On the face of it, these may seem rather difficult days for the Drumalee club but, according to long-serving PRO Michéal Fitzpatrick, the Lilywhites can avail of a window of opportunity to make the future much much brighter. Kevin Carney reports Michéal Fitzpatrick doesn't begin to play down the significance of Drumalee's relegation in 2001 to division three of the All County Football League. In every way, he admits the club's fate last year hurt and all the post-mortems which followed the club's end-of-season get-together failed to change the appalling vista. "There were a lot of post-mortems and some of them weren't that positive of course but we know we just have to get on with things and look to the future," Michéal says with more than a touch of the philosophical about his demeanour. In a topsy-turvy year, the Lilywhites were on shaky ground from early on in the league seasons and matters, frankly, didn't really get much better as the year progressed. All told, Drumalee secured three wins - against Killeshandra, Denn and Ballymachugh - and two draws against Shannon Gaels and Swanlinbar. Sadly, it wasn't enough to save the club from falling through the trap-door to division three. "I think that had we beaten Swanlinbar on the last day, we would have forced our way into the play-offs to escape relegation and who knows what may have become of that. "Maybe we didn't deserve to stay up though because our performances were too inconsistent during the year and, in all honesty, I don't think the players put enough effort into training to give us the chance to stay up," Michéal honestly admits. Ironically a win over Killeshandra and a fighting draw away to Shannon Gaels - after being nine points adrift at one stage - in the opening stages of the league did cause more than a ripple of optimism to sweep across the bows of the Drumalee club but that optimism slowly but surely diluted. "We suffered a couple of bad defeats after the foot and mouth disease cleared up. I remember we lost heavily to Shercock and Drumgoon but then we picked things up for the championship game with Drung when we really gave as good as we got only to concede two sloppy goals," Michéal recalls. The club's championship forays smacked a little bit of their up and down league season with a draw against Lavey (after again being nine points down at one stage) and a win over Cornafean and the defeat to Drung resulting in Drumalee sneaking their way into the quarter-finals. "The defeat to Ballinagh in the quarter-final was a real sickener because we leaked five goals that day and even though we scored something like 16 points it wasn't enough. In fairness, Ballinagh looked like they were going to score goals every time they went up the pitch." A big effort was made by all and sundry to regroup for the remaining games of the league but, as so many other clubs have found out and as Michéal can testify, the bottom fell out of Drumalee's season once the championship business was done and dusted. "A sloppy goal was our downfall against Cootehill and then in the game with Swanlinbar we started off well but ended up losing by three points. The sloppy goals and inconsistencies all round just about summed up our year." Disappointing times on the senior front in 2001 for Drumalee maybe but, according to the hard-working club official, the club can look forward with realistic hopes for much better times in the years ahead. "We've been doing very well at underage level over the last few years with great work being put in by the U16 and minor team management and it was significant that seven of the minor team featured at some stage or other in our league and championship campaigns last year. "A lot of those minors and others coming after them have a winning pedigree and a great attitude to the game and hopefully the taste they got of intermediate football last year will encourage them to want to fight hard for their places in the coming year." Certainly with seasoned performers like Mickey Lee, Fergus Crowe, Bernard Young and Adrian Dempsey still very much in tow, the up and coming starlets at Drumalee won't be short of inspiration and guidance as they dip their toes at senior level in the coming season. "The lads who will be coming up from minor this coming year will have to gain experience and work hard to compete at senior level. " Mickey Lee and the other lads around his age had to do the same though when they first came on the senior team and in the same way that the John and Phelim Costello helped Mickey and others ease their way onto the senior scene we hope that the young lads now will be helped by the more experienced members of the panel." So how will Drumalee 'take' to division three in 2002? "It'll be a whole new experience for everyone at the club of course but in some ways we can look forward to playing in that division because it will give the young fellas a chance to win some matches and make the step up to senior football in a more gradual way. "I think we have the talent to do very well in division three and I would be shocked and very disappointed if we didn't make the top four of the division by the end of the year and then win promotion back to division two. "It's important that we get right back into division two although it's just as important that we show some patience in introducing some new young blood into the team. "A few years ago there was little or no new blood appearing on the scene with the result that a lot of the older fellas on the team were being asked to carry on longer than they may have wished or were able to. "We don't expect things to be easy for us in division three though and it'll be especially tough going to matches away from home. We're not likely to get anything soft from teams like Corlough and Maghera because no doubt they'll be looking forward to playing us for what could be the first time ever in their history." Patience would seem to be the operative word down Drumalee way then and such a policy seems sure to reap its reward as few in the county would argue with the notion that Drumalee have some of the best young players in the county right now. After all, Drumalee's record at underage level over the last five or six years is one of the best in Cavan. Last year's annexation by the club of the under 16 league and championship double and the minor league division two title reflects the club's deep well of emerging talent. For his own part, Michéal delights in serving his time with the club both on and off the pitch for as the outgoing captain of the club's junior B team he has gotten immense pleasure from togging out for the Lilywhites. Indeed, playing football for Drumalee has been a big part of his life since he first lined out alongside the likes of Mickey Lee, Pauric Woods, Adrian Dempsey, Bernard Young, Fergus Crowe and a host of others besides from under tens on up through the ranks. In fairness to Michéal, he himself admits that he's inarguably better known in GAA circles for his role as PRO rather than as a wholehearted player. And he has no problem with that: "I have enjoyed the last ten years as PRO and I have never regretted taking over the reins from Paul Sheridan. It's great to be able to write a report that helps people living abroad to keep informed about how the club is doing in the different matches." And what about the attendant criticism which inevitably haunt the PRO? "It's like water off a duck's back. I try to be fair and honest in my reporting but sometimes you don't please everyone by doing so. I try to mention the fella who gives the pass as well as the player who gets the score. Criticism is part and parcel of the job and you have to take the rough with the smooth as PRO." Despite the fact that he is only 28 years of age, Michéal has already amassed a lot of mileage for and on behalf of Drumalee GFC. Still, his enthusiasm for the cause appears to be as fresh as it was when he first kicked a ball in anger and when he first penned his first match report. Long may that continue to be the case. Minor landslide The burgeoning strength of Drumalee's young talent was very much in evidence at the end of August when the club's minor side swept to a convincing 2-14 to 2-5 victory over Castlerahan in the Minor Football League (Division 2) final at Breffni Park. Drumalee's Class of 2001 proved a class apart on the day with the issue all but settled some ten minutes after the start of the second half as the would-be champions raced into a commanding 1-8 to 0-4 lead. A first half goal by Shane Downey - after good work by Rossa Gaffney - was the score that put Drumalee on their way to the winners' enclosure. The goal came after long periods of Drumalee dominancy and a counter-attacking policy by Castlerahan which never looked totally convincing. The opening quarter was a nip and tuck affair with neither side managing to secure a firm grip on the vital midfield exchanges. Marksmanship on both sides also left a bit to be desired and after a patchy first half, the town team did just enough to edge into a 1-4 to 0-3 lead at half-time. After the break the see-saw nature of the game continued unabated for the opening few minutes but as the game wore on it became increasingly obvious that Drumalee had the upper hand in most sectors and that Castlerahan badly needed a goal for them to stay in the hunt for the spoils. That said, it took a great save by Peter McGinnity from point blank range to deny Castlerahan a valuable major as the second half gathered pace. At the other end, Drumalee displayed a great degree of opportunism when Kevin Donohoe made another blinding run through the heart of the Castlerahan defence before setting up Jonathan Halley for a fine point. The subsequent dismissal of a Castlerahan midfielder added further momentum to Drumalee's hunt for glory and their growing confidence saw them race into a seven point approaching the final quarter, leaving Castlerahan searching desperately for a liveline. The dismissal of another Castlerahan player signalled Drumalee's entry onto easy street even though the challengers did show a lot of determination by breaking through for a goal shortly afterwards. However, Drumalee pressed forward from there to the finish with grave intent, leaving substitute Pauric Burns to round off a very emphatic win for his side with a well taken goal, a score which was added to just before the death by a point from Darragh Gaffney. Final Score; Drumalee 2-14 Castlerahan 2-5 The Drumalee team, subs and scorers, who successfully scooped the minor league title last August was as follows: P. McGinnity, G. Reilly, C. McCaffrey, S. Lee, E. Lynch, K. Donohoe (0-1), G. Ferncombe, G. Malone (0-1), M. Reilly, D. Gaffney (0-2), F. Donohoe (0-4), S. Downey (1-0), J. Halley (0-1), R. Gaffney (0-4), F. Cleary (0-1). Sub used; P. Burns (1-0). double up Drumalee may be experiencing ongoing difficulties in hitting the right notes at adult level but in underage football circles, things just keep getting better and better for the club. 2001 promised much for the lilywhites' under 16 troupe and it duly delivered as the latest crop of Drumalee starlets to come off the production line romped to league and championship glory. The year of unbridled joy first saw Drumalee scoop the under 16 division one league title with a tremendously exciting 1-11 to 2-7 win over keen rivals and defending champions Cavan Gaels in what was a thrilling game played at Breffni Park at the tail-end of May. In beating their near-neighbours Drumalee exacted revenge for an earlier defeat in the same competition. This time around the smaller and lighter Drumalee side played to their strengths emerge narrow but fully deserving winners. In a nervous start by both teams, Cavan Gaels held the early running and led by 0-2 to 0-1 after nine minutes. However the county town side was soon pegged back when Peter McGinnity converted a penalty for Drumalee in the 11th minute and significantly, the Lilywhites failed to be headed thereafter. With great panache and determination, Drumalee soon enjoyed a five point lead but then indecision in their defence allowed the Gaels to nick a goal. A Darragh Gaffney free soon afterwards thought left Drumalee ahead by 1-6 to 1-3 at the interval. It was nip and tuck in the second half but a goal by Edward O'Hanlon in the 36th minute really upped the ante. Three points though inside six minutes by Shane Downey, Daragh Gaffney and Trevor Molloy left Drumalee still three points in front with 12 minutes remaining. Drumalee pushed forward relentlessly but poor wides hampered their progress but although the Gaels got within a point of Drumalee, the Lilywhites held firm to reclaim the title. Those who lined out in the league final were: Paul Mohan; Sean Lynch, Peter McGinnity (1-1), Enda McCormick; Trevor Molloy (0-1), Sean Lee, Gary Ferncombe; Francis Cleary (0-1), Gerard Reilly; Barry Downey, Brian Dolan, Shane Downey (0-1); Padraig Burns, Daragh Gaffney (0-6), Timmy Looney (0-1). And so to Drumalee's successful defence of their championship title with Kingscourt forming the opposition in September's final. In a rip-roaring battle, Drumalee had to really roll up their sleeves to gain a 0-10 to 1-7 draw after Kingscourt looked to be eyeing the winning post in forging a 1-7 to 0-8 lead ten minutes into the second half. However, Kingscourt's goal in the 40th minute proved to be their last score of the game as Drumalee launched attack after attack. A Daragh Gaffney point put added pressure on Kingscourt and after the Stars squandered a couple of chances the aforementioned Drumalee attacker popped up to level the scores with eight minutes remaining. Despite consistent pressure thereafter, Drumalee just couldn't breach the Kingscourt defence again and so a replay was required. Second time around, Drumalee got it spot on in cantering to a 2-8 to 1-6 win in early October at Breffni Park. Playing against a strong breeze in the opening half, Drumalee got off to a flying start with a goal after two minutes by Brian Dolan. However a serious knee injury to star attacker Daragh Gaffney later and an opportunist goal by Kingscourt just before the interval left serious questions being asked of the Lilywhites as they began the second half, 1-2 to 1-5 in arrears. Using the wind to good effect, Drumalee played like true champions after the restart and a great point by Gerry Reilly and a brace of frees by Peter McGinnity had Kingscourt under pressure. With the scores level with 40 minutes played, Drumalee went in search of victory. Entering the final quarter, a fine Peter McGinnity point gave Drumalee the lead and then a penalty by the same player nine minutes from time signalled Drumalee's successful run into the winners' enclosure. Padraig Burns' subsequent brace of points helped put the icing on the cake for the all-conquering Drumalee squad. The following is the Drumalee team, scorers and subs, which overcame Kingscourt in the replay: P. Mahon; C. Lyons, P. McGinnity (1-3), C. Kelly; T. Molloy, S. Lee, G. Ferncombe; D. Gaffney, G. Reilly (0-1); P. Scanlon, F. Cleary (0-1), T. Looney; B. Dolan (1-1), S. Downey, P. Burns (0-2). Subs used; B. Downey, P. Scanlon, E. McCormick. Tweet

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