At the commencement of the Millennium, selecting of County teams, All-Ireland teams, Team of the Century and Team of the Millennium in football and hurling was the order of the day. By Joe McManus Dia's Muire dhíbh arís In one edition of 'Breffni Blue' I contributed an article entitled "Millennium Impossibility". To my mind it was unfair to compare one amateur player with another and impossible to compare present day footballers and hurlers with those of a past generation, writes Joe McManus. During that outbreak of team selection the esteemed publication 'Angló Celt' often called the 'Cavanman's Bible' called for a vote on the best all-time Cavan fifteen Gaelic footballers. Previously, some other team selections had surprised me. However, the result of the 'Anglo-Celt' vote in regard to the Cavan selection truly amazed me, in that the names of Jim Smith and Tom O'Reilly (Cornafean) were omitted. According to Rev. Fr. Dan Gallogly's 'Cavan Football Story', page 67 "undoubtedly the greatest footballer of the decade (twenties) was Jim Smith. Cavan supporters of the twenties were unanimous in nominating him as "Cavan's greatest footballer." Jim Smith continued to play until the replayed All-Ireland final of 1937. I saw him in action at full-back against Donegal in the Ulster Championship of that year at Breffni Park. He had represented Cavan on the Ireland team in the 1924, 1928 and 1932 Tailteann Games. He was an all-round athlete, equally proficient at football, hurling and handball. His high fielding and long kicking were unsurpassed and he possessed great physique and determination. All this was confirmed to me by my late Uncle John with whom Jim attended school in Ballyjamesduff - both were later to join An Garda Síochána. 'Big' Tom O'Reilly (Cornafean) came on to the Cavan Senior team at mid-field in 1933 when he partnered the great Hughie Reilly. In that year Tom won his first All-Ireland medal. I first saw him play in 1937 although he had attained his second All-Ireland medal in 1935 playing at centre half back. His 1937 display against Kerry in the drawn final of that year was described by Larry Stanley (Kildare) as "reminiscent of Jack Higgins (Kildare) at his best." In 1939 he played at full-forward against Meath in the All-Ireland semi-final and in 1940 I saw him play at full-back against Tyrone in the McKenna Cup final at Armagh. Later in the same year I saw him having a tremendous game playing at centre half-back against Roscommon in the replayed All-Ireland final of 1943, at right full-back against Wexford in the 1945 semi-final and in the same position against Cork in the final of that year. When Cavan were in arrears against Antrim in the 1946 Ulster final he was brought in as a sub to full-forward and quickly scored two goals. Unfortunately, one was disallowed. 'Big Tom' was still a sub on the famous Polo Grounds team of 1947. After 1935 he was the Ulster centre half-back on several occasions and in 1942 when Ulster first won the Railway Cup he was left full-back. He was in the same position for Ulster when I saw him play in Croke Park on St. Patrick's Day 1943. Tom played for Cornafean Club at left-half-back in the Co Championship final of 1932, mid-field for his club in the finals of 1933,34 and 35, centre half-back in league final of '36 and mid-field in County Championship finals of '38 and '39. He was on the 'forty' (centre-half-forward) when I saw him play in the 1940 County Final at which I was a side-line steward. He was again at mid-field for his club in the county finals of '41, '42 and '43. Tom was a great fielder of the ball, I have never seen any player with a better catch, and as Cornafean people would say he had a 'huge' kick with either foot. A genial character and true sportsman, he was an example to all and it was little wonder he was followed onto the various teams by the man Michéal Ó Hehir described as "his little brother, John Joe' (6'2") "under the Cusack Stand I see a little glimmer of blue and white and here come Cavan led by their captain, the only and only Big Tom O'Reilly, the pride of Gaeldom and the idol of Ulster, followed by his little brother, John Joe." I first saw Bernie Cully play at full-back for Cavan in the Minor All-Ireland final of 1938- my first Croke Park visit. He had previously won his first All-Ireland minor medal in 1937. In '38 or'39 I saw him play for St. Patrick's College against Newry in Breffni Park. He was at centre half-back and my brother, Patrick (now Monsignor) was alongside him at right-half-back. In 1940 Bernie became Cavan Senior's regular centre full-back. He came on as a sub for Ulster in the replayed 1941 Railway Cup final. In 1942 he was Ulster's full back when the first Railway Cup came to the province, and in the same position when I saw him play in Croke Park on another victorious Ulster team, St Patricks Day 1943. He was Cavan's full-back in the 1943 All-Ireland final and replay and again at full-back for Cavan in the 1945 All-Ireland final v Cork and was in the same position when Cavan lost to Antrim in the 1946 Ulster final. There was some controversy when he was omitted from the Polo Grounds team in 1947. In 1948 he was a sub in the All-Ireland final v Mayo. I saw him play for St. Patrick's College, Cavan, and UCD at full-back. Bernie was soundness personified and a great 'marker'. Having seen the late Mick Dinnenny play for the county and for Cornafean and having been told by both the late Gerald Courell and Paddy Moclair (Mayo) that he was the best left full-back they ever encountered, I name Mick at left full-back. As previously implied it would be an impossibility for anyone to decide on a Cavan best fifteen but as I am now requested to do so I will endeavour to comply, so here goes: - Willie Young; Gabriel Kelly, Bernie Cully, Mick Dinnenny; PJ Duke, John Joe O'Reilly, Jim McDonnell; Jim Smith, Tom O'Reilly (Cornafean); Tony Tighe, Mick Higgins, Paddy Smith (Drumkilly); Peter Donohoe, Simon Deignan, MJ Magee. I am certain this is a team with which nobody else might agree. I had heard of Simon Deignan's display at full-forward against Joe Keohane in the '42 Railway Cup final and I saw him play in the same position in 1943, against Leinster. He was a tremendous left half-back but I had to include Jim McDonnell there. All the other players named proved their abilities over and over again in the Cavan jersey. The foregoing does not in any way suggest that I have not appreciated and thrilled to the exploits of all the great players, past and present, which Cavan has produced over the years in which I was privileged to watch or listen in. Thanks to all for the great memories. Séard atá sa phíosa seo cúntas ar na h-imreoir mar a bhfáca mé iad agus tá súil agam go mbuanóidh sé a gcuimhne. Guím solas na bhflaithas ar na daoine ar cuid dén scéal iad atá ar shlí na firinne anois. Go máiridh ár gcluichí agus ár gcultúr slán, agus do dtugaidh Dia neart don Chabhán aiseiri a dhéanamh agus Craobh na hÉireann a bhaint amach go luath. Tweet

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