After an injury-wrecked 2004, Gowna have their sights set on regaining the senior football championship crown in the year ahead, according to defender Bernard Sorohan. Write off Gowna at your peril! That's the message emanating from the south Cavan football stronghold ahead of the 2005 playing season. By Gowna's high standards, 2004 was a disappointing year. Hopes were high of another senior championship success, but a 0-9 to 0-11 defeat to neighbours Mullahoran at the semi-final stage ensured a frustrating end to the year. Gowna's failure to win a championship since 2002 has led to suggestions that they are a spent force, but this has been dismissed by defender Bernard Sorohan who argues that injuries played a big part in their demise last year. "We had a terrible year with injuries," he points out. "We had eight fellas sidelined at different stages during the year, including Mark McKeever, Dermot McCabe, Patrick Brady and Bernard Morris. I myself tore my cruciate in May and only got back playing towards the end of the championship. Dessie Brady and Cathaldus Harton were also sidelined earlier in the season with the same serious injury. "Our worst month for injuries was August when we had five lads ruled out. We still managed to reach the semi-final but I think the injuries took their toll in the end." Sorohan refuses to blame Gowna's injury woes for their championship exit at the hands of Mullahoran, though. "We could have no complaints with the defeat to Mullahoran. They took the game to us from the start and even though we got back onto level terms early in the second half, they were able to pull away again. We don't lose to them too often, but they were definitely the better team this time around," he says. Under the guidance of Davy Nelson who enjoyed senior championship success with his native Navan O'Mahony's in 1997, Gowna easily qualified from the group stages of the championship following victories over Castlerahan, Killygarry, Ramor United, Denn, Drumgoon and their eventual conquerors Mullahoran. Against Kingscourt Stars in the quarter-final at Killygarry, Gowna's greater experience and physical strength proved decisive as they powered to a 2-12 to 1-9 victory. Former All-Star Dermot McCabe was in magnificent form for the winners, finishing with a personal tally of 1-7. Davy Nelson's charges entered the semi-final against Mullahoran at Kingspan/Breffni Park as favourites to advance to yet another county decider. However, Mullahoran refused to be overawed and despite playing against a strong wind, led by 0-8 to 0-6 at the interval. Gowna upped their game at the start of the second half and by the 40th minute, had restored parity courtesy of points from McCabe and Gerard Pierson. But Mullahoran quickly regained the upperhand and held on for a two-point win, despite coming under incessant pressure from the Gowna attack in the closing stages. While acknowledging that a number of Gowna's top performers have a lot of mileage on the clock, Sorohan is convinced that they can wrest the title back from Cavan Gaels in the coming year. "We can't be as unlucky with injuries again," the 27-year-old reckons. "A lot of people seem to think that our best days are behind us and while some of us have a good few miles up, it is by and large a young team. The likes of Mark McKeever, Patrick Brady and the Maddens, Niall and Emmet, are still under 21 and they can only improve in the next few years. "Davy Nelson will be continuing as manager this year along with selectors Gary Donohue, Seamus McCabe and Terry Harton. Davy is very professional in his approach and I'd like to think he can lead us to championship success, although a lot of people will have their money on Cavan Gaels to retain the title." Of course, Nelson's predecessor Eamon Coleman enjoyed much success with Gowna and Sorohan is now hoping he can achieve similar success with the Cavan county team. "Despite their poor start to the year, there is a lot of optimism in Cavan football circles at the moment. Eamon seems to be building an excellent young team that will have their sights set on doing well in the Ulster championship this year. "Last year, they recorded a great win over Down after a replay before suffering a narrow defeat to Armagh in the next round. They should have beaten Derry in the All-Ireland qualifiers but lost their way in extra-time. There are no easy games in the Ulster championship, but you would still have to be happy with drawing Antrim in the first round this year." Sorohan, whose relation Padraig is also a capable defender, first played for the Gowna senior side in 1994. Since then, he has won senior championship medals in 1996, '99, 2000 and 2002 and would have garnered a fifth medal had he not taken a year out in 1997. "Some of the lads have all seven senior medals going back to 1988, but I still feel very privileged to have won four. I was also lucky enough to win championship medals at under 12, under 14 and under 16 level," he notes. When he's not giving his all for Gowna, Bernard is employed as a contracts manager by Gowna Construction. The company was founded by the late Sonny McGahern about 50 years ago and is now headed up by his son Pat who is a former Gowna player and sponsor. Headquartered in North Strand, Dublin 3, Gowna Construction specialises in domestic, industrial and retail construction as well as refurbishment. Recently, the company commenced a major development on the grounds of Ballyconnell House. Annagh Corporate Park will consist of industrial and commercial units, while the project will also see the construction of 42 houses consisting of town houses, semi-detached and detached. The development also includes the conversion of old stables into apartments which overlook the Shannon/Erne Waterway Canal. "It's an exciting development and we expect to have some of the new houses coming on stream in the summer of 2005," Bernard concludes. Tweet

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