‘I’m sure we’ll have the hunger, no worries there’ - Boyle
Senior Hurling Championship final preview
Kevin Óg Carney
From 2015 to 2024, the Old Firm rivalry between Cootehill Celtic and Mullahoran St Joseph’s dominated the hurling landscape in Cavan.
However, East Cavan Gaels' breakthrough Senior Hurling Championship title win last year has all the potential of ushering in a new axis locally. The two will clash again this coming Sunday (3pm) in Kingspan Breffni in what will be a repeat of the 2024 county SHC decider.
The prospect of East Cavan Gaels and Cootehill Celtic becoming the New Firm of Cavan Hurling is a very real and almost tangible one given the two clubs' current stock of players and the potential inherent in each outfit and Mullahoran's travails since they won their last blue riband title in 2020.
"This Sunday's final will be just as big a test as we've always had with East Cavan Gaels," Cootehill Celtic team-manager Micheál Boyle (inset) opines.
"Obviously we're going in as underdogs. I think most people would say that they (ECG) will probably be favourites to hold onto their title 'cause of being the current champions along with their run afterwards to the Ulster (Junior) club final.
"And we're probably not as strong as we were last year 'cause we're missing three nailed-down starters in our two midfielders Gavin Fitzpatrick and Conor Bannon plus our centre-back John Carney for various reasons. So we'll have to cause a turn up for the books if we're to take the title off them."
It seems Cootehill's tale of woe about their walking wounded doesn't end there and Boyle is keeping his fingers crossed that three other key players, Thomas Leonard, Mark Moffett and Lonan McKenna can shake off niggly injuries to take their place at Kingspan Breffni this Sunday (4pm).
Boyle knows what it takes to get over the line in a Cavan SHC final having guided the Celts to the riband title as recently as 2023 but he also knows that this weekend's opposition is one which carries the sort of firepower which could wreak the Hoops' plans to win back their title.
"ECG have plenty of proven players who have done really well with the county seniors and they will all take some watching.
"You've players like Canice Maher, Nicky Kenny, Jack McGuinness and Jack Barry and their goalkeeper Conor Gallagher who've all done well for Cavan in the national league and the championship over the last few years and they'll bring a lot of ability and experience to the table this Sunday.
"But we've always known what East Cavan have going for themselves but we believe we're good enough to go toe to toe with them and beat them. There'd be no point in us turning up if we hadn't the belief in our ability to win the game."
So with his crystal ball on the self-same table in front of him, how will the game pan out?
"Hopefully the weather will stay good and it's a good game but it'll be a good contest, one way or another, regardless of the weather.
"One thing for sure is that it won't be a landslide victory for either side. We'll be there to compete for everything on the day. So will they. It's a two-horse race, the same as any the other county finals; the game this Sunday is a 50/50 one and it's likely to go right down to the wire."
And what of the view that there might be a question mark over the hunger of ECG this year having broken their duck last year?
"I don't go along with any of that talk that ECG will be less worked up about this year's final than the 2024 one. They were the hungrier team last year but I don’t believe they’ll outshine us in that area this time around.
"They'll be trying as hard as they can to hold onto their title; winning last year could even make them more motivated and hungry to retain their title and keep that winning run going; especially having gotten that monkey off their back by winning last year. They'll be wanting another crack at Ulster (JHC) too."
And the desire in his own camp?
“I’m sure we'll have the hunger, no worries there. When the lads were defeated last year, they didn't take it too well and they now have the opportunity to prove it to themselves that they can get on top of the pile again.
“There’s nobody in the squad, or among the management team getting ahead of themselves but everyone is very much motivated by trying to earn the chance to have another chance to represent the county in the Ulster junior championship. Our run in Ulster a couple of years ago was brilliant and it was great to get a taste of that level of competition and we want to sample some more of it.”