The R word doesn't figure in the lexicon of yer average, commoner-garden gael but for those in the vanguard of raising funds, it's very much on the tip of their tongues.

For example, take Lavey club Treasurer Danny Murphy. His experience holding the purse strings over many years has made him more enlightened than most.
So when Danny talks up the challenges being faced by the 'money men' of the GAA, rest assured the R word has tough teeth and sharp claws.

"Similar to households and businesses and all other sporting organisations around the country, the recession has impacted on the GAA.
"Raising the finance needed to run a small GAA club like ours is becoming more and more difficult and I don't think anyone could deny that.
"Grants from the Ulster Council and Central Council have been cut back and it's practically impossible for clubs to take on the job of developing their facilities.

"It's a struggle for all clubs these days to make ends meet. It used to be that the national lottery grant in particular would help out a lot but those days are gone, at least for now."
Danny confesses that, as a treasurer, he acknowledges that "it's changed time." Savings aren't what they used to be but expenditure keeps rising.

Most clubs in county Cavan are hard-pressed to take in enough money to cover week-to-week costs which, according to Danny, have increased significantly.
"Like ourselves, I'm sure most clubs set out their budget at the start of the year and try their best to stick by it and to cut back if need be.

"Investing in existing facilities or developing new ones is really not on now but we're lucky in Lavey to have a loyal band of supporters.
"Our lotto sales and our income from bingo has held up well thanks to our supporters and those who look after the lotto and bingo."
In operation since 1993, Lavey GFC's bingo and their lottery sales are equally as lucrative for the black and whites.
The lotto got underway from its Dublin-road base for the first time this year and has proven to be more than a useful income-earner.
"At this stage, we're probably taking as much money from the lotto as we are from the bingo which is very good considering it's the first year of the lotto.
"It took a wee while to establish and build up a base of support for the lotto but house to house sales are good now with about 75% of our sales emanating from within the parish.
"The lotto runs hand in hand with the bingo. We make the draw for the lotto during the half-time break at bingo on Sunday night in the Lavey Inn.
"Having the ladies club helping out with lotto sales has been very good. It has worked well for both parties."
As what could be described as a typical, hard-working GAA volunteer, how does Danny view the prospect of the Ladies Football Association becoming part and parcel of the GAA in a formal, organisational manner?
"I'd be very much all for it 'cause it would benefit everyone. As far as I'm concerned it'd be a win-win situation for ladies football and the GAA.
"I'd be strongly in favour of the two organisations coming together. As it stands, I don't see any difference at grass roots level between the two.
"It's more practical for the ladies and ourselves to work together in terms of fundraising and other matters such as the use of the park.
"Reading from the same hymn sheet is important too in ensuring
that there's not a clash of fixtures and that everyone is able to support all our teams, male and female."
In 2009 Lavey made history by winning the IFC title by defeating Cootehill Celtic in the final. Danny says that such success does help keep the wolves from the door.
He confides in us that a successful team attracts more punters through the turnstiles but the days of gates alone keeping a ship afloat are long gone.
Pointedly, he has noticed a slight drop in receipts from gates in recent times and he attributes that to the effects of the recession.
Lavey's treasurer since 2003, Danny throws some light on the costs which can arise due to a club's own success on the field of play.
In that regard, he says that far from Lavey benefiting from a financial spin-off from their exploits in last year's Ulster IFC club campaign, the east Cavan crew had to splurge out to cover various expenses which accompanied their run to the provincial final.

"We got a certain allocation of money from the Ulster council but nowhere nearly enough to cover our expenses arising from the campaign in Ulster.
"It would be nice of county champions got some financial reward from winning their county title and that would help them in the preparations for the provincial and, possibly, all-Ireland campaigns that would follow."
Danny says that retention of the club's division one status and SFC status in 2010 (by dint of a 0-8 to 0-7 win over Denn in a relegation play-off) was a good year's work.

The pattern of the contest with Denn was established from very early on with each punch landed being matched by a counter punch of equal measure.
Denn did start that bit brighter though and it seemed as if they had ambitions of taking the game by the scruff of the neck and two quick-fire points gave them a useful early lead.
By the 11th minute though, Lavey had reeled in their opponents on the back of more determined foraging and harrying which yielded a greater share of possession.

Kevin Brady scored a peach of a point just shy of the tenth minute mark and then less than 90 seconds later his team-mate Darren Jordan did the honours to level matters.
The nip and tuck nature of the contest continued unabated with neither side managing to secure a grip on proceedings for anything other than fleeting moments.

As things panned out, Denn edged ahead by the odd point in five at the end of the opening quarter before an Ollie Smith point gained parity for Lavey once more.
Gradually Lavey began to increase their quotient of possession but they found it difficult to convert this into the hard-coinage of scores.

The vast majority of the play continued to be concentrated between the respective half-back lines but in the few goal chances in front of goal, the black and whites were out of luck with the woodwork coming to the rescue of Denn on two occasions to leave the sides tied at 0-4 apiece at the interval.
"Having played with the wind in the first half, it didn't look that good for us going into the second half and not having a lead," Danny reflected.

However things looked up for the would-be winners immediately on the restart with Stephen Jordan and Darren Jordan (free) edging them into the lead for the first time in the match.
With the platform of a dominant midfield, Lavey pushed forward with increased momentum but goal chances came to nothing with Kevin Brady and Shane Tierney both rattling the post and Darren Jordan firing narrowly wide.

Denn dug deep and looked as if they were capable of chiselling out a draw.
However the maroon and whites were denied a likely winner in the dregs of the game when a goal-bound effort was expertly blocked by Kevin Donohoe which served to seal Lavey's place in senior ranks for another year.

Lavey (SFC relegation play-off v Denn):

Mark Donohoe: Fergus Smith, Darren Smith, Declan Conroy; Kevin Donohoe (0-1), Finbar Jordan, David Tierney; Sean Maguire, David Walsh; Karl Duke, Darren Jordan (0-3), Kevin Brady (0-2); Chris Conroy, Stephen Jordan (0-1), Ollie Smith (0-1).
Subs used; Aaran Smith; Paul Tierney; Shane Tierney.

Looking ahead, Danny feels that the winning of a SFC title in the near future is a "realistic goal" and in 2011 the club's premier team will be gunning for at least a quarter-final berth in the blue riband competition.
A couple of years ago, Castlerahan were deemed to be the 'coming' team of Cavan senior football.

Now, Lavey have been fingered as a team ready and able to adopt that mantle, perhaps with greater conviction though.
"I'd like to think that our lads will progress towards challenging the Kingscourts and Cavan Gaels of this world next year.
"The potential is definitely there and now its just a matter of nursing that talent and developing new, emerging talent coming through.

"We need to get the rub of the green as well at senior level too because the competition is that much tougher than Lavey is normally used to."
Progressing up to the business end of the league table and "a decent run in the senior championship, perhaps to the quarter-finals" is on Danny's agenda.
As regards the short-term future, Danny reckons what was undeniably a 'gap' between Cavan Gaels and the rest has all but been extuinquished or at least has been closed to a sizeable degree.

He reckons Kingscourt's success in the 2010 SFC will send out a message of hope to all-comers when the 2011 season kicks in.
"Kingscourt have shown what can be done if you have the self-belief and the ambition and the players of course.
"You could see from Kingscourt's league form that they were never going to be too far away when the championship came around.
"But Lavey wouldn't be frightened of taking them (Kingscourt) on if we were to play them tomorrow.

"We gave a good account of ourselves in the league against them and with another year's experience under their belt and a more mature team, 2011 could see us doing really well." Tweet

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