For years the Arva club yearned to field an under 16 team in their own right. 2006 saw that dream eventually come to pass. For the guts of three decades, Arva just couldn't gather up sufficient numbers of players to compete at under 16 level on their own. It was a case of doubling or trebling up if the young blues were to taste action at that level. That all changed in 2006 though and what a return it was! Not only did Arva acquit themselves superbly as a team in their own right at under 16 level last year but the club's burgeoning young footballers actually surprised all and sundry in the village and its environs by claiming the Division Four Championship title. "I personally didn't expect the lads to win anything in 2006," says the joint-manager of Arva's triumphant under 16s last year, Cyril Sheridan. "The team has done well over the years at various levels but only two of the 2006 side are overage for under 16 in 2007 so we were expecting more things in 2007 than last year," adds the former ace midfielder. Cyril's partner in crime in '06 (and for years now), Brian Ellis was equally pleasantly surprised by the success of their charges although he reckoned that the players showed signs earlier on in the year that they were unlikely to finish the year empty handed. "I thought that the team would have been stronger in 2007 but then again we should have beaten Templeport in the league semi-final before the championship kicked off. "We didn't play as well as we can in Ballyconnell that day but could still have won. "Three years ago, the same squad of players won the under 12 Roinn C title so we knew there was a bit of pedigree there," Brian explains. The Templeport setback marked a reversal in fortunes which was to prove a real watershed though in the evolution of the young blues. Arva had beaten the west Cavan lads earlier in the league so losing to the St. Aidan's troupe, second time around served to make the team come to the realisation that things weren't going to fall into their laps. "Losing to Templeport was a real wake-up call for the lads," Brian opines. "Things didn't go right for us in Ballyconnell on a number of fronts, including discipline and we had to sit the lads down individually and let them know that discipline on the field had to be improved." Like champion material, the Arva crew duly took on board the admonishment and advise as handed out to them by the Ellis/Sheridan axis and, in double quick time, the penny dropped with them. "I think we had the winning of the league title but they were poor for a lot of it and indiscipline let us down a bit," Cyril explains. "We had to get them to concentrate on football so we got them a couple of challenge games and ironed things out between going out of the league and the first round of the championship." One wonders would Arva have gone onto win the championship had they not got the kick up the backside from Templeport? "That's hard to know but I don't think they were motivated enough for the league semi-final but the defeat was definitely a turning point in the year for us," Cyril believes. Arva's opening foray in the championship saw them overcome erstwhile bogey team Templeport and then came Cuchullains. "The players knuckled down well for the three championship games but they had to work very hard to beat Cuchullains," Cyril recalls. "I think there was only two or three points in it at the end in that game and at one stage in the second half they hit the crossbar with a shot that if it had went in, we'd have been in a bit of trouble. "But you win nothing without a bit of luck on your side and the Cuchullains shot that didn't go in was maybe just the bit of luck we needed to go on and win the game and maybe the championship itself." Working as a management team at underage level for the last ten years, messrs. Ellis and Sheridan first identified the winning team of 2006 way back when they were playing at under 10 level. "We have a few good footballers and they're improving all the time, ever since they won an under 10 tournament in Carrigallen," Brian explains. "The club is lucky that these lads arrived on the scene at the same time and they've stayed together over the years - they're all fairly good pals." Not that the heroes of 2004 down Arva way have always enjoyed bumper times. Setbacks at semi-final and quarter-final stages have come their way but the players have demonstrated a type of resolve, determination and ambition which has propelled them forward and forward. But with crack side Denn winning the league last year and, thus, exiting the race to win the 2006 under 16 championship, the way was open for Arva to lay a marker for their plans for minor level and beyond. The final pitted Arva with the unknown quantity that was Mountnugent with the division four championship decider going ahead at Kilnaleck. In a game which proved a fine advertisement for underage football in Cavan, it was goals that counted as Arva romped their way to a 2-11 to 1-7 victory. A real gritty first half display in the face of a stiffening breeze allied to two timely goals were the foundation stones upon which Arva's cushioned triumph was engineered. That said, the blues posted notice of their intention to lift the title right from the off with Peter Morris and Brian Ellis firing over early points to put Mountnugent under early pressure. Despite playing with the aid of the wind, Mountnugent were slow to get into their stride and it needed a very good save from Liam Smith from point blank range to keep Arva goalless with 9 minutes on the clock. Two minutes later the green and yellows opened their account when Eoin Smith converted a free and then a second one just two minutes later. As the tempo of the match increased almost visibly, the game opened up as a contest and both sides pushed forward at every opportunity. The momentum continued to be with Arva for the most part though with Mountnugent increasingly having to rely on making the most of all too rare decent chances at the business end of the field. Mountnugent had also concerns in front of their own goal too with Liam Smith again performing excellently to keep his goal in tact as the second quarter gathered pace. Sadly for the chasing team, Smith and Co. eventually conceded the major that was, in truth, signalled from a long way out. In the 18th minute a long, speculative punt forward deceived the Mountnugent defence which allowed Thomas Brady to nip in in opportunist fashion and knock the ball to the net for the opening goal of the game. It was nip and tuck from there to the interval with one team and then the other enjoying good bouts of possession but finding their direct opponents in defence difficult to outwit. The second half was no less competitive and evenly contested although, once again, it was Arva's greater incisiveness and punch in front of goal that proved decisive. Mountnugent promised much in opening the second half scoring with a point from Eoin Smith but Arva hit back with interest, scoring 1-3 without reply to take the game by the scruff of the neck. The blues set sail for the winners' enclosure with a clever Peter Morris goal (7th min) followed by a brace of points from the goalscorer himself plus Brian Ellis. The physically stronger Mountnugent side worked overtime to stem the tide and only for some good work once again by netminder Smith the game could have been out of sight by the three-quarter mark. As the tempo of the game rose a notch or three, Mountnugent hung in there and managed to chisel out a point in the 16th minute of the second half from top-scorer Smith but, alas, it was clear even at that juncture that it was goals Mountnugent required. And, right on cue, three minutes later Eoin Smith gave the chasing team renewed hope when he goaled after Arva 'keeper Kevin Bouchier did well to parry an earlier effort. Mountnugent kept up the pressure and when the in-form Smith pointed again, Arva were under the cosh for the first time in the match. Like true champions though, Arva's finest refused to push the panic button and, instead, they calmly and effectively proceeded to copper-fasten their lead. Having circled the wagons to prevent Mountnugent from adding to Smith's major, the would-be winners finished the stronger of the two teams. They kept possession superbly until points from Brian Ellis and Peter Morris prompted great celebrations along the sideline ahead of the presentation of the glittering prize. Arva's winning troupe against Mountnugent was as follows; Kevin Bouchier; Peter Conneely, Damien Simpson (0-1), Conor McEntee, Sean Conneely, Fergal McGlade, James Morris, Ciaran Brady, Thomas Brady (1-1), Brian Ellis (0-4), Peter Morris (1-5). Subs used; Cian Sheridan, Sean Lannon, Sean Gormley, Conor Doyle. Tweet

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