With their place in the top flight of Cavan football assured for 2008, Cuchullain's young team has much to look forward to. Under the team management of former Cavan player, Paddy McNamee and selectors, Ronan Carolan and Brian Daly, Cuchullains achieved their league aims with something to spare at the end of the season. Their championship campaign was one of mixed feelings as they lost out to Kingscourt Stars after a replay, pitting them into the relegation play-offs. The pressure cooker of championship play-offs which also provided a back-door into the championship as well as the prospect that if the club failed to win their games they would be playing their championship football in 2008 in the Intermediate grade, only seemed to solidify the determination of this young group of players. The possible drop back was never going to be the case as the east Cavan side showed the spirit that helped them capture the Intermediate title back in 2005 and could deem themselves unlucky not have made it back into the championship quarter-final. Wins over Denn and Castlerahan pitted them against Gowna for the chance of going back into the championship proper. In what proved to be a very exciting championship encounter Cuchullains pushed Gowna all the way and but for a converted Gowna penalty in the second half, the much younger Cuchullains could have put their more vaunted opponents to the sword. As it was Gowna's greater experience saw them steer safely through the choppy waters of this championship game and make it all the way to the county final. An interesting statistic worth noting, in having secured their place in Division One football, Cuchullains, are going to be the only club in east Cavan to play their football in top flight in 2008. Considering such luminaries of the past like Kingscourt Stars and Ramor Utd., - both former greats of Cavan GAA - now are set to play their league campaigns in Division 2. Minors At minor level under the guidance of club PRO and former Cavan goalkeeper, Jimmy O'Reilly and selectors Paddy Murtagh and Shane Smith, they made it to the semi-final of the league only to come up against the might of Cavan minor football in the form of Cavan Gaels where the Gaels emerged victorious. In their championship campaign, defeat by local neighbours and eventual championship finalists Lugan ended the competitive season. According to Jimmy O'Reilly: "We had a strong team and led by county minor stars, Eugene Keating and Conor Smith we acquitted ourselves well. We were unfortunate to have drawn the Gaels in the semi-final as realistically they are a formidable combination. On the day against Lurgan in the championship we could have no complaints. All in all the team gave some encouraging performances and can feel proud of their competitive instincts. Credit must also go to the magnificent work put in by both selectors, Shane Smith and Paddy Murtagh, both playing members of the senior team." Many of the club's minor squad have been involved with the triumphant Virginia College who won the All Ireland. With club player, Niall Lynch acting as coach and the winning side being backboned by Cuchullains, the flow of talent coming on stream to the east Cavan side should ensure that the club will be in a healthy position to contest for honours in the not too distant future. Potential According to 2007 chairman and local Fianna Fail councillor Shane P. O'Reilly: "I have little doubt in my mind that if the present crop of players and the emerging talent coming through are motivated in the right direction there is indeed a senior championship to be won by this club. We have a good pedigree in championship football having recently won the Intermediate title back in 2005 and now some of the minor stars of that era are the back bone of this present side. We are fortunate to have such experienced players in former county star, Terry Farrelly, Barry Smith, Niall Lynch, Tommy O'Reilly and team captain Paul Taite who have worked hard and blended in well with the youthful Seamus Clarke, John Flanagan, Stephen Lynch, Paddy Murtagh, Gavin Daly, Colm Anderson and the even more youthful players like Killian Lynch, Adrian Tate and Conor Daly. The return from Australia of Seamus Clarke, John Flanagan and Stephen Lynch proved to be of immense value as all three had outstanding campaigns during the 2007 season. "We also have some immense talent in the likes of Killian Smith, Adrian Tate and Conor Daly along with county minor stars, Eugene Keating and Conor Smith who will all have an immense contribution to make to the Cuchullains club. Also returning from Australia is one of our former great minor stars, Paul Tully who will also be available for selection for the new season. All in all I would consider that the present panel of players to be a formidable squad." The youthful Shane who has Cuchullains at heart took up refeering when he was just sixteen but the call of politics was too strong for him to continuing acting as an 'knight of the whistle'. "I have a great love for gaelic games and especially for my home club Cuchullains. The opportunity arose for me to take over the position of chairman for 2007 and it was with great honour and pride that I accepted this vaunted position. I would have to say my year as chairman was made that much easier through the enormous work put in by both my vice chairman Gerard McKenna and secretary, Angela Gaffney. My aim at the club was to create a good financial footing and this was achieved with the formation of a very strong and workmanlike finance committee of Fergus O'Reilly, Tommy O'Reilly, Norman Ormiston, Larry O'Brien, Sean Smith and Richard Leddy, who created a portfolio that has now left Cuchullains on a sound financial setting," stated Shane. Juveniles Shane was full of praise for the work being put in at juvenile level by all the club coaches. "The work being put in at juvenile level is indeed magnificent where the coaching staff for all underage groups give of themselves selflessly. While we did not manage to win any trophies at this section we had some great performances from all the sides involved. Our U-12s made it to the Bord Peil na nOg Roinn D final and lost out to a Ballinagh. This section of the club is under the expert guidance of the club's vice chairman, Gerard McKenna who doubles up as chairman of the Juvenile Board and is the life blood of the club. Gerard has infused his brand of enthusiasm and with a wonderful response from coaches throughout the juvenile spectrum he is ensuring that the club will have a healthy balance sheet player wise," stated Shane. U-12s A spirited performance from the club's under 12's saw them just fail to take the Bord Peil na nOg Roinn D title when they went under to a more physical Ballinagh side on a scoreline of Ballinagh 4-7 Cuchullains 2-6. While Ballinagh led from start to finish and at one stage of had a comfortable nine point lead, the young stars of Cuchullains showed that grit and determination long associated with the east Cavan club when they hit back to reduce the arrears to a meagre two points. A superbly struck penalty by Calvin Murphy which was awarded after Ronan Farrelly was taken down helped fuel a resurgence of the east Cavan side's fortunes. With heroic performances throughout the entire team, Cuchullains failed to get the smile from lady luck when Conor Power's shot hit the underside of the Ballinagh crossbar. Displaying great courage and commitment Cuchullains tried valiantly to wrestle the lead from Ballinagh and when Calvin Murphy slotted home his second goal midway through the second half, suddenly the game was thrown wide open as Ballinagh's nine point lead was was now reduced to two points, 3-5 to 2-6. Try as they may, Cuchullains could not get the vital scores in the last quarter as Ballinagh tightened up their game to snuff out the east Cavan's challenge. Cuchullains: Paddy Gaffney, Shane Duffy, Liam Gordon, Conor Flanagan, Finn Taite, Evan Doughty, Rachel Lynch, Paul Finnegan, Conor Power, Andrew Farrelly, Ronan Farrelly (0-2), Brian Magee (0-3), Calvin Murphy (2-1). "With the town and surrounding hinterland of Mullagh fast developing we are beginning to experience a new influx of people who will in the future help provide further football talent to the club. This will take some time to come on stream as many of the young families are just recently settled in the area," stated Shane. Standing Down When asked if he would continue in his role as chairman, Shane was emphatic with his answer: "I gave the club a commitment that I would give it one year and that is what I have done. Presently, it would not be fair on my wife, Elisha and two young children, Conor, who has just gone two and half and Aibhe who is only eight months. We recently started a new business "Food for Thought" on Main Street, and with my auctioneering and political commitments, time is very much of the essence. I feel I now have to prioritise and unfortunately I will have to decline the offer of going again for another year. I am a Cuchullains man to the heart and no doubt will have some minor involvement for the coming year albeit maybe only as a spectator but having held most positions at club level, I have no doubt that sometime in the future when the window of opportunity arises, I will certainly be involved again," stated Shane. Tribute Shane feels that while things went reasonably well for Cuchullains in 2007 the year was tinged with sadness with the death of two prominent members. "The Clarke brothers, Jim and Charles who died within a short space of each other has withdrawn two names long associated with GAA in the Mullagh area. Jim, who along with his cousin Brendan managed the minor team that won the league back in the 2000 and whose players are now the back bone of this present senior side, was also a very generous sponsor to the club. His brother, Charles who died just one week after Jim, was a former player with the club and along with their other brother, Noel formed part of the great Mullagh minor team of the mid sixties. Jim son's Seamus is presently a playing member of the senior team," stated Shane. Community Centre The club have just completed the final phase of a new community centre at Edwin Carolan Mermorial Park at Mullagh. The facility hosts meeting rooms, basket ball arena and provision for a state of the art gym. Having installed floodlights last season, the club are now well placed to set themselves among the elite in the county regarding facilities. "On a final note I feel that the present structure and calibre of people involved with Cuchullains should ensure the necessary framework to create a successful winning club. With the talented players at our disposal, I have no doubt that it will not be too long before you see Cuchullains making serious inroads into the senior ranks of Cavan football," stated Shane. Tweet

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