In 1980, Drung's premier team won the JFC with current club Chairman Patsy Fitzpatrick on board. "Fitz" says the club's finest can lift morale with a repeat win next autumn The spill of time hasn't dimmed the memories of Drung's 1980 JFC title success for Patsy Fitzpatrick. How could it given that his football nous was central to engineering that triumph. But the dogs on the road around Bunnoe, Drung et al have witnessed in the 27 years-plus that have come and gone since, that '80 win has adopted radically different personas. On one hand it's been personified as a a fountain of inspiration or, on other occasions - most notably after a tragic defeat - as a proverbial ball and chain. It's ironic that in 2008 the Dalcassians will be plying their skills in the junior championship for the first time since Fitzpatrick and Co. landed the blue riband title back in the 'eighties. "We'd rather not have gone back down to junior but if we can repeat what was achieved in 1980 it mightn't turn out to be that bad," club chairperson Fitzpatrick comments. It takes a certain team, one of character, ambition and resilience, to rebound and put right a suicidal blow to the side but the Drung club chief is optimistic that the ammunition is there. "I'm very confident that we have the players to win the junior championship this year," he says unequivocally. "It's crucial that we get back up to intermediate straight away. "We have a new management in place, a new set of jerseys and hopefully a new determination among the lads to make up for last year and I think they will win the championship." Without doing enough to convince your commoner-garden hack to hit the local turf accountant's HQ toute suite, Fitzpatrick's passion and unwavering belief could easily sway a punter. Just a few seasons ago, Drung were within minutes of winning the IFC final but, as Patsy admits, the club's fortunes have gone into decline like shares on the Irish stock exchange. Drung's share rating at present is poor and they've dropped down the pecking order but those at the coalface of the club are determined that there'll be no meltdown: "We want to win the championship this year and we can win it and even winning the league would be falling short of what we want to achieve this year. "At least last year we maintained our division two status; going down to division three would have been unthinkable, out of the equation with the players we had on board. "Last year we didn't do enough in the league to finish anywhere other than mid-table and we probably got what we deserved in the championship but I think we can turn it around." Reflecting on the team's demotion from intermediate to junior championship status, Patsy says there were quite a few mitigating circumstances relating to the club's poor season. He cites a whole host of injuries to key players during the year and wonders what might have been had the club had all their first-teamers available for all the year. The absence of county ace Ciaran Galligan was particularly painful, in more ways than one, the true-blue Drung stalwart remarks: "Obviously any club is going to miss a player of Ciaran's quality and he was definitely a big loss to us for all the time he was on the sidelines and out of the reckoning. "He must have been out injured for the most part of three-quarters of 2007 and he was missed, especially by the younger players who would look up to him. "Losing the likes of him, Philly Monahan and Niall O'Rourke - cruciate ligament - and Austin Curran (to Ballybay) were serious blows and disheartening for the players generally." And yet the portents weren't at all bad at the outset of the league and championship and, yet, slowly but surely things began to unwravel and weren't at all what the doctor had ordered. In a group containing Butlersbridge, Drumlane and Swanlinbar, the less than dynamic Dalcassians fell short, quite a bit short and trouble could be seen brewing on the horizon. "On paper, at the start of the year, most of us felt that we had a fairly good chance of going the distance in the championship but things worked out the very opposite," says Patsy. "At the very worst, we felt that we'd at least retain our intermediate championship status and, to be fair, the commitment from the players was very good during the year. "Thomas (Jackson) had the players from a young age, nurtured their abilities over the years and had their respect and it wasn't unusual for us to have over 30 players out training. "But apart from the injuries some of the lads picked up, there's a lot to be said for the strength of your bench and, unfortunately, we just didn't have enough of players as back-up." Drung's lack of strength in depth ultimately came to light in a fatal way when the team went down to Killinkere in a relegation play-off in Lavey. In a winner-take-all affair, the red and whites hit the ground running and went a few points in front only to be reeled in as the game wore on before crashing to a disastrous defeat. "We hear it year after year that fellas are playing for so long and they haven't a medal to their name and it would be great if that could change this year," Patsy avers. "It's ten years now (1997) since the club won the division two league and we badly need another bit of success to get the momentum going again. "The supporters as well as the players could do with a lift because they've gone to finals and come home very disappointed and disillusioned, especially after such high expectations. "We've been the bridesmaids too often but I wouldn't be surprised if the lads put things right next summer and got us back to where we really should be." And with such rising stars as Barry Watters and Killian Monahan plus the aforementioned Galligan, O'Rourke brothers, Sloweys, etc hopes are indeed high within the club. Drung's spirit, collective pride and unity of purpose can't be denied and Patsy is encouraged by the fact that the club has managed to field teams on its own at underage level of late. While the club has found the need to amalgamate with neighbours Kill and Cootehill to field at under 16 and minor levels, it has been able to go it alone at under 12 and under 14s. The club is clearly looking to the future as regards nurturing talent for adult teams of the future and Patsy says the "underage structure is good at the club." In the interim, Drung's ambitious plans to make progress off the field will be pursued with equal vigour, determination and creativity. The demolition of the old club dressing-rooms and the construction of a 'Prunty' training field (90m x 50m) are just two aspects of a major pitch development programme for '08. Quality floodlighting for the new training pitch are also in the offering while the existing 'main' pitch will be lengthened and converted into a Prunty pitch also in time. Over the course of a three-year timescale, the development plans - costing an anticipated 250,000 euros - Drung's headquarters in Bunnoe will be transformed. With the help of a 59,000 euros grant from the national lottery, work on the grounds was kick-started over the winter and the plan is to have everything completed by mid-2009. Chairman since 2006, Patsy is convinced that the development of the club's home base is essential if the explosion in interest in ladies' football, juvenile football etc is to be sated. "We've no choice but to expand our facilities so as we can cater for all the teams who want to train and play in Bunnoe," he explains. "The idea of the training pitch is that most of the juvenile games and training could be hosted there as well as training for the rest of the teams right up to adult level "From October to March each year, the new training pitch will be especially useful because we'll be able to save the main pitch." And to fund all the additions and enhancements to the club's ground, Drung's faithful hope that the income from the highly-successful Variety show last month will help greatly. Then there's the race night organised by the players and the weekly lotto which is ongoing. It all adds up, of course, with our man Fitzpatrick leading by example. A born doer as they say around Lisnageer, Ashfield, Rathkenny, Bunnoe, etc etc. Tweet

Most Read Stories