After the bitter disappointment of losing out in a replay of the Junior football championship, the cool heads at the Munterconnaught club will not spend time reflecting on what might have been but will take a calculating look at what they will have to do to go one further this coming year. By Tony Dunne. When speaking of the year's achievement chairman Val Yore feels justifiably proud. Val who is now on his second stint as chairman at the club feels that the present crop of young players have the ability to take it a step further. "We came up against a team in Swanlinbar who were playing in a division higher so they had to start as favourites. We were a relatively inexperienced side with many young players and this final was always going to be a tough test. I think that we showed great character in the manner in which we approached the game. Many neutral spectators were expecting an easy Swanlinbar win. We had been playing some good football in the league and knew that we were in with a shout. The atrocious weather conditions on the day did little for both teams but in fairness the spirit in which both sides adapted to the torrential downpours made for an exciting contest." The game, which was played at Kingspan Breffni Park, ended in a draw Munterconnaught 2-11 Swanlinbar 1-14. The Sean Leady Memorial Cup looked destined to be heading towards east Cavan as Munterconnaught held a slender one point lead when Swanlinbar slotted over the equalizing point with two minutes of injury time gone and forced this game back to a replay. The early part of the game was more noted for the torrential downpour that had fans scurrying for shelter, but it did little to dampen the enthusiasm of the Munterconnaught side. Adapting to the slippery conditions more quickly than their opponents, Munterconnaught's hunger for victory and good approach work had the West Cavan side under pressure from the start. With just seven minutes of the game gone the East Cavan side found the back of the Swanlinbar net and again just four minutes short of half time they registered their second goal, to give them what looked like a match winning six point half time lead. A spirited second-half performance from the favourites, Swanlinbar, gradually eroded the Munter lead and with two minutes of injury time played, the West Cavan side grabbed an equaliser depriving Munterconnaught a famous victory. Munterconnaught - Shane Roache; Val Yore, Donal Heerey, Declan Hetherton; Peter Cullen, Terry McCabe, Jamie Hetherton; Thomas Brady, Jim Gilsenan (0-1); Stephen Sheridan (0-2), Brian Cullen, Enda Yore; Brendan Plunkett (1-0), John McCabe (0-1), Darragh Carroll (1-7). Sub. Mark Flynn for Val Yore (45). Replay Chairman Val Yore pointed out that the club last won the Junior Championship title back in 1994 when they beat Belturbet on that occasion. "I felt that we were going to have to play extremely well in the replay which is a big ask as many of the players are young and experience was going to count much more in the replay. We had a great boost in the first game with the return of Jim Gilsenan to the side. Jim had been in America for over ten years and his return gave us that extra impetus in the first game. We also recognized the fact that Swanlinbar are a division higher than us and had a lot more in their tank. So we needed a big ask on the second day. Credit to our lads, we gave it everything we had. Swanlinbar got off to a flyer and had four answered points before we opened our account. Through hard work and determination we managed to curtail them to a four point interval lead, 0-9 to 0-5. Swanlinbar seemed to have the 'rub of the green' in the second half as everything the hit seemed to go over. Full credit to them we did not match them in the second half. It was a lesson learned and the real test will be to see how we approach this coming season. I feel that we have the players to go all the way this time around." The disappointment on the faces of the team management of Gerry Hanley and selectors Vivian Connell and Seamus Kiernan was evident. As a unit, and true to good management, they put aside their bitter disappointment at the replay outcome and paid tribute to the winners. With great pride they lauded praise on their own team and to a man pointed out that this is a very young team with a great deal of potential. No doubt their day will come and the push from the Munterconnaught faithful is that next year could be the year. Future As chairman of Munterconnaught, Val Yore is nothing if not pragmatic. While he knows that his club has the talent to go on this season and win a junior championship, he also recognises the pitfalls that can surround such a challenge. "We have a great many young players. We have very talented players in Darragh Carroll, John McCabe, Stephen Sheridan, Danny Nolan, Peter Cullen and Terry McCabe. Indeed Terry McCabe was just seventeen when he lined out in the final against Munterconnaught at centre-half back. With so many young players, we would be hoping that they would make the commitment again this season and give this a real go. They are capable of doing so but it will take a supreme effort. We got that kind of commitment last year. We had two players at university in Scotland and Wales, Donal Heery and Brian Cullen, respectively. Both made numerous trips home for both league and championship and in Brian Cullen's case, for the U-21s. If we get that kind of dedication again this year and with a little bit of luck, then I think we are in with a good chance." In a healthy state Chairman Val Yore points out that presently the club is in a healthy state and with many new families moving into the area the crop of young underage players has increased. "It is proposed that a committee will be formed to look into the possibility of upgrading our grounds, St. Bartholomew's Park and modernizing the changing facilities. While this may be a long term strategy, we fell that the time is now right for such a move. We have a good crop of people involved in the club and the area has been given a boost with our run in the championship, so we feel that we have to look to the future and provide these young and underage players with the best facilities the club can give," stated the chairman. New Team Management "At the AGM, a senior team management was elected for the year. The club has gained the services of former Ballinlough player, Raymond Leydon. He will be joined with selectors Seamus Kiernan, Luke Lynch and Donal McEnroe. Gerry Hanley, who managed the side for the past two years, declined to go forward for a third term. The second team will be managed by one of the club's older players, Jim Gilsenan. Jim who only returned from America last summer after having spent ten years there, played a major part in his side's challenge for junior honours last year. His knowledge of football and intimate understanding of the club workings will be of benefit as he helps moulds future talent who will hopefully make their way onto the first team," stated chairman Val Yore. Underage football Chairman of the club's underage football, Tommy Keogan feels that you would have to understand the geography of the locality to fully appreciate the task of fielding teams from U-8 to minor. Surrounded by Maghera, Castlerahan, Ramor in Cavan and Oldcastle and Ballinlough in Meath, Munterconnaught have in the past struggled to maintain an adequate supply of underage footballers. According to Tommy: "The influx of new families into the locality it has given the whole juvenile section an new impetus. Presently we have over forty boys U-9 at the national school in the area and we feel that we will be able to tap into this in the coming year. We have struggled in the past to field teams and but for the new population growth, we would have great difficulty in fielding at certain levels." "Presently the club are fielding teams from U-8 to U-16 and while we did not win anything this year we did see some progress. Under the guidance of former county player, John Dwyer we had a good run at U-16 level where we reached the league final only to lose out to Denn." Like most clubs, training for the juveniles takes place on Saturday mornings during the winter and midweek during the summer. The work done by the coaching staff at this level is of the utmost importance in developing the enthusiasm and skills of the players for the future. Tommy paid tribute to coaches for their diligent work and commitment during the year and said: "We are fortunate to have had the services of a number of good workers. Danny Nolan, one of the younger members of the senior team is a great asset and inspiration to all his young charges. Considering that Danny is himself only 20 - his involvement is even more appreciated by all of us at the club. People like Tommy McGeough and John Reilly, a former player, are two members who have given a great deal back to the underage section. As I have already stated the new families into the area have given us a supply of young hopefuls but the work of two newcomers in particular, John Hendricks and Adrienne Towel has been immense. We are also blessed to have Peadar Gill, who is principal of the N.S. also heavily committed to underage football. Padraig Finnegan who is treasurer of the juvenile section is noted for his willingness to help out at all levels. It is this kind of commitment from these people that give hope for the future and hopefully future success," stated the optimistic juvenile chairman. Munterconnaught joined forces with Lurgan to cement a minor partnership that went all the way to the championship final where they took on the might of Cavan Gaels who were seeking their eighth title in nine years. Played in atrocious conditions on the day, both teams served up what many felt was one of the better displays of Cavan football that year. In a game that ebbed and flowed, Lurgan were edged out of the winners enclosure in the dying minutes of this enthralling encounter. At U-21 level, Munterconnaught also joined up with Lurgan to form a formidable challenge for honours at this grade. Having beaten the favourites, Cavan Gaels, Lurgan met Castlerahan in the semi-final. Castlerahan proved to be a very good team but many feel that Lurgan let that game slip away on the day and with it a chance to capture that U-21 crown. Tweet

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