Sideline View - Cavan clubs face tough encounters
Cavan Gaels, Ballinagh and Killeshandra are all in Ulster club football action on Sunday and all have a great chance of progressing to the semi-finals stage. For senior champions Cavan Gaels they are familiar with the Ulster club scene while the other two teams are on their maiden voyage.
The Gaels travel to Belfast where they meet Antrim champions St Gall's in Casement Park. This is a tough assignment for the Cavan side given the quality of St Gall's who were crowned Ulster champions two years ago. They also reached the All-Ireland decider but lost to Salthill/ Knocknacarra from Galway.
One month ago St. Gall's collected their 6th Antrim senior football championship title in 7 years having to give way to Erin's Own from Cargin last year. In this year's final St Gall's beat Portglenone 0-10 to 0-5. It is a difficult assignment for Cavan Gaels but having beaten St Eunan's already should give them a slight edge.
Kingspan Breffni Park is the venue for what will be a very interesting double header. Killeshandra take St Mary's, Ahoghill in the Ulster junior championship while Ballinagh face Monaghan champions Tyholland in the intermediate quarterfinal.
Killeshandra have a very good young side and will enjoy their adventures in the Ulster championship. They meet a St Mary's side who won the Antrim junior championship for the first time in fifteen years, beating St Agnes in the final. They are a very formidable side. This can be clearly seen from their Antrim championship campaign. In the three they played they scored a very impressive 6-56 while conceding only 1-10.
Killeshandra came through what was a competitive Cavan junior championship and won their first title in 24 years, they did however win the intermediate championship in 1991. They have a team with plenty of flair and will not worry too much about Ahoghill.
In the intermediate championship Ballinagh take on Monaghan champions Tyholland. Having won their first ever Monaghan intermediate title against Truagh they were drawn against Downpatrick in a preliminary round.
They demolished the Down champions in Clones beating them 3-17 to 1-7. They did however get a dream start when they led 2-3 to 0-0 after 12 minutes. They are a very good side and will be very hard to beat.
It has taken Ballinagh a number of years to win the Cavan title and this year they did it a last, albeit in the end, stumbling over the finish line against Lavey in the final. Now that they are champions they will be a completely different team. There will be no pressure on Ballinagh on Sunday and this should allow them to play the free flowing football they are capable of. Three Cavan victories would be a real achievement and let's hope it turns out that way. All three teams face tough opposition but all are capable of winning.
Pumpkins in the shape of footballs
People fortunate enough to be in Virginia over the weekend might be forgiven for thinking there was something special on. Well there was, the very first Virgina Pumpkin Festival. It was an amazing sight and a real fun filled event. With the streets thronged with people, it was suggested that it was the biggest crowd seen in a county town since Cavan brought the Sam Maguire Cup home in 1952. Now there's a real thought. If Pumpkins can attract that sort of audience what on earth would it be like if Cavan did have national success. It would be a great motivator for teams to watch the video of the event. The feel good factor was enormous. When it does eventually happen the first town stop on the way from Croke Park will be Virginia. Light the windows again with maybe blue coloured Pumpkins in the shape of footballs and let the people of Virginia organise the event. You know something like it or now it will happen and maybe not before too long.
Ceist
Answer to last week's question. In the All-Ireland senior football final of 1898 a team called Maryborough, representing Laois failed to register a score. They were beaten by Tipperary representatives Bohercrowe 3-6 to 0-0. This week's question. How many Cavan men have captained Ulster to Railway Cup football success?
Fograí
Congratulations to former Ramor United player Martin Tynan on his selection as King of the Pumpkin festival in Virginia over the weekend. It is an honour he will handle with dignity and above all modesty. The Queen of the festival was Avril Soden.
The Railway Cup competitions were again thrown into the Ping-Pong machine last weekend, with again, little or no marketing. No wonder there was a small crowd In Croke Park. Martin Donnelly is pumping big money into the competition and deserves much better.
omcconnon@gaa.ie