Hoganstand.com - GAA Football & Hurling

Tremendous boost for the Castlerhan club

17 December 2007

This win over Cavan Gaels in the Cavan U-21 Division One final at a cold and windy Kingspan/Breffni Park, Cavan when the Castlerahan side were impressive winnners over a fancied Cavan Gaels side, must give a great boost to the club, and to this group of young players who prepared well for this competition, were clearly focussed on the job in hand, and turned in a great team performance on the day to gain the win.

Some of their support play was of the highest order, and their ball retention when under pressure gave them the edge throughout the game. They were led from the front by their team-captain and centre-half back, Ronan Flanagan who led from the front from the off, and he must have covered every blade of grass in the open expanses of the Kingspan/Breffni Park arena in the quest for championship honours for his side.

His leadership was vital in this success, and his inspirational play seemed to get the best out of his side, with players such as Pauric Smith, Fiachra Cork, Shane Boylan, Fergal Flanagan and Brian Coleman among others ’rising to the occasion’ in tremendous fashion.

The game itself was brimful of some great passages of football, especially from the Castlerahan side, and if this group of players are kept together there is no reason why the club can’t be challenging for senior honours in the coming years. You could say they left their mark on Saturday last in Kingspan/Breffni Park, and showed what a focussed and dedicated group of players can achieve if they are dedicated and put the work and preparation in.

For many of the Cavan Gaels players if was a game too far in what for them has been a long and very successful season. Many of their side were involved the previous week-end in the the Ulster minor club competition opener in Belfast against the Derry champions, Kilrea when they were denied at least a replay by a late rally by the Derry kingpins and a few dubious refereeing decision to say the least. On Saturday they were always ’second best’ against an in-form Castlerhan side, and some of the players were struggling with their game from the start of the match.

However, you don’t become a bad team overnight, and many of these players no doubt, will go on to win U-21 titles in the future. For the present, they can look back on what was a very successful season overall for the Cavan town club. Championship honours have come their way in minor and senior grades, while they just missed out on the ’championship hat-trick’ at the very last hurdle.

The final on Saturday last was played in a very sporting manner, with referee Jimmy Galligan (Killygarry) always in control of proceedings and this added to the enjoyment of the occasion.