The once proud bastion of Cavan football, Laragh Utd. will view the 2007 football season with disappointment. With the club celebrating its silver jubilee, the drop down into Division 3 will be assessed by some as a setback but by others as probably the best way forward for the club. For the past number of seasons, the side have struggled to remain in Division 2 which in itself did not necessitate for developing a squad. The continual battle to win games brings its own pressure and the ultimate result of having to battle out to avoid relegation at the season's end did little to prepare a side for the incoming campaign. The hard work put in by team manager, Dermot King, over the past few seasons deserved more than an end of season relegation epitaph. When you look at what Dermot King as a team manager brings to his club, Laragh United, you are left with the distinct feeling that if a former player and a magnificently committed clubman of his calibre could not turn the fortunes of the team around then the drop down to the lower division should give them the breathing space to develop a squad that can once again become a force in football. When you talk to Dermot the pride of Laragh United resonates loudly in his words. Dermot who has given his sporting life to the interest of Laragh United, except for a brief sojourn as team manager with neighbours, Knockbride, has played all grades from schoolboy right up to senior level, spanning a career that did not end until he was 49. Indeed, his playing days with Laragh Utd. did not terminate until the commencement of the new millennium in 2000. Throughout that period he accummulated four senior championship medals, seven senior league medals and a junior league and championship medal. An impressive array of silverware that only a handful of players in any county will ever achieve. As a coach at underage level at his club for over eighteen years, few would have been in a better position to judge the fortunes of Laragh as contenders in the senior ranks. Having managed the talented minor teams of 1974, '76 and '77 Dermot had the credentials to move his managerial skills to next level. Working for a short perriod as a selector with another Laragh great, John Brady, Dermot soon found himself in the position of team manager and with full responsibility for the future of the senior squad. "I worked alongside John before taking over both the first and second teams. It was a challenge I was looking forward to and did not in the least see it as intimidating. I knew that it was going to be a challenging position but that in itself made me more determined. Coming from the back drop of such a successful club in the past we had now more or less seen our football fortunes at senior level taking a downward trend. The reality was that we were working from a diminished player pool so any hiccup through injury or unavailability would and did cause us many problems," stated Dermot. "While we did take the drop down into Division 3 at the end of the 2007 season, it is not all doom and gloom at the club. There are a number of encouraging factors emerging for the future with some of our juvenile and minor teams making it to their respective finals. Indeed we also reached the Cavan Junior C championship final but came up against a rampant Ballinagh side. Also our minor team made it to the final of the Division 2 championship and could deem themselves unlucky to loose out to the amalgamated Sheelin Gaels (Crosserlough - Ballymachugh) by a meagre two points after extra time. The fact that we are making it to the final stages of competitions will give many of the younger players the belief that they can compete and succeed in the future." When asked what he thought was the main reason for his side's drop down into Division 3 Dermot was honest and fortright in his answer: "For the past four to five years we have struggled in Division 2 and found ourselves at the end of each season battling to survive. This we managed to do until 2007. We found ourselves in a position during that period where we were losing games having competed well and with a little bit of belief may have taken the necessary points in a number of those encounters to ensure that we would not be struggling. As a team, we competed well, played well but could not find the necessary scores to give us that bit of confidence to go on and win games. Lady luck did not smile favourably on us this year as we managed to miss six penalties during our 2007 campaign, which even a fifty per cent conversion rate would have given us victory in three games and steer us clear of relegation. "Presently we have a relatively young squad and hopefully, now that they are in Division 3, and the albatross of trying to stay in Division 2 is finally gone, we can start winning games. It is winning games that creates confidence and self belief and I have no doubt that this present crop of Laragh players have the ability to do just that. We have some very talented young players in Adrian Cooney, Daragh Brady, Gerry Murray and Enda Tierney who can now be allowed to approach the new season with the determination of trying to get promotion rather than avoiding it," stated Dermot. Dermot exudes a positive confidence and has great faith and belief in Laragh Utd. His realism is part of his strength and his awareness of the talent, the obstacles and commitment that will be needed to guide this once great football power back to the dizzy heights of the early '80s when they won a three-in-a-row, 1982-84, is infectious. "I have been involved with Laragh Utd. both as a player and mentor throughout my life and as such it holds a great love in my football heart, so I cannot see myself not being involved in the coming season. After all we do have some great young talent coming through and the trick now is to keep them interested and motivate them into thinking of winning. With tongue in cheek, Dermot quipped, we now have a new Cardinal, a Laragh man, in Sean Brady, so maybe he will guide a few good prayers our way," stated Dermot. Historic U-12 Roinn A title While their more senior counterparts were ending their season on a low note the highlight of the juvenile club was the magnificent victory recorded when Laragh's U-12 won for the first time ever the Roinn A title with a thrilling extra time victory over favourites Lurgan at Breffni Park on a scoreline of Laragh United 4-13 Lurgan 3-7. This pulsating victory was fashioned on the back of a Laragh team who were pushed on by the powerful combination of Liam McKenna and Sean Tierney. Laragh were first out of the blocks and had registered their first score a point through Sean Tierney. Laragh pressure saw them add two further points but a determined ten minute spell saw Lurgan amass 1-3 to give them a three point lead. This setback only seemed to inspire the Laragh side and some deft work from Walshe and McMahon put Tierney through, who confidently chipped the Lurgan keeper to ensure that this final was not going to be a one side affair. Lurgan were further rocked when once again a move involving Walshe and McMahon put midfielder John Denning through on goal and his pile-driving shot slammed into the back of the Lurgan net. Lurgan's outstanding player Colm Bradley brought the fight to Laragh and was rewarded just on the stroke of half-time when his long looping kick ended up in the back of the Laragh net. The half-time score of 2-4 each ensured that the second half was to be played for. After the interval Laragh made several positional switches. Eoin Donohoe was switched to midfield, Cormac Reilly to centre back and Conor O'Rourke was introduced in attack. However one thing remained constant and that was Liam McKenna's dominance at midfield. Lurgan who were now under severe pressure conceded a penalty which Gareth McMahon struck superbly, giving Lurgan keeper, O'Connell no chance. As a contest, this game ebbed and flowed with both sides exerting pressure on each other and keeping the large crowd on the edge of their seats as both sides exchanged points to keep the game alive as a contest. It was Lurgan's Bradley who created a sensational finish to this game when he brought the sides level with a magnificently taken goal. With the scoreline reading 3-6 apiece at the final whistle, extra timed was played. Laragh were determined to ensure that extra time would result in their victory and were first to register on the scoreboard when Jason Walshe pointed. A match winning move involving Eoin Donohoe and Walshe set up McMahon for Laragh's fourth goal. McMahon added on a further point and from this point on never looked like losing. After the game Laragh manager Brian Carolan said "after losing 16 Roinn A finals over 20 years and playing our third under 12 one in a row, it was a huge relief to claim this one. The players were outstanding and it's just reward for the many years of work from under-8 up to now and tireless work with the schools. It's a proud day for all Laragh followers in Breffni Park." Laragh United: J. O'Donoghue (captain), C. Reilly, P. O'Sullivan, Fergal McKenna, Terry Brady, Eoin Donohoe, Fichra Donohoe, Liam McKenna, J. Denning, S. Tierney, G. Mahon, F. Commiskey, Darren Brady, J. Walshe & D. Smith. Subs used: Conor O'Rourke, Lorraine O'Rouke, Pauric Casey & Paul King. Ladies Historic Title While their male counter-parts were doomed and relegated from Division 2 the Laragh ladies enshrined themselves in their own piece of history when they won the Division 4 league title at Joe Crowe Memorial Park, Lacken when they accounted for Ballymachugh on a scoreline of 3-9 to 2-11 in a thrilling final. It took a last gasp strike from Jacqui Rudden to send the Laragh faithful into a frenzy of excitement and their first ever senior ladies crown. Ballymachugh started much the brighter and had amassed an early lead and looked to have the edge on the Laragh girls when they held an 0-5 to 0-1 lead. Ballymachugh looked set for victory when they held an impressive 1-8 to 0-1 lead after twenty minutes, but a goal from Rudden along with some astute changes helped rejuvenate the Laragh ladies. Laragh commenced the second half in determined fashion with captain Maggie Farrelly leading by example. Now playing with more confidence, Laragh now set about reducing the deficit and with Clare Brady orchestrating the Laragh attack the comeback was well and truly on the way. Ballymachugh worked hard to stem the tide and a goal against the run of play should have given them some breathing space when they held a 2-9 to 1-6 lead. However, their advantage was short lived as the Laragh response was immediate and devastating when once again Jacquie Rudden popped up on the end of great move to record her second goal. Now the game was well and truly on as a contest. Both sides exchanged points and with the scoreline reading 2-11 to 2-9 with the clock counting down, up stepped Rudden again who won a long ball and held her nerve to crack home her third goal and her Laragh's winning score. According to team captain Maggie Farrelly: "We had great inner belief that even when we were behind we could still come back and win the match. We could sense at half time that the game was there for the taking." Player of the match Jacqui Rudden added "being the underdogs suited us and didn't deter the team's belief that we could win this final". When asked about her winning goal she humbly said "the ball broke very kindly and I kept my head down and thankfully it went in" Laragh Utd. N. Cooney, K. Duffy, E. Conaty, K. Farrelly, J. O'Rourke, C. Brady, D. Smith, M. Farrelly, J. Rudden, S. McKenna, S. Reilly, F. Conaty, C. Brady. Sub: A. Brady. Silver Jubilee The club who celebrated their silver jubilee during 2007 was honoured when they were introduced to the crowd at Kingspan Breffni Park prior to the senior football final between Gowna and Cavan Gaels. Laragh won their first senior title back in 1979 and then went on to a record a hat-trick of senior championship titles in 1982, 1983 and 1984. Victory in 1982 was over Bailieboro Shamrocks by seven points (1-10 to 1-3), while they overcame Cavan Gaels in '83 (1-15 to 2-6). In 1984 they recorded their three-in-a-row when they defeated Drumalee 0-16 to 2-7. Many of the players from that 'golden' era have four senior championship and seven senior league medals. Tweet

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