Having nearly captured the junior football championship crown back in 2005 the season of 2006 promised much but failed to deliver for Cavan's most northerly unit after what had a been a hearting experience the previous year. The mere geographic location of the club presents its own problems but such is the hunger for football in the area that this does not impede or dull the enthusiasm fostered from an early age. Club Chairman, Tom Reilly, epitomises what Shannon Gaels is all about. Tom arrived in the area just over twenty-one years ago from his native Mayo and found it easy to gel into the life of West Cavan. Tom brought with him an highly impressive pedigree in gaelic football having starred with Belmullet before arriving in Cavan. His long playing career has spanned from his arrival in the area right up to the present day as he lined out in goals in 2006 for Shannon Gaels' second team. Imbued with an enthusiasm for gaelic football Tom's drive and commitment to the Shannon Gaels cause has always been paramount. His involvement with the club has seen him act in many official capacities right through from PRO, Asst. Secretary, Vice Chairman, coaching officer right up to his present position of Chairman. At native Irish speaker, Tom has acted as Irish officer at County Board level for over fourteen years and is also an active member of the Ulster Council. When speaking about his 'adopted' club, Tom's passion and belief in the youth of the area is refreshingly honest and balanced. "Back in 2005 we were just edged out of the winners enclosure in the Junior football championship by Redhills. It was a bitter disappointment as we felt going into the game that we had a great chance of winning it. A poor start, probably down to nerves left us with a mountain to climb and in fairness the team responded admirably. We just couldn't seem to manufacture the equalising score that would have brought us back to a replay. The rest the say is all history. The disappointment was tangible but the players did feel that they could come back in 2006 and give it another lash. Like many other clubs in the country, 2006 brought with it not just the enthusiasm for the new season but its own set of hurdles. We lost three of our players who emigrated to Australia and this was a major setback. A number of injuries at crucial times all provided further setbacks which militated against the necessary drive needed to win trophies. With many of the side committed to study and exams this too also created a problem during the league campaign. It took the edge of our effort and as a result we faltered. We finished in seventh position in the league and had a mixed championship peformance," stated Tom. "The players have made a commitment to the 2007 season and will be trying to secure the elusive Cavan Junior football championship title which was last won by the club back in 1989. We won the Division 3 league title in 1999 so we have a record of winning big games. Last year we played the might of Cavan Gaels in the league and while we went under by two points in what was described as one of the best games of football last season, we know that we can compete with the best. While we lost out on that occasion we can take the positive from it and face the fact that there is not a stronger team around in Division 3 than Cavan Gaels. With the squad of players at our disposal and a committed effort and that all elusive piece of luck, then we can once again be serious contenders for honours in the junior championship in 2007," said Tom. Young squad "While we had setbacks in 2006 the outlook for 2007 is bright. We are a very young squad with some very talented players. We field two teams at senior level with the average age around twenty-one. We just have one player who has tipped the thirty mark and the remainder of the side are in their late teens or early twenties. This is a remarkable occurrence for an area like Shannon Gaels which is situated in West Cavan and surrounded by Leitrim and Fermanagh. From the present squad of players there is not one lad that is not born and bred in the locality. Unlike many other parts of rural Ireland at present, the growth rate in this area is practically static but the tremendous work at underage level has reaped a great reward. "Having arrived from Mayo over twenty-one years ago, what struck me forcibly was the great work committed to underage football in the area. This is something that has never been allowed to falter. The club field teams from U-12 to U-16, minor and U-21 and have put a great deal of effort into coaching. Presently we have twelve members of the club who have all attained their coaching level one accreditation. This I feel is very important, and being geographically situated so far from Cavan headquarters, the more people we have involved with a knowledge of coaching at both underage and senior level will only be a good thing for the club," stated Tom. Amalgamated While Tom works tirelessly in his efforts at coaching and upgrading the skills of the game for both coach and player, he is also equally passionate about the structure of the game in Cavan. As a resident of West Cavan, Tom feels that the Co. Board have to recognise that as an area West Cavan is being excluded in participating in the senior football championship. He instances the Kerry set-up with areas being represented in their senior championship. "This is something that I have been looking at for a long time now. In an area such as West Cavan, it would be of great benefit if a number of clubs were aloud to amalgamate for the senior championship. Take a look at Arva and Killeshandra (Parnells) and Dernacrieve Gaels how they fared in their respective compeitions. In many parts of the county, junior clubs are working with just the bare numbers and if allowed, to join together, would have a chance of putting pressure on the established format of senior clubs and thus may allow the more talented players from these small clubs a chance of improving at the higher level. It would also bring them into the focus of county selectors and give them an equal chance of being selected for county teams. The importance of playing at senior level against the best clubs in the county is extremely important. At senior level the game is played at a different pace and it would allow teams from junior clubs to step into that arena and experience that pace. I have no doubt that if the county board should move in that direction and allow the clubs in West Cavan a chance to amalgamate, then you would have a more competitive championship and have no doubt a possible winner from West Cavan." Development of Grounds It is generally now recognised in Cavan that the best football grounds are ultimately found in West Cavan. When you look at clubs, like Corlough, Drumlane, Templeport you are greeted with playing surfaces that can compare with the best in Ireland. Shannon Gaels who were first formed back in 1978 are also included in this pantheon of excellence with wonderful playing field at Pairc Gaeil na Sionnaine. "At Shannon Gaels we have always worked diligently over the years to provide the best facilities possible. We opened our new grounds back in 1992, which is not that long ago. Presently we are resurfacing the main pitch and have committed upwards of 300,000 euro to the provision of a further playing field and upgrading our stand. Both playing surfaces are Prunty pitches so the ability to play during the inclement bad weather is always available to us. The upgrading of our facilities is a major undertaking in our area and we hope to have it completed and officially opened by early September this year. While work is being carried out on our grounds we have been facilitated by Loughan House and local Fermanagh club, Belcoo, to whom we owe a great debt of gratitude. In the past we helped out Belcoo when they were in a similar position and now they have kindly reciprocrated. "With the development of the new complex at Pairc Gaeil na Sionnaine the greater workload for caretaker and groundsman, Peter Maguire will have doubled. Peter has always been courteous and good natured in his work and has always ensured over the years that everything at the grounds is kept in tip top shape." Club involvement With his love for the game and playing, Tom does not lose sight of what it takes to run a club. While football is all about playing, the ground work needed to get everything in place is something that is easily and usually overlooked. "To run a club, you need a number of very dedicated people, who are willing to give of their time. The commitment from these unsung hereos is one of the most vital factors in any club in any code. At Shannon Gaels we have been blessed with a number of great workers over a long period of time. Over the years we have had great commitment at juvenile level from people like Hughie Cormack and Eugene Walsh, Thomas Cullen and Ben Cassidy. Others that have given freely of their time for the cause of Shannon Gaels are John Paul Feeley, who as secretary, is a wonderful club colleague and dedicated worker. He is equally matched by people like Tommy McManus, Cathal Maguire, Frankie McManus, Anthony Murray, Kieran Fitzpatrick and Padraig Dolan. All of these people have and still do commit to the club. This is an area I feel that is of vital importance and with ever decreasing numbers of people committing to the clubs, it is something I feel is a worrying factor. "I feel that the greatest threat to the club scene is not that derived from other codes but from leisure activities such as golf that provides an entertaining social outlet for its participants. We have been very fortunate at Shannon Gaels that throughout the entire existence of the club, we always had dedicated people who held the interest of Shannon Gaels close to their hearts," said Tom. Ladies football Enthusiasm at Shannon Gaels is not the sole preserve of the male footballers at the club, in a ladies section which is enthusiastically led by Pascal Oats and Hugh Maguire the ladies from the club are equally committed to their own cause. Formed back in 1995 the club became dormant after a number of years but was re-activated in 2004. Sporting an U-12, U-16 and junior ladies side they have shown themselves to be competitive and reached the final of the nine-a-side Junior Ladies Shield final where they lost out to Mountnugent. The game which was played at the end of last year in atrocious conditions will have given the girls from the club the experience and belief to go into 2007 with confidence and a new focus for winning. Sporting a talented side with players of the calibre of Olive McGovern, Nicole O'Donnell and Sharon McNiff. This present squad of players will be hoping to emulate the feats of the great teams of the late '90s. Tweet

Most Read Stories