Cillian visits Kennedy kids

Celtic striker Cillian Sheridan made a welcome visit to Cootehill Harps" home grounds Clara Lane last Sunday evening to impart some words of wisdom to Cavan"s Kennedy Cup squad. The modest Bailieborough man, on a month-long break before returning to pre-season training with the Scottish giants on July 1, took part in a training session with the promising squad of Under 14"s, who depart for Limerick next Sunday. 'I"m off for the month of June, we"re back at the start of July as long as the new manager doesn"t change things,' Sheridan told The Anglo Celt. 'I"m looking forward to it. I"ve been playing basically from July to May so it gets a bit tiring.' At just 19 years old, Sheridan has made rapid progress in the professional ranks. It"s not all that long ago that he was attending an underage coaching session as a starry-eyed schoolboy himself. 'Just when I was coming here I remembered playing here when I was 12 or 13, Brian Ker was here,' he recalled. 'We didn"t really have a team in Bailieborough at that time and it was only when I was 16 that I went up to Dublin, so I never got to play in the Kennedy Cup myself.' This year"s Cavan squad is being spoken about as one of the strongest yet from the county and, under the tutelage of FAI development officer Tom Mohan and local coach Brian Smith, they have put in huge preparations. However, they suffered a setback with a defeat in a friendly match in Navan last week. Asked what he would say in his talk to gee the players up ahead of the tournament, Cillian was typically self-effacing. 'I haven"t really thought about it, they might just want me to shut up!' he laughed. 'Hopefully not. It"s all about confidence going down to tournaments so hopefully they can go down thinking they can win.' The local soccer scene is buzzzing, especially at underage level, with the CUFL enjoying it"s most proactive season to date since it"s foundation in 2000. Sheridan admitted to being impressed with the progress. 'Tom [Mohan]was saying that, he said that there are a few lads going on trials and stuff like that. 'When I was playing that never really happened, so it"s good to see it.' As for his own career, the former Cavan minor footballer, who paid in to Breffni Park to support the county seniors last Sunday, admits that first team football is all-important. 'Obviously Motherwell"s not as big of a club, ideally I"d prefer to be at Celtic but it"s better to get out and get games,' he said. 'Hopefully next year I"ll get more regular starts. That"s the plan.'