Make no mistake, 2009 was by no means a write-off for Lacken GAA. A hard fought Division Five league title, an Under 16 championship triumph and a host of ladies success proved that this club, despite the name, are lacking in nothing. Lacken are one of the few clubs in Cavan which can boast themselves as all-rounders, with ladies football, camogie and underage hurling now being played year in, year out.
In December 2008, Lacken appointed Declan Rowley as the club's senior football manager for the up and coming season. Rowley, who managed Leitrim's senior footballers for three years before stepping aside in 2004 for Dessie Dolan to take over, succeeded Joe O'Connor in the position after the former Cavan Gaels boss brought the club to its highest ever finish in Division One in his first year in charge.
Tony Smith was first appointed as a selector to O'Connor and the club decided his insight would be needed again in '09 when a new man came in. As Rowley prepares for his second year at the helm with Lacken, Smith will be entering his third and hopes that this can be the year the team make their mark on the Cavan SFC.
"The championship was the priority in 2009," Smith explained. "That and to keep ourselves well situated in Division One as well. We had a bad championship but we were only two points off a semi-final place in the league, so we know we're not too far away."
Rowley's team got off to a poor start in 2009, losing their first three games of the ACFL to Ramor Untied, rivals Ballinagh and Redhills before some parity was restored with their first win in early April against Denn at Crowe Park by 2-9 to 1-8.
The absence of goalkeeper Shane Sheridan along with Gary and Paul McGauran had already began to tell for Lacken and when star forward Finbar Reilly suffered knee ligament damage in the team's win over Mullahoran at the end of April, the players knew they would need to step it up if they were going to challenge for honours.
A good win over Crosserlough and a hard fought draw against Lavey - managed by Lacken native Terry Hyland - set up a good platform for the team heading into their senior championship campaign, where they would embark on a group that read: Kingscourt, Killygarry, Denn.
"We were in good form going into the championship," insisted Smith. "Training had been going well and we had got a few vital wins in the league before it started, so we were hopeful going into our first game against Kingscourt."
Lacken had got off to a good start against the Stars, playing quick ball into the likes of Raymond Galligan, who helped to shoot the team into the lead at half-time. However, in the second-half Lacken took their foot off the pedal and allowed Kingscourt back into the game and they would eventually fall to a 1-10 to 1-9 defeat. The result cast the dye over what was to turn into a championship campaign to forget for Rowley's charges.
"We played our best 30 minutes in the first-half against Kingscourt, but fell apart in the second-half and ended up losing the game by a point," said Smith.
"In the second game against Killygarry in Ballinagh, we never really got going and struggled to score. Then we played Denn and it was another case where we were ahead by five points and fell apart again and ended up losing."
The defeats plunged Lacken into a relegation play-off with Crosserlough, where the losers would be condemned to a last chance saloon for their senior status. The first meeting between the two sides would end all square, but in the replay Lacken edged out the Kilnaleck men in Killygarry to make sure they sure they'd be playing their championship football in the top tier for 2010.
After the championship's conclusion, Lacken got stuck into their duties in Division One and took away two more points from Mullagh with victory over Cuchullains to leave them in contention for a top four finish in Division One. Unfortunately for Rowley's team, they suffered defeat in their last two games against Belturbet and Cavan Gaels, who would finish in second and first position, respectively.
"This year we will have the same management and the same panel of players, with a few more inclusions coming in," explained Smith. "Niall McKiernan, Philip Moynagh, Kevin Shanaghy and Eoin Donohoe are all good players which are now coming through to the senior team.
"We'll be looking to do well in the championship and get to the play-offs in the league. This team is definitely good enough to get to the semi-finals of the league and the championship. The management have a year behind them now and will know a lot of work has to be done."

Juniors clinch Div 5 title
Lacken weren't to finish 2009 with their men's football section left completely empty-handed though. After leading the table all season long, the Celts captured the ACFL Division Five title in November when they defeated Ballyhaise in the final after a replay at Our Lady of Lourdes Park.
In an enthralling and dramatic final, it took a last-minute goal from minor star Niall McKiernan to clinch the title for Lacken on a score-line of 3-9 to 1-11 in the wet and windy conditions at Mullahoran.
Ballyhaise started the match well, scoring the opening two points, before Lacken introduced themselves to the game with a five-point spree which saw Niall McKiernan (2), Michael Shanaghy, Johnny Sheridan and Stephen Brady all raising white flags. Good responses from Ballyhaise meant the teams would go in at the break level on 0-5 apiece.
After the restart, both sides continued to swap points back and forth before Michael Shanaghy fired in a superb goal which gave Ballyhaise 'keeper Rory Donnellan no chance. It looked as through Lacken were well on their way after that but two late scores from the accurate Stephen Smith forced extra-time.
Lacken made the better start with effective substitute Frankie Mulligan firing over two points and McKiernan blasting in his team's second goal. Ballyhaise responded through Smith before Mulligan's third point stretched the sky blues lead to five. A fortuitous goal from Smith gave Ballyhaise something to fight for in the dying minutes, but it was McKiernan who would have the final say with his second goal which finally separated the two sides come the final whistle and insured that Lacken would be taking home the silverware.
Lacken (Div 5 final v Ballyhaise): Cormac Smith; Declan Brady, Barney Brady, Martin Brady; Joe Sorohan, Eddie Sheridan, Shane Finnegan; Michael Shanaghy (1-1), Johnny Sheridan (0-1); Stephen Brady (0-1), Philip Moynagh, Kevin Shanaghy; Darragh Smith, Niall McKiernan (2-3), Oliver McKiernan. Subs: Daniel Shanaghy, Frankie Mulligan (0-3), Daniel Brady.

Ladies on the double
Lacken completed the senior league and championship double in 2009 when they wrestled the Michelle Keating Memorial Cup from defending champions Lurgan in the final at Ramor Park, Virginia.
Inspired by their midfield stalwart Rosie Crowe, sky blues dominated their opponents in the second-half to see them off by 0-11 to 0-7 and claim the top prize in Cavan ladies' club football.
After a tight first-half, Lacken took in a one-point lead with deadly duo Roisin O'Keefe and Catriona Leddy helping fire them in front. In the second-half, Lacken took control as Rosie Crowe lashed over an uplifting point, which was backed up by a Leddy free and O'Keefe using her speed to race away from her marker and smash between the posts.
Lurgan brought the gap down to three entering the final quarter, but Lacken still held the edged and scores from substitute Kelly Donohoe and team captain Miranda McIntyre made sure of victory.
Lacken (SFC final v Lurgan): Aoife Brady; Miranda McIntyre (0-1), Niamh McInerney, Sinead Galligan; Aisling McInerney, Joanne Moore, Sinead O'Keefe; Rosie Crowe (0-2), Catriona Leddy (0-4); Eireann Galligan, Roisin O'Keefe (0-3), Josephine Maguire; Shona King, Debbie Lee Fox, Niamh Brady. Sub: Kelly Donohoe (0-1)

In the weeks ahead, Lacken totally dominated Knockbride with a 5-14 to 1-5 triumph at Killinkere to take the Division One title. In a one-sided final, the winners' goals came from Roisin O'Keefe (3), Catriona Leddy and Debbie-Lee Fox.
Many of the same players had tasted a bitter defeat in early September when they lost the chance to claim an elusive four-in-a-row of county camogie championship titles. In a thrilling final at Drumlane, Lacken and Castletara served up an intriguing encounter which went right down to the wire, but in the end a late free from Majella Smith killed off the sky blues' hopes of retaining their title for a third time.

Championship success for Under 16s
Lacken's Under 16 footballers did the club proud in early September when they captured the Division Four Championship title after defeating Laragh United by 2-19 to 4-8 in a score fest at First Ulsters Park, Ballyconnell.
The winners got themselves off to the ideal start when Craig Lanauze's goal added to the early points of Martin and John Brady to open up a quick five-point gap. Moments later Martin Brady made a surging run through the Laragh defence and fired in his team's second goal off his left boot and further scores from Ryan Smith, Damien McKiernan and Karl Clerkin put Lacken into a commanding 2-5 to 0-0 lead.
To their credit, Laragh fought back bravely with substitute Liam McKenna bagging their first goal before Conal Donohoe struck in a penalty to bring the Stradone men back into it for the second-half.
Early on in the restart Conor Finnegan set the tone for Lacken with a tidy score and despite McKenna popping up with a reply, Finnegan began to come into his own with two brilliant scores before Damien McKiernan would raise a white flag in assistance. Lacken looked like pulling away when James Galligan curled over a superb score, but another goal from Gareth McMahon kept Laragh within touching distance going into the closing stages.
Galligan chipped in with another well-struck point before having a goal disallowed for square ball, but after that Lacken never looked back with Finnegan to the fore as he fired over a quick brace of points, which were backed up by Galligan and McKiernan to make sure the title was coming Lacken-way.
The victory would help to ease the pain of Under 13 and 14 final defeats when the club looks back on 2009. In particular, their unfortunate defeat to Lavey in the Roinn C Championship final at Kingspan Breffni Park, where they lost out by a goal deep into injury-time.

Lacken (U16 Div 4 final v Laragh): Ryan Galligan; Garry Cronin, Niall Halton, Craig Lanauze; Damien McKiernan, Brian Wilson, Martin Brady; Conor Finnegan, John Brady; Ryan Smith, Oliver Shanaghy, Karl Clerkin; James Galligan, Thomas Galligan, Kevin Wilson. Tweet

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