Crosserlough reached the play-off stages of a lot of competitions in 2006 without actually hitting the jackpot. But the club's day will surely come Waiting for Godot is a famous play but for most gaels in Cavan, it's a case of waiting for Crosserlough. Just when will the black and ambers be suffused with the verve and energy that served to catapult their number onto another planet either side of 1970? Crosserlough need a one-in-a-row sooner rather than later, never mind a seven-in-a-row that cloaked Kilnaleck and its environs in peerless triumphs way back yonder. Football in Cavan needs Crosserlough to come good again at the highest level in the same way that it needs an Ulster club title. They say one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter but the whole county would doubtless agree that a trophy-less Crosserlough in any given year isn't good for the health of Gaelic football in the Breffni County. 2006 was yet another disappointing season for the once lords of all they surveyed. No matter how hard you looked there didn't appear to be the slightest hint of a silver lining or garlands to be seen around Oliver Plunkett Park last year. Sadly for the stout gaels in the stoutest of Cavan gaeldoms, 2006 was a lot more about perspiration than inspiration with 'what might have beens' characterising a series of campaigns at every level. The club has a glorious history but that makes their results all the more difficult to swallow one suspects. Those at the coalface though are to be congratulated on keeping the faith and digging deep in the hope of finding a sufficient well of talent which may re-wind the clock and garner, rather than just covet, the glittering prizes. Like many a club desperate to recover past glories or aiming to forge a future from the ashes of Phoenix, Crosserlough GAA can sometimes appear to be stagnant but that is far from the case and trojan work goes on every year to try and unearth winning formulas, on and off the field of play. In October last, for instance, the club's inner circle did themselves proud by honouring the surviving members of Crosserlough's famous seven-in-a-row sides, 1966-72. The event co-incided with the staging of last year's blue riband senior football championship decider on October 1st when current luminaries, Cavan Gaels and Mullahoran, stood toe to toe. The present custodians of the gospel according to Crosserlough did a fine job in organising a Mass which was celebrated by Msgr Patrick McManus in St Patrick's Church Kilnaleck on Sat 30th September. Many of the players of the championship teams took part in the specially prepared liturgy. Monsignor McManus spoke of his admiration for those great teams and how he was transformed from being an admirer to being a supporter. After the Mass events moved to the clubrooms where food was served, and a presentation was made to each player. The club was honoured to have former All-Ireland SFC medallist Mick Higgins present to make the presentation to the players. Tom Dowd who was Chairman of the club at the time recalled many of the lighter moments of the era as did Peter Brady who acted as Master of Ceremonies for the night. On Sunday 1st October the players were guest of the Cavan Co Board at the senior championship final. In alphabetical order the much decorated Crosserlough players were introduced to the crowd at the interval between the minor and senior finals. They were given a tremendous welcome by the large crowd present. After the game the players were treated to a wonderful meal and further presentation in The Hotel Kilmore. The current Crosserlough players certainly have a lot to live up to but monkeys on backs are very subjective things and few who have seen Crosserlough play at senior championship level in recent years would really be convinced that the leading players in the club lack for self-belief or confidence. The aformentioned Higgins once famously said that a club can only win things if the material is there in the right quality at the right time. Perhaps Crosserlough just haven't been so lucky as to have enough quality players around together in the same era. There was a lack of overall quality about the team's performance in going down to Gowna last October in the All County Football League Division One semi-final but there was no lack of effort. Losing out by 1-6 to 1-9 wasn't what the doctor had ordered though. The match marked Crosserlough's first competitive game under Kingspan/Breffni Park's new lights but there wasn't quite enough spark from the Kilnaleck-based side on the night. In fact, most Crosserlough supporters felt after the game that once again their ambassadors on the field didn't quite do themselves justice for whatever reason. On an ideal night for football both sets of players failed to find their best form. Despite having lots of possession in the first half, Crosserlough trailed by four points 0-6 to 0-2 at half time. Sadly for the chasing team, there was more or less the same pattern to the second half with a goal from Gowna appeared to signal the end of Crosserlough's hopes. However the relocation of Philip Smith to the middle of the field and the introduction of Cormac Reilly and Karl Smith ignited a Crosserlough comeback in the final minutes. A goal and a point from livewire attacker Enda Gaffney narrowed the gap to three points but despite further pressure on the Gowna goal time ran out for the 'lough. The following was the Crosserlough team, subs and scorers who featured against Gowna in last year's ACFL Division One semi-final; Ciaran Duffy, Colin Lynch, Ollie Costelloe, Declan McCabe (capt), Mark Lynch, Mark Rehill (0-1), Pauric McKiernan, Declan Gaffney, Tomas McEvoy (0-1), Jonathon Crowe, Patrick McCabe, Raymond Reilly, Enda Reilly (0-2), Philip Smith, Enda Gaffney (1-1), Subs: John Lyng (0-1); Cormac Reilly; Karl Smith. There was similar disappointment for the club's Division 3A troupe when they went under by 1-4 to 2-12 in a cracking semi-final tie in Cornafean on the night after the club's aforementioned defeat to Gowna. The defeat left the club having to cope with a double whammy in what was a short, sharp shock for all supporters of the club. The setback in Cornafean meant that despite being in the play offs in six competitions Crosserlough's hopes of silverware didn't materialise. But hope springs eternal in Crosserlough and the success of the parish's under 10 Community Games offered some solace to the hard-working coaches while Kilnaleck National School in the Cumann na mBunscol boys football competition did everyone proud by going the distance in their competition. On Saturday October 21st, the local schoolchilren competed in the Cumann na mBunscol boys football final in Kingspan Breffni Park, having defeated Killeshandra, Corliss, and Crubany National Schools en route to the decider. Their opponents on final day were Greagrahan National School from west Cavan. In a tight affair, the boys were to fall behind early on. However normal service was resumed shortly before half-time, with Kilnaleck trailing by only two points at the break. Having scored some 9-30 during the campaign, the team had clearly more in the tank and with a very spirited performance in the second half of a game which ebbed and flowed, they eventually came good. The county final win represented a terrific achievement for all concerned especially for such a small school and gave a great boost to the club and the parish in general. The Kilnaleck School lined out was as follows: James Smith Patrick J. O'Reilly Christopher Tobin, Karl O'Reilly, John Nixon, Raymond Fay, Ryan O'Reilly, Gavin Byrd, Tommy Boylan, Maciek Nowak, Peter Smith, Emmet Boylan. There's no doubt but that the will is there to enliven Crosserlough GAA and the talents of the under 10 Community Games and the Cumann na mBunscol squad offers much hope. Certainly, with the continued support of the people of Kilnaleck, Crosserlough, Drumkilly and their environs, the black and ambers will not only hold their own in the future but will build towards a time when they will once again be lords over all they survey. No grey days for man in black 2007 will mark Tony McDonnell's 20th anniversary as a whistler. Crosserlough's man in black professes to have lost none of his enthusiasm for that most difficult of GAA jobs. Kevin Carney reports. Tony McDonnell belies the archetypal image of a sullen referee who's just an hour or so away from blowing the whistle on a career which didn't quite match up to his expectations. Many a referee has quit Gaelic games disillusioned with the cards he was dealt, either by the powers-that-be locally, his peers, players or club officials. Most refs leave the stage on good terms with most people but some run their last few miles with a hangdog look as if Croke Park itself had done them wrong. Their manoeuvres around the pitch suggest that their batteries have long since run out or that they've run out of patience with a whole load of people in the game(s). Crosserlough's McDonnell referees in a non-plussed sort of way. He may or may not hang up his whistle sooner than he currently anticipates but, one way or the other the odds are that he'll not be leaving with a chip on his shoulder. He has no axe to grind. His modus operandi portrays as much. In cricket parlance, the black and amber clubman is 50 not out and he maintains that as long as he enjoys being the man in black he'll continue to hold court wherever and whenever he's wanted. It's 19 years since he first donned the refs' regulation uniform and gave of his very best on behalf of the Association. It was in 1987 that he first made his mark as the man in the middle. "I refereed a junior match between Swad and Maghera and that was my very first match. "I had been an umpire for a while before that, going along with Tomas McDermott, but the game in Swad was my first day out as a referee. I hadn't expected to be refereeing at all that day but the then county board secretary Andy Feeney rang me a couple of hours before the game after some other ref pulled out and I went ahead and did it as best I could." His view of the job very few gaels wouldn't even dream about taking on could be taken straight from a manual of 'how-to' drawn up referees' guru Fr. Seamus Gardiner. "I still enjoy every game I take charge of," Tony enthuses. "Sure I'm on the receiving end of verbal abuse - like all referees - but that's part and parcel of football matches. "Every ref has a difficult moment but I would't be put off refereeing by a few shouts from the sideline. "Nobody has ever verbally abused me, face to face at least, and what you hear at a match you're better off staying calm and keeping it in perspective." That said, Tony acknowledges that "a few poor games during the year isn't out of the ordinary." As someone who has been a keen observer of club football in Cavan, as an official, for the guts of two decades, Tony has come to the belief that club football in his native county doesn't represent the kind that would make a purist's video file. "You probably seen the ratings Cavan got in the papers the same as myself and, you'd have to say there's really only one way the county can go at the present time. "Definitely the standard of football in Cavan right now isn't any better than it was 20 years ago despite all the coaching that has been done." How many times in Cavan would you see a fella going up high for a ball and catching it cleanly." Is that because trainers/managers are bent on getting their charges to 'break' the ball in midfield at every opportunity? "I don't know. I doubt that they're encouraging their players not to try and catch the ball but you look back at the way the likes of Ray Carolan would grab the ball and it's a pity not to see that skill any more." The higher his opponent went up for a ball, the higher he'd (Carolan) leap. "It seems that 'break' is the name of the game nowadays." Tony was, of course, like the rest of the 45-plus brigade of gaels, reared on a staple diet of luxuriant skills as practiced by the aforementioned Carolan, plus Charlie Gallagher, Andy McCabe, Pat McGill etc so he does concede that he may well have been spoiled as a gasun. Tony describes himself as having been a 'trier' when playing for his native Crosserlough and, for a period, Killeshandra Leaguers. He later flew the banner for the Leaguers as a referee. Tony enjoyed first team outings for the Leaguers in the early eighties for the most part but "was just a fringe player with Crosserlough when they were still knocking on the door after the great teams of the sixties and seventies were coming to the end of their days." He professes to having enjoyed his days as a player in equal measure while on duty for his native and his adopted club. Tony has, of course, majored in the art of blowing the whistle on foul play at the right time according to the rule book. In terms of what's required of a ref, he's convinced that keeping up with the play is a must. There's simply no ifs or buts about that one. "It's very important that a ref keeps up with the flow of play but there are some referees who aren't fit enough to do that. "They can't keep pace with the game." Any pet hates? "Well, I can't understand some refs how they let goalkeepers away with taking an hour to kick out the ball. "That sort of tactic should be cracked down on because it can ruin a game and the like of that carry-on definitely doesn't give spectators value for money. "Time wasting is something that I'm always looking out for because if the pace of a match is slow, very few people are going to enjoy it," adds the Liffey Meats employee who has been refereeing in Meath also over the course of the past ten years. Tony is sad to report that, in his view, there's not quite the same quotient of entertainment delivered at club games in Cavan these days as compared to yesteryear and he believes that has contributed to smaller and smaller 'gates' at your commoner-garden matches at local level. He regrets that too often spectators aren't sent home talking about the match they're just after seeing - either because of the lack of quality football produced, the absence of some bums-off-seats skill or a preponderance of over-elaborate play. "I wonder are we producing the right kind of players - even with all the coaching that's been going on. "It's taking a long time to replace Stephen King. Coaching is good but there's no point in having a player flying-fit, if he's not fit to do anything with the ball when he gets it." Interestingly, Tony hasn't much of a gra for the unfit player either though. He reckons the player who's way short of match fitness hasn't a hope of playing Gaelic football "the way it should be played." "An unfit player can make life hard for his manager and the ref," Tony claims. "He will do whatever he can to slow up the good, fit player. "That's the cause of a lot of the off-the-ball stuff but there'll always be a certain amount of off-the-ball carry-on." Does he look out for the usual suspects then? "No, I don't carry any baggage with me into any match. "To me, it doesn't matter what a certain player did before either in a match I was refereeing or someone else. "Players go into a match with a clean slate as far as I'm concerned. "Every game is a new game in my book and I don't hold any grudges regardless of how many times a player might have tried to make life hard for me or try and kid me in a previous match." Tony's view of Gaelic football is pretty simple and he delights in refereeing a match in which the combatants are prepared to give as good as they get in a manly type of way. A good hard shoulder shouldn't cause a riot among the players, he suggests, nor cause the ref to loose the run of himself with all manner of coloured cards. Like the vast majority of gaels in Cavan, Tony has the best interests of the Cavan senior team at heart but he prefers not to labour the point of the ground the county needs to make up to reach the peleton in Ulster at least. He's at a loss though to ascertain where "the county is going to find a few leaders for the team." "We've a new manager in place and time will tell as to how things go with the new regime but I'd be concerned about the sort of material he has to work with. "There are a few good young players on the scene in Cavan at the moment but can they make the step up to senior inter-county level? "Over the years they've not been able to but considering how poorly we've done at minor and under 21 level in Ulster over the years, I'm not too surprised we haven't seen young fellas coming through to make a noticeable impact at senior level." A native of Fairymount (half-way between Crosserlough chapel and Ballyjamesduff), Tony is a mine of information when it comes to matches that he's been in charge of or has done duty as an umpire. No particular match that he's refereed stands out but he recalls acting as an umpire at Croke Park - as an assistant to Killeshandra's Tomas McDermott - at the All-Ireland MFC final of 1991 between Cork and Mayo which was the undercard to the SFC decider between Meath and Down. Ever since his early days as a referee, he has sought to use his "common sense" - the most vital part of any ref's armoury, he maintains, in the heat of battle. Almost 20 years since first taking charge of a club match in his native county, Tony is proud to say that he's "happy to go to any of the 40 clubs of the county." No surprise then that he's looking forward to the commencement of yet another season in black. Tweet

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