If Cavan need inspiration in Blayney on Sunday, Then Look No Further Than Mullahoran Star Gerry "General" Sheridan Inherent optimism. Cavan football supporters, players and officials have bags of it. They must have. How else could they continue to let fly, to shake loose the baggage of past glories which would smother or at least weigh down the most loyal hard core band of fans elsewhere. Divested of the trappings that once reflected their all-powerful status in Ulster, Cavan Football Incorporated continues to remain amazingly buoyant despite the ongoing downturn in the silverware market. Keeping paranoia at bay is an item which has been perfected over the last twenty four seasons by everyone with Cavan football at heart. The self same fans who had been spoilt for success prior to 1969 (Cavan's last Ulster Senior title success) have been made to suffer the pangs of outrageous misfortune and frustration ever since. Ulster final defeats in 1976,'78 and '83 only served to add vinegar to the open wound but now in the tenth anniversary season of Cavan's defeat in their last decider to Donegal, the growing hunger pains have begun to rumble like never before. Still confidence within the heart of the Cavan camp remains high in anticipation of a breakthrough this season. The 'ould enemy Monaghan will have to be dispatched this Sunday to the Ulster Championship dug-out of also-rans for the Blues to advance past the first round of the provincial knock-out series for the first time since 1987 but optimism is there by the bagful in the Cavan dressing room. Recent comprehensive tournament victories over Westmeath and Louth have replaced the hum with a buzz. The Senior panel and management are awash with optimism regarding the outcome of this weekend's tete-a-tete in Castleblayney. No one player perhaps symbolises this inherent optimism more so than Mullahoran Dreadnoughts clubman and Cavan Vice-Captain Gerry Sheridan. General Sheridan, leading from the front with forcefulness. Cavan's own man of steel who epitomises the best qualities of Cavan's traditional ethos. Letting the ball do the work has been the policy favoured by most Cavan team-managers over the last dozen years and more and in tandem with this game plan, the Breffni support have likewise been favourably disposed to "giving it plenty of air". With great gusto, Gerry Sheridan has been delighting Cavan fans with is own inimitable whole hearted style of direct play over the course of some fourteen years now. As Sunday's deadline approaches, Cavan supporters will travel in confidence knowing that General Sheridan could be just the man to put the Indian sign over Monaghan's Ulster Championship hopes this year. In conjunction with Cavan team captain Stephen King, the aptly titled Dreadnought is the longest serving member of the current Cavan Senior squad. One has to wind the clock back two decades to 1979 to accurately detail Gerry Sheridan's county Senior baptism. In an ironic twist his taste of top class intercounty fare was experienced courtesy of one P.J. Carroll, Cavan's managerial prodigal son turned messiah and the man currently charged with leading his home county back to the top of the pile in Ulster. Just like Carroll, Gerry Sheridan's initial sojourn with the county squad was short and not so sweet. Assigned to a post in Buncran from 1980-'84, Garda Gerry Sheridan found himself exiled from Cavan county football circles and his home soil Mullahoran. The Dreadnoughts most loyal servants refused to sever all ties with the homeland however, and throughout his period in exile commuted home to Mullahoran to display his polished wares in the Cavan All County Football League. It wasn't until the advent of ex-Offaly team manager Eugene McGee to Cavan in 1985 that Gerry Sheridan came in from the cold. As one of the players who formed the backbone of the Cavan team which clinched the 1984 Ulster Junior Championship title, the Donegal-based man in blue fitted the mould McGee wanted to create. Sheridan would never again be absent without leave from Breffni Park on League or Championship day thereafter, despite the nuisance value of two major cartilage operation on his left knee which although stealing a bit of his thunder following club Intermediate success seasons earlier in 1978. Outstanding in defence for Cavan in their heroic assault on Dublin in the National Football League semi final in 1988 and a season earlier one of the Breffni Brigade heroes in the Ulster Championship semi final replay defeat against Derry, Gerry Sheridan has been one of the most consistent players to have graced the Cavan Football scene in recent times. Son of John Sheridan, a famed Ulster Juniors in the thirties, he's solidity personified but how does he feel playing in a Cavan side that's obviously undergoing a slight rebuilding programme. "We are rebuilding at preset but as far as Sunday's games goes, so too are Monaghan. They've been showing a lot of changes in their side and only players like Frank McEnaney, Declan Loughman and Aidan Tavey would be all that well known. For a change we've been injury free in the run up to the game and as the saying goes, if we beat Monaghan the world is our oyster". Apart from a ten minute spell at centre half forward in the 1985 Ulster Championship semi final against Derry (during which he notched a singular fine point) all of his action at the coalface for Cavan has been served facing the play as a goalkeeper's most trusted pal in times of dire need. Hoping that the notorious unpredictability of Ulster football will this year help Cavan upset the apple cart in the province (his own fancy as the team the Blues must beat to win out is Tyrone), Gerry reckons that to win in Ulster no team can afford to carry passengers. "In Ulster everyone has to be a key player and to win out Ulster you can't afford passengers. As Donegal showed last year, they had sixteen players in the All-Ireland Final who played out of their skins but all going well I don't see why it can't be a Tyrone-Cavan Ulster Final this year". Happiest in a centrally defensive role, the recent acquisition by the Cavan team management of blossoming county Under 21 talent has provided Sheridan and Company with fresh impetus it appears. " Compared to last year and even previous years, I think the strength of our panel has improved. The Under 21 lads that have come onto the team have been impressive in our recent tournament games and players of the calibre of Fintan Cahill up front can only benefit from our greater strength in depth", suggested the 33 year old sweeper. A player who cut his county football teeth under the aegis of P.J. Carroll, matured as a tour de force in the years that followed under Eugene McGee, Gabriel Kelly and latterly Eamon Curley, the Oldcastle based garda is almost definitely management material but any talk of him hanging up his boots at the close of the upcoming provincial campaign receives as hot a reception as any of Sheridan's opponents have ever got. There'll be no swansong for the Mullahoran maestro this year or next year either unless he's told to clear his throat by the team management of the day. And as anyone who has ever pitted his wits and strength against Mullahoran's immovable object General Sheridan's not for turning! Ironically, irrespective of whether or not he does go on to secure a first ever county Senior Championship medal with Mullahoran or alternately a trip to Croke Park in August the strapping thirteen and a half stone, 5'11" stopper confesses to having enjoyed his innings thus far. Straight out of the enclosure from whence all thoroughbred winners emerge, he has, ironically, carved himself a place in Donegal G.A.A.'s videotape archival history. When the miles of tape are reviewed in years to come, one crucial moment in Breffni Park last May will be fast forwarded by reviewers up north like no other moment over the course of their otherwise bluer than white '92 Championship campaign. Gerry Sheridan doesn't need to mask his feelings on Tony Boyle's controversial boxed goal in last year's first round tie when Donegal came back to snatch a last gash replay. He doesn't require a bible from the station at Oldcastle either to back up his view of the "goal" overseen by Him above. "Tony Boyle was definitely in on the square when the ball landed between himself and Brendan McCormack, our goalkeeper. The Donegal players admitted it themselves afterwards and Sean McCague ruled it a square ball when he appeared on television later that night. I have no doubts about it, none whatsoever". Refusing to pigeon hole Cavan's relative worth last season in light of Donegal's subsequent noticeable improvement, Gerry nevertheless enthuses about his team's chances in Ulster this year like a young fella would a new bike on Christmas Day. The world of extended summer football beckons for Sheridan in the twilight of his intercounty career and the oyster may follow but, still he nonchalantly shys aways from looking beyond Sunday's crossing of swords. His own people from Mullahoran and all Cavan fans in general will sincerely hope that the General gets his summer job. Most of all though they'll be hoping that their man's unique dedication and commitment earns it's just reward and that Gerry Sheridan's colleagues at Castleblayney this Sunday will break through the pain barrier in search of honour and glory. Just like their man has been doing club and county for now on 20 seasons. Written by Hogan Stand Magazine 21/05/93 Tweet

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