusions after finishing top of Division Two last year. We know a lot of teams held back in the league and it may have been a different scenario had there been a legitimate prize to play for. When it came to the championship, the other clubs were able to step it up a gear whereas we couldn't". Killinkere brought in an outside manager in the person of one Tom Keague from Meath. Tom's assistant was Martin McGovern and the pair will take charge again in '04. Brian notes: "A lot of clubs seem to benefit from bringing in outside influences and we decided that a new approach would do no harm. Tom freshened things up and his appointment had the desired effect. He has an outstanding personality and he gelled the team together. Over the course of the year, we won something like 15 or 16 matches all told, which represents big strides forward. We probably only won three or four games the previous two seasons. "We've got used to winning games again and we're hoping to apply that in 2004." From a personal point of view, Brian Clarke enjoyed his best season in a long time and was rewarded accordingly with the club's Player of the Year accolade. The 27-year-old corner forward burst onto the scene as a prodigious 18-year-old but moved away from the area shortly afterwards and never really fulfilled his potential on the football field. However, he's back living locally and is playing arguably the best football of his career, which is good news for everyone associated with Killinkere GFC. At committee level, Brian is assistant secretary and his father Brendan is club chairman. Regarding the club's reserve team, Brian is not slow in pointing out that a superb effort was delivered in 2003: "Our reserves played in Division One of the reserve league and they reached the final, which was played in late December. They beat Gowna after a replay in the semi-final but lost to Cavan Gaels in the final. We were up against the big boys in that and it was a great achievement for a club such as ourselves, from a small area. "Our underage structures have been strong for a number of years now and we're holding things together at adult level so we can feed the players through. Overall, the club structure is good and we're optimistic about the future." Realistically, what are Killinkere's objectives for 2004? "We will look at 2003 as a big step forward and we want to build on that. We should be challenging for the intermediate championship, and the league will have more meaning as well. There are two prizes to aim for, but obviously the championship is the main one. "We'll set our stall out. We're quietly confident and we feel that we've turned the corner with a new young team and a point to prove. There are a few lads around the same age as myself, but the majority of the team are still in their early 20s, so we have the nucleus of a team that should be here for another five years or so. The team will get stronger physically and mentally, so there's plenty of cause for optimism." Club chairman Brendan Clarke is pleased with the level of progress made on the development front in 2003: "We've made a lot of progress with the development of our second pitch and we're hopping to finish the project completely either this year or early in 2005. We've spent in the region of 150,000 euro to date. "The new [second] pitch is re-seeded and there's a running track going around it. We still have to install the lighting and the boundary but it's a very impressive facility, on 40 acres of grounds." As the original pitch is also due a facelift, the coming on stream of the second playing surface will give the club much-needed breathing space. Notes Brendan: "There's a lot of demand on the fields, with teams from U10 up to minor and U21 as well as the two adult sides. The ladies football is also becoming very popular, so the demand on our facilities is enormous and the new pitch is a godsend." Killinkere also boast an impressive clubhouse, with full-size hall, meeting room and bar facilities. Returning finally to the playing front, the club chairman has high hopes for 2004: "With the exception of one bad performance in the championship, we did well in 2003, and I believe they can win the intermediate championship this year. Killinkere are good enough to play senior football. Apart from Gowna and Cavan Gaels, we would be a match for most senior clubs in Cavan." Looks like Killinkere are on their way back. Tweet

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