Drumlane clubman Brian Seagrave wears lots of hats, on and off the field of play, but he never fails to show his true colours. As someone who is engaged in the engine-room of affairs at Drumlane Sons of O'Connell, Brian Seagrave recognises only too well the importance of staving off relegation. The smile on his face as he departed Drumalee last November on seeing his beloved club defeat Cootehill Celtic in their ACFL Division Two relegation play-off told a tale. "That was a huge win, very important for the club," the man-of-many-posts comments. "And I mean that as no disrespect to any of the clubs operating out of division three. "It meant everything for us to stay in division two for 2006, especially with the opening up of a one million euros park and community centre, complete with Prunty pitch." Brian rates that aforementioned decisive relegation play-off win over Cootehill as being the club's most important since the JFC title was annexed in 2001. Ironically it was because the club failed to show the same sort of consistency that propelled them to the ACFL division three tile in 2000 that got them into trouble in 2005. "It was crazy the way the league went for us," declares the popular Belturbet-based shopkeeper and milk round owner. "We started off really well in the league and were lying in second place after seven matches, having drawn with the likes of Drumalee and lost by just a point to Ballinagh. "That was the kind of form that looked like getting us promotion but, instead, it was those two teams that went up to division one and we ended up fighting relegation." Of course, the club's whole year was overshadowed by the tragic death on October 2nd last of their erstwhile full-back Patrick Sheridan and Brian readily acknowledges its significance. "It'd be hard for someone outside the club to imagine the effect Patrick's death had on everyone connected to the club," the former county under 21 player reveals. "Patrick's last match for us was against Laragh United in Cornafean and he was a shining light and he's a huge loss to his family, to the club and to the community as a whole and morale in the area really slumped after the funeral." Pressed to identify other possible reasons for the club's end of year decline , Brian - son of Percy Seagrave who captained Belturbet to their very first championship title in 1937 - reckons the "seven-to-eight week break during the summer months didn't help." "There was almost a two month gap from the time we played Drung in the first round of the intermediate championship 'till we played Cuchullains and Ballyhaise. "It was a hard group with those teams being a lot of people's favourites to go all the way and the fact that a couple of our best players were on holidays in the run up to those games meant that the team wasn't as prepared as it might have been and it showed," adds the husband of Teemore-born lady Angela and father of Darragh (under 14 and under 16), Ciaran (under 10 and under 12s), Aine and Laura. As things panned out, Drumlane were well hockeyed by Cuchullains but really ought to have gotten something out of the Ballyhaise game after a good first three-quarters. "Losing in the championship is always a real downer for teams and our form plummeted after the championship and the heads went down," 47-year old Brian comments. And yet the hoops proceeded to show that in 2005 they had the capacity to dig themselves out of a hole of their own making by escaping the IFC relegation trap-door. In the subsequent meeting with Laragh United in the IFC relegation play-off semi-final, Darryl McConnell was in inspired form as the west Cavan lads worked the oracle. Again though, it was a dramatic and nail-biting dish served up Drumlane's finest to their loyal supporters as they saw their charges trail by 0-1 to 0-7 after 20 minutes. Meanwhile Drumlane's travails on the league front continued unabated as summer turned to autumn and the screw began to be tightened by the basement bottom teams. Incredibly, despite requiring just a single league point from their seven remaining matches to reach the safety zone, Drumlane huffed and puffed before eventually doing the needful against Cootehill, even if - in their hour of greatest need - they never looked like allowing their opponents to squirm off the hook. "There's no doubt that the lads saved their season in the games against Laragh and Cootehill but they'll have to do a hell of a lot better, and be more consistent, in 2006. Brian has no fears that the Sons of O'Connell will show their worth in the coming season and he is convinced that, with a full strength team, they will do very well next year. Having quality players like Barry Cunningham, Barry Corrigan and Darryl McConnell on board for the whole season will go a long way to helping Drumlane's cause in '06. "The team showed glimpses of its potential in the past year against the likes of Laragh and Cootehill but, in fairness, nine of the team was under 20 years of age. "I'd like to see us going it alone at under 21 level in the coming year because I think we're fit to take part at that level in 2006 without the help of Belturbet and Kildallan. "Along with the nine lads who player at intermediate level last year, we should have four or five of the 2005 minors coming through for this year at under 21 level. "I'm a great believer in going it alone if you can because I think it benefits a club and benefits the players," says the 2004 IFC final (Lacken v Drung) referee. "I remember a few years ago, Munterconnacht weren't exactly flush with players but they persevered and they've turned the corner in winning the division three this year "Their situation over the years has been a bit like ours in that numbers aren't great any year and that showed again for us in 2005 when we struggled to get out a B team. "To be honest attendances at training could have been better and I think the players would accept themselves that there's a bit of soul-searching to be done for 2006." Given the team's recent track record at league and championship levels, one suspects the players could hardly have lacked ambition or drive? "No, I think the panel might have approached the possibility of suffering relegation with the view that 'it couldn't happen to us' and that approach seemed to last a long time." But they were 'up for it' when push came to shove against Cootehill: "Relegation play-offs are like championship matches in that they're all about attitude and Drumlane's attitude was very good against Cootehill in Drumalee. "The team played particularly well that day, especially in the latter half of the field and I personally always felt that we had the edge on the day. "The players under-performed in a big way during the year but fortunately they showed when it really mattered that they're a better than a division three team." Interestingly, the club's current PRO and county board delegate believes the Drumlane Class of 2005 would find it difficult to survive in division one had it won promotion. Still, the Staghall-born gael is optimistic that Drumlane will be able to hold their own at the highest level in Cavan in the not too distant future. Brian points to up-and-coming talent like Dane O'Dowd, John Fitzpatrick and John O'Dowd as proof positive that Drumlane's days in the limelight may not be too far away. "There's a good enough blend in the current squad but there'll be more competition for places in the next couple of years and that can only be good for the team." Winner of a Rannafast Cup medal in his student days at St. Pat's, Cavan and a county under 14 medal with the Sons of O'Connell, Brian says winning isn't everything but... "I know from working, along with PJ Leddy - with the local under 13 and under 14 teams over the last couple of years just how much youngsters like to succeed. "Practically all success at adult level stems from good work at underage level and I know everyone at Drumlane has seen that work out in practice over the years. "With a bit of luck and continued hard work we'll keep producing good enough young stuff to keep a supply line of talent for the seniors." Leave it to Drumlane's popular referee and all-round GAA workaholic to do his level best in that respect and a lot more besides. Tweet

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