Cavan's Under 21 footballers made a brave bid for provincial championship honours in 2002 but crippled by injuries and deserted by lady luck, their quest for honours ultimately came unstuck at the death. We will have a strong squad again in 2003. But what is most disappointing was that we had a team to win the title this year. But we had an incredible run of injuries." Just like the way he used to play the game, outgoing Cavan under 21 team-manager John Brady prefers not to take the circuitous route in making his point. Not for the Laragh clubman the business of dancing around the issue, pussy-footing to the left of the obvious. One can almost sense the feeling of regret of a missed opportunity as the former senior county star reflects on what was so very nearly a year of unbridled joy for the county's elite under 21 players. Of course, the word elite must be put into context in this instance for not all of Brady's first-choice players actually finished the job they started at the tail-end of last March. Cavan impressed in careering to the Ulster decider but were forced to line out without the services of defenders Michael Hannon (Drumgoon), Darryl McConnell (Drumlane), Michael Brides (Redhills), Enda King (Cavan Gaels) and Patrick Brady (Gowna) - all established first-teamers. Ultimately, John Brady's dream of kick-starting a bright new dawn for underage football in Cavan came unstuck. In the heel of the hunt, Brady's claim that Dame Fortune went missing at the most important juncture in the year brooks no debate. Life wasn't kind to the Breffni Blues' under 21 gallant crew in 2002. Brady and co.'s bow in the Ulster decider represented Cavan's last chance of scooping some provincial championship silverware in 2002. A campaign which had begun at a cracking pace, was carried on with great gusto and enthusiasm but was sadly tripped up by fixture chaos as the championship progressed saw Cavan come close but not quite close enough to adding to the title last won by the county in 1986. "We gave it our best shot. The lads gave us 100 per cent commitment during the year and I can't fault them for their efforts. It was difficult for them to remain focussed for the duration of the campaign because of the stop-start nature of the championship but they showed the kind of ability they have and I'm sure they'll put their disappointment behind them to come back with a vengeance in the years to come," the team-manager commented. It all looked so rosy though as Cavan's young guns opened their account with a handsome 0-12 to 0-5 victory over Armagh at Breffni Park. In a game which never really caught fire, the homesters were rarely troubled but Cavan's inability to kill off their opponents was reflected in the tally of 16 wides recorded by the blues. With the benefit of the strong breeze, Cavan dominated the first half and fairly sprinted from the blocks to build up a commanding 0-5 to 0-1 lead after just 17 minutes. Despite proceeding to consolidate their near-like stranglehold on the exchanges, Cavan were still restricted to a four point lead, 0-6 to 0-2, at half-time with Mark McKeever, Gerald Pierson, Philip Smith and Sean Brady finding the scoresheet. The first half came to a worrying conclusion for the homesters in fact when key forward Sean Pierson had to retire with an ankle injury. The Gowna hitman was replaced by Knockbride's John Tierney. Pierson's withdrawal and the spectre of having to face the gusting wind on the restart didn't exactly make for a worry-free Cavan camp at the interval. Fortunately for Cavan, the Orchard County improved only marginally in the second-half. An early effort by the visitors' Cormac Clarke was quickly cancelled out by a nice point by Castlerahan's Sean Brady. From there on, it was obvious that Cavan had the football nous to negate Armagh's best efforts. And so it proved with Armagh scoring just once more while Mark McKeever, Sean Maguire, Sean Brady (0-3), Eamon Reilly and Alan Mulvey all getting on the scoresheet to ease their team home safely. "I was aware before the game that Armagh were not as strong as in previous years but I was still concerned. "The important thing was to win and the players did what they had to do to qualify for the semi-final," the hard-working team-manager reflected. Cavan's next challenge saw them pitted against Donegal in what turned out to be a torrid semi-final clash in Ballybofey. Hot on the heels of Cavan's sparkling NFL semi-final defeat of Roscommon, the mood among the under 21 players was understandably buoyant. Like their senior counterparts, Cavan's younger brigade did most of their best work in the first half en route to securing a non-too flattering 0-14 to 0-10 victory. In a game played in ideal conditions, Cavan opened at a cracking pace, rarely allowing Donegal out of their own half and really impressing over the course of the first half at the end of which they led by 0-10 to 0-2. Although it was a very fine team performance by the Brady bunch, Gowna's super sniper Gerald Pierson gave a five star display, scoring eight points in total (two from frees) and caused panic in the Donegal defence whenever he gained possession. Ironically it was Pierson's club colleague Mark McKeever who recorded inarguably the best point of the game when he rifled over a tremendous shot in the 16th minute which extended Cavan's lead to four points at that juncture. The second half saw a much more spirited Donegal ask some searching questions of Cavan. And with ten minutes remaining in the game, Cavan's lead had been cut to a pretty precarious looking four points. Indeed shortly afterwards, the Cavan defence had a close call when a shot from Donegal full-forward Colm McFadden flashed narrowly wide of the goal. But that was as close as Donegal got to fatally damaging Cavan's armoury. And so to the provincial decider where Cavan came up against kingpins Tyrone in what turned out to be an absorbing clash at Brewster Park, Enniskillen in mid-August. Sadly despite a sterling display in adversity against the defending provincial and All-Ireland champions Tyrone, it was the O'Neill County who ultimately triumphed, coming good in the last quarter to ease home narrow 0-13 to 1-7 victors. With both counties desperately seeking some measure of consolation for their disastrous provincial and All-Ireland senior championship campaigns, the psychological importance of the game was reflected in the nervousness and tentativeness shown in the early stages of the match by the players on show. In what was a tense, sometimes fractious, but nonetheless totally entertaining hour's football, Tyrone's greater strength in depth and the fine form of their big name players came up trumps when most needed. That said, injury-hit Cavan were left kicking themselves sore for many weeks to come after allowing their vaunted opponents to wriggle off the hook after appearing to be in the driving seat at the interval. After striding into a none-too flattering 1-5 to 0-4 half-time lead, the Brady Bunch fairly limped, in comparison, thereafter and it was really no surprise when the cunning and experienced Tyrone team first levelled matters and then proceeded to canter first past the finishing post. Tyrone had most of the aces on the day but, for Cavan, it was a case of the aces locked away in the sick bay which perhaps made the crucial difference between adding to their only other Under 21 provincial titles (1988 and '96) and allowing Tyrone claim a hat-trick of title wins. Shorn the services through injury of the aforementioned team captain Michael Brides, powerful midfielder Patrick Brady, corner-back Michael Hannon and resident centre-back Darryl McConnell (Drumlane), the challengers were a weakened outfit. Nevertheless Cavan showed a lot of ambition, zest for the fight and character too which was all the more remarkable since it was three months since they beat Donegal in Ballybofey to reach the final. Sadly Cavan failed to sustain their impressive first half showing. A bit more in the second moiety of what went before and the silverware may well have been Breffni bound for the Breffni boys really rocked the champions in the first half. Cavan's play was enterprising, vigorous and efficient in all sectors of the field and with Tyrone laboursome in comparison and surprisingly profligate up front, the scene was set for a major upset. Tyrone recorded seven wides and spurned two glorious goal opportunities through Enda McGinley and Patrick O'Farrell in the first half. In comparison Cavan were the model of economy with Kingscourt's Philip Smith and Killinkere livewire James Clarke racing through for early, morale-boosting points. The football was end-to-end if not the purist's delight. Both sets of players appeared nervous and unsure of themselves and passing by both sides was largely sloppy and the claustrophobic nature of the exchanges around the vital diamond area of the field didn't help the flow of football either. Still, the predictably strong Cavan following in the admittedly disappointing attendance was in good voice as the first half gathered pace. Good work at midfield by senior panelist John Tierney (Knockbride) and Lavey's Sean Maguire gave Cavan the edge in that sector and when classy Gowna starlet Mark McKeever levelled matters in the 19th minute and James Clarke pointed too three minutes later, lacklustre Tyrone were looking at a two point deficit. And things looked really promising for the blues in the 24th minute when they got the only goal of the game. Again man of the match McKeever was the architect, setting Drung's Niall O'Rourke through on goal. O'Rourke's shot was parried by Tyrone 'keeper Ward but wing back Jonathan Higgins (Drumalee) was on hand to ram the rebound home.Tyrone then cut Cavan's lead with a Ciaran Carlin point but they very nearly nicked a goal just before the interval but Cavan 'keeper James Reilly made a fine stop from a Patrick O'Farrell effort. Sadly for the leaders, Tyrone were a transformed team after the break with senior star Sean Cavanagh leading the way from midfield with an early point. Cavanagh and the season's top scorer Eoin Mulligan slowly secured a grip on the flow of play through the centrefield area. Accordingly the traffic through to targetman Gerard Pierson began to slacken. The Tyrone forwards had no such dearth of possession and they profited from the Cavanagh/Mulligan well of quick, quality deliveries. The O'Neill County - with the aforementioned Cavanagh the playmaker in chief - proceeded to notch eight points without reply during a disastrous 20 minute spell for Cavan. It was all downhill for Cavan thereafter and, in truth, they never looked like getting their noses back in front. Tyrone's greater physique, rekindled spirit and new sense of direction in front of goal seen to that. But at least there was no shame in defeat for the weakened Cavan side. Team-manager Brady; "Our team captain Michael Brides is a real driving force and missing him was a real blow. "And we were without other central figures like Patrick Brady and Darryl McConnell. That's not an excuse. Tyrone were a talented team who really improved in the second half. "We went out of it at midfield after half time and simply didn't have the resources to counter the dominance of Sean Cavanagh and Peter Donnelly. And we needed a really big game from full-forward Gerard Pierson but unfortunately things didn't work out for him," Under 21 supremo Brady lamented. One suspects though that the Spring of 2003 can't come quickly enough for him. The Cavan squad which battled so gamely in the 2002 Under 21 Ulster football championship decider was as follows; Cavan:James Reilly; Shane McGlade, Colm Hannon, Joey Jordan; Jonathan Higgins (1-0), Eamon Reilly, Alan Mulvey; John Tierney, Sean Maguire; Philip Smith (0-1), Mark McKeever (0-2, both frees), James Clarke (0-3); Niall O'Rourke, Gerard Pierson (0-1), Sean Brady. Subs; Gavan Duffy for Mulvey; Eamon O'Reilly for Brady. Tweet

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