Junior champions in 2003 and beaten IFC finalists in '07, Lavey finally completed their spectacular transformation to senior thoroughbreds with a magnificent outright victory in the 2009 Cavan intermediate football championship. Benefiting greatly from a second successive year in Division One, the Black & Whites proved for once and for all that there are no grey areas in gaelic football. They may have been written off by many at various stages during the year, but Lavey demonstrated remarkable spirit and resolve to come up trumps when it mattered most.
In the run-up to the IFC final against Cootehill at Kingspan Breffni Park, Lavey deserved the favourite's tag. They'd negotiated a veritable scenic route to the decider, while the Celts had played only three matches to get there. A semi-final win over Bailieboro confirmed that Lavey were in the mood…
They were on familiar ground, having qualified for the 2007 IFC final, only to lose out to Ballinagh (who went on to be crowned Ulster champions) by a solitary point. The following year, with Terry Hyland now at the helm, the New Inns men came back as dogged as ever only to be denied by a gallant Ballyhaise effort in the semi-final.
Lavey played a whopping six times en route to the county final. Pitted in the most competitive of the four groups (against 2008 finalists Ballyhaise, 2006 intermediate champions Drumalee and high-flying Killeshandra), they recovered well from the early shock of losing to Drumalee to beat Killeshandra by nine points, 0-17 to 1-5. A 1-10 to 0-13 draw with Ballyhaise meant a play-off would be required against Drumalee to secure a quarter-final berth and Lavey reversed their opening-round defeat with an emphatic 1-12 to 1-4 victory. They had set the record straight and in so doing had qualified for the last eight.
At the quarter-final stage, Lavey avenged their semi-final defeat of twelve months earlier by disposing of Ballyhaise, 1-11 to 0-10. Then came a 0-10 to 1-4 win at the Shamrocks' expense, a result which underlined Lavey's genuine championship credentials. Cootehill were never going to be a pushover, but the general consensus of opinion around the county was that Lavey would have that little bit of extra class - and so it proved as they chalked up a history-making 3-9 to 1-8 victory at Cavan GAA Headquarters on Sunday September 27 2009. Having come close to the Holy Grail in each of the two preceding seasons, Terry Hyland's charges made no mistake this time around to establish themselves as an out-and-out top-flight team, with both Division One and SFC fare to look forward to in 2010.
Goals from Kevin Brady (2) and Shane Tierney - as well as an amazing midfield display from Damian Smith - proved decisive as the spoils were captured in convincing manner on county final day.
After a nip-and-tuck first half, Lavey timed their first goal to perfection when a scramble in the Cootehill square just before the short whistle saw Karl Duke place Tierney, who had his fisted effort blocked before Kevin Brady blasted in the rebound to give the men in black a 1-5 to 0-5 interval lead.
Two minutes after the restart, the winners doubled their advantage when Oliver Smith released Tierney and the right corner forward danced past two Cootehill men to dispatch a wonderful finish to David Clegg's net. Brady and Neil Kelly exchanged frees after that, before David Tierney stretched Lavey's lead further.
The winners were dealt a blow when centre forward Declan Murphy was sent off for a second caution but that potentially-disruptive setback failed to knock the men in black out of their stride and they surged further clear courtesy of a brace from full forward Darren Jordan and Brady's second major. Cootehill snatched a late consolation goal but this was very much Lavey's day and nothing was going to deny them their place in the history books - and in senior football.
Lavey - 2009 Cavan intermediate football champions: Conor Martin; Fergal Smith, Darren Smith, Declan Conroy; David Tierney (0-2), Joey Jordan, Kevin Donohoe; Damian Smith, Stephen Jordan (0-1); Kevin Brady (2-2), Declan Murphy (0-1), Karl Duke; Shane Tierney (1-0), Darren Jordan (0-3), Oliver Smith. Subs: Martin Cusack, Sean Maguire, Kieran Galligan, Mark Brady.
Having taken the title in Cavan, Lavey now embarked on a wonderful Ulster intermediate club championship campaign. First up, they met Kinawley of Fermanagh at Enniskillen, recording a thrilling 0-15 to 0-13 victory on November 1. The sides were level nine times over the hour and it was the hosts who led by 0-10 to 0-9 at the turn-around, but Lavey revealed their trademark grit to take full advantage of wind assistance after the resumption. Late unanswered points from Kevin Brady, Declan Murphy and Aaron Smith fired the Cavan champs into the province's last four.
Lavey - Ulster intermediate club championship first round winners against Kinawley: Conor Martin; Fergal Smith, Darren Smith, Declan Conroy; Kevin Donohoe, Joey Jordan, Aaron Smith; Sean Maguire, Stephen Jordan; Kevin Brady (0-4), Declan Murphy (0-4), Damien Smith (0-1); Martin Cusack (0-2), Darren Jordan (0-3), Shane Tierney (0-1). Subs: Karl Duke, Christopher Conroy.
A fortnight later, Lavey booked their place in the Ulster final with a 1-14 to 1-8 win over Donegal side Fanad Gaels. This victory was secured by virtue of an astonishing second-half recovery after Terry Hyland's never-say-die charges trailed by 1-8 to 0-6 at the interval. Within eight minutes of the restart the News Inns side had the difference down to two when Darren Jordan, Sean Maguire and Shane Tierney all struck early points. Kevin Brady and Declan Murphy levelled, as Lavey began bossing their opponents in all sectors of the field.
Brady came up with two well-struck points to put Lavey into a lead that they would never relinquish and when Declan Murphy soloed through for a beautiful score they raced into a 0-14 to 1-8 lead heading towards injury-time. With a minute of normal time remaining Tierney sealed the deal for Lavey when he took a pass from Kevin Brady and netted the ball low past Mark McConigley in the Fanad goal to assure victory and a place against Tyrone champions Cookstown in the Ulster club IFC decider.
After watching his side 'win' the second half by 1-8 to no score, a delighted Lavey boss Hyland said: "I've been involved in football for a long time and I'd have to say I've never seen a second half from any team like that in my lifetime - and I've been involved with management since 1992. It was unbelievable."
Lavey - Ulster intermediate club championship semi-final victors: Conor Martin; Fergal Smith, Darren Smith, Declan Conroy; Kevin Donohoe, Joey Jordan, Aaron Smith; Sean Maguire (0-1), Damien Smith; Kevin Brady (0-3), Declan Murphy (0-2), Stephen Jordan; Martin Cusack (0-2), Darren Jordan, Shane Tierney (1-4). Sub: Karl Duke.
Unfortunately, Tyrone star Owen Mulligan and his team-mates proved a bridge too far as Cookstown won the provincial final by 0-9 to 1-4 in Brewster Park on November 29. Having trailed by 0-5 to 0-1 after 26 minutes, the Cavan champions rallied well to achieve parity at the break. Despite the sending-off of Fergal Smith in the latter stages of the opening period, they levelled twice more upon the resumption but eventually found that there was no water left in the well. However, defeat in no way detracted from what had been an incredible season for this magnificent Lavey team.
Lavey - 2009 Ulster intermediate club football championship finalists: C Martin; F Smith, Darren Smith, K Duke (0-1); K Donohoe, J Jordan, A Smith; S Maguire, Damien Smith; K Brady, D Murphy, S Jordan; M Cusack, D Jordan (1-3), S Tierney. Subs: C Conroy, F Jordan, D Conroy, O Smith, D Tierney.
When the club's well-attended AGM was held in The Lavey Inn on Sunday December 13 2009, there were many positive tidings to reflect upon. It had been one of the most successful years in the club's history. The long-term goal of a county IFC had been achieved; the minors won the Division Two championship final against Knockbride; there was an U14 title; three wins and three draws in Division One of the ACFL to claim a third-from-bottom finish. Club president Joe Kearns noted: "Lavey GAA was the best club in the county, with success achieved in all sectors of the club, with juvenile, ladies and men's teams all gaining silverware in the past twelve months", while chairman John Joe Maguire added that "the vast amount of success in the club has made Lavey the talk of the province".
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