They say there's no rest for the wicked . . . well, it would appear that there's not much shut-eye being got by the good folk of the GAA either if the immense and ongoing contribution of Templeport St Aidans GFC to Cavan gaelic games is anything to go by! Templeport were one of Cavan's most active club's during 2001. Not only were they busy on the field of play, they also busied themselves laying plans for the development and enhancement of the actual field of play itself, efforts certain to safeguard the club's future. The penny finally dropped. Eventually, it came to pass that the club had outgrown its existing field. Thus, at the January 1st 2000 AGM, Templeport St Aidans GFC resolved to find a field suitable for a more modern and spacious development. A seven-man committee - consisting of Bryan McKiernan, Michael Heery, Joe McGovern, Fr Tom McKiernan, Thomas Doonan, Thomas Kellegher and Patsy Maguire - was chosen to investigate the various options and come up with a proposal. All options would be considered, from extending the old field to a new green acre site. It was to prove a painstaking and troublesome process before a solution was found. Three different sites were examined on the Lawn but after nine months and many consultations it emerged that these were not for sale. Next, the committee looked into using an adjoining field. This was for sale but costs to develop and level it out would prove too high, even presuming there was no rock. There would also be the additional problem of not being able to widen or take a bend off the existing lane as no work is permitted within 30 metres of the Bawn. The next option was a 12-acre field at Lisanover but the owners weren't interested in selling. The McAdams farm was another possibility but it would take 14 acres to accommodate two pitches and this would simply have been too costly to buy and excavate. What about the field adjacent to the community centre then? Well, there were three different owners to negotiate with and it was too costly to excavate. Besides, one of the owners wasn't interested in selling. A field in Burren was considered but this was only big enough for one field and the road was too narrow anyway. Meanwhile, a site at Killsallagh/Lisanover was too hilly and not large enough for two pitches. There were a number of reasons why St Aidans were anxious to have a training pitch adjoining the main one. Firstly, it would avoid the hassle of having to move when different activities were on. Secondly, the U12 team hadn't been able to train or play any home games in 2000, while U14 ladies training and games had to be cancelled due to fixtures clashes and the poor state of the pitch. For proper training, two pitches are required, not least to protect the main one. Having examined all the sites available through consultant John Courtney and Gerry McManus, a proposal was finally put forward. This recommended purchasing the priests' field, nine acres which the St Feilims Trust and the Bawnboy Pastoral Council agreed to sell provided it be used for the youth of the parish as a football pitch and that space be set aside for a playground area. The main pitch will have an entrance through the main road in the village. There would also be dressing rooms, a stand, car parking and enough space to accommodate supporters, as well as an all-weather surface or other facilities as required by the club. An adjoining field for a training pitch to accommodate a 140m by 80m pitch containing 4.25 acres could be obtained provided it was suitable and that, when completed, it would be swapped for the existing club grounds (5.012 acres). This proposal was discussed at length at a club meeting on July 7th 2001 and was unanimously passed, giving the seven-man committee a mandate to proceed with planning and pricing as soon as possible. They applied for Lotto funding from the Department of Sport and for planning permission in December 2001. The approximate cost of the project will be close to 750,000 euros and work will be carried out in three or more phases. The first phase will entail two playing pitches and dressing-rooms and will commence in May 2002 to finish in June 2003. This will eventually be followed by floodlighting and a stand, depending on how soon finances can be secured. The club has conducted a major fundraising draw over the past two years and also runs a very successful lotto draw, which is co-ordinated and managed by four teams of six people. The finance end of things is ably managed by Tony McCann (Secretary), Paddy Maguire (Vice-Chairman), Ciaran Maguire, Fintan McTeggart, Chris and Ray McCaffrey along with the club's Treasurers and Martin McDermott in conjunction with numerous others. The club lotto is weekly and is held on Sunday nights, alternating between the parish's four pubs. Club Chairman Thomas Doonan notes: "We're hoping that the new premises will prove convenient not just to the club but the entire community. Hopefully the central location will also prove an ideal location for county coaching and we might eventually see athletics restored in the area. The amenities will be available to everybody young and old. He continues: "The current pitch is half a mile outside the village of Bawnboy. It was bought and developed by the club in 1963 and was one of the best pitches in the county at the time. It's still a very good pitch but we just needed a new pitch with the number of players coming through and the number of teams we field - U10s, U12s, U14s, U16s, minors, U21s, junior and senior football as well as U14, U16, minor, junior and senior ladies and we're also part of the Woodford Gaels amalgamation in hurling. Furthermore, we're involved in Community Games and the annual festival and vintage clubs also use the pitch, so it was quite clear that we needed increased space." Templeport also propose to have a lighted perimeter walk of three quarters of a mile around the complex as well as a picnic area and a children's playground. Successes on the field have been few and far between for Templeport since the famous 1977 Intermediate Football Championship win and the club is currently playing out of junior ranks and team building. In 2001, they captured the U16 Division Two league and contested the Division Two minor championship final . . . a fair accomplishment considering that it's an achievement in itself just to muster together the players to put out a team in the first place. Of those juvenile players, five are on the U15 Development Squad, four on the U16 Development Squad, five on the minor panel and three on the county under 21 panel. "Our aim for 2002 would be to do well in the junior championship and to move towards promotion in the league," says the Chairman. "However, long term, over the next three years, we fully expect to be back playing intermediate football and to be in a higher division in the league. We hope to have our new team manager in place at the time of going to press and to have our preparations underway for 2002." Ladies football in Templeport is exceptionally strong under the guidance of Fr Tom McKiernan, Adrian McGovern, Master Brady and organiser Katie Douglas. The ladies club also takes players from the surrounding Swanlinbar, Kildallan and Corlough areas, which have no ladies teams of their own. Having won the under 14 league and championship double in 2000, the Templeport ladies continued where they'd left off by capturing the 2001 under 14 championship (beating Lurgan in the final in June) and the under 16 league (beating Lacken in the decider late in the year). The club had five players on the Cavan U14 team that contested the Blitz in Mullingar; namely Aishling Doonan (Cavan ladies player of the year in 2000), Clodagh Doonan, Deirdre O'Brien, Niamh Gilbride and Lisa Martin. Meanwhile, representing the county at under 16 level as well as some of the aforementioned players were Sharon Cassidy, Patricia Martin and Tara Doonan. These players will form the backbone of what should prove a very successful Templeport minor and junior teams in the future. Back to men's fare: in the 2001 JFC, Templeport's first team defeated both Arva and neighbours Kildallan (who went on to reach the final) in the league stage before losing out to Redhills in the quarter-final. In 2002, they will be looking for direction to their more experienced campaigners such as Manus McManus, Sean Corrigan, Kevin Kellegher and Brendan Dolan as well as U21 players Shane Heery, Fergal Maguire, Martin Dolan and Martin Baxter. In other news, veterans Chris McCaffrey (who starred on the 1977 team) and Thomas Doonan have decided to 'hang up their boots' and regrade to junior football after many years of service to the club on the playing field. Appropriately, 2002 will mark the 25th anniversary of the 1977 IFC win. That Templeport side was exceptional, backboned by the four Martin brothers and featuring the talents of the following players all of whom represented the county at senior level at some stage: John Joe Martin, Frankie Dolan, Cathal Maguire, Chris McCaffrey, Jim McAweeney and goalkeeper Aidan Green. In off-the-field activities, Templeport traditionally do well in Scor, the main driving forces being Martin McDermott, Bridie Deely and Margaret McGovern. The club uses the local Resource Centre which opened in 2000 and provides facilities for indoor training and Scor preparations. Brian McKiernan of The Keepers Arms in Bawnboy is the club's main sponsor and other sponsors include Kevin Heery and Brendan Kiernan. The following coaches and trainers deserve great credit and thanks for their efforts in 2001: Fr Tom McKiernan (U10); Brendan McGowan (U12); Ciaran Maguire (U13); Finbar McCaffrey (U14); manager Joe Reilly and selectors Thomas Doonan, Patsy Maguire and Paddy Maguire (U16); manager Paddy Maguire and Con O'Gorman and trainer Patsy Maguire (minor). First team affairs were looked after by Paul Kelly, Brendan Kiernan and Dessie Kellegher. Ciaran Maguire and Jimmy McKiernan co-ordinated the hurling and the club is eternally indebted to the contribution of area schools coach Ray McHugh who provides coaching by day and refreshments by night! Storming win All roads led to Killygarry for fans of Templeport and Kildallan in mid-July for what was an eagerly-awaited under 16 division three decider. While those au fait with the minor scene could have been forgiven for believing that the white and reds were favourites to lift the title, it was the St. Aidan's crew who emerged as the quality side on the day, careering to a fully deserved 0-17 to 0-5 win. Having lost to Kildallan earlier in the league, it was obvious from an early stage that Templeport were hell-bent on turning the form book up on its head as they fairly flew out of their blocks. Opening with gusto, the winners-elect forced the pace from the word go and three early points were recorded in quick succession courtesy of the boots of midfielder Martin Ball and full-forward Fionan Doonan. Kildallan fought hard to lift the siege and after eight minutes the white and reds opened their account after converting a free. It could have gotten even better for Kildallan but a great block by centre-back Baxter denied the white and reds a goal. The tempo of the game increased significantly as the first half progressed and a fine brace of points from Rory Galligan kept the pressure on Kildallan. Kildallan remained on the backfoot as a hat-trick of unanswered points were fired over by Kenneth Coyle, Rory Galligan and Ronan Maguire as the first half gathered pace. The play proceeded to swing from end to end up to the break with both sides exchanging points to leave Templeport 0-10 to 0-2 to the good at the interval. Kildallan began the second half as if to show their true worth and they actually opened the scoring with a points just seconds after the restart. However, it was to be a false dawn for the white and reds as Templeport once again seized the initiative and points from Kenneth Coyle and Fionan Doonan served to effectively seal Kildallan's fate. Kildallan fought hard to get back in the game but three points in quick succession and then a further brace from the aforementioned Doonan put the icing on the cake for the Templeport lads. The following is the Templeport team which secured the under 16 title in such convincing fashion; D. Sheanon, C. Farrell, C. Dolan, D. Maguire, E. Baxter, C. McKiernan, L. Morganrath, M. Ball, R. Maguire, R. Galligan, C. McManus, F. Doonan, K. Coyle. Tweet

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