Having tasted senior action in recent years, the Delvin intermediate hurlers are desperate to make it back into the top flight and experienced campaigner John Cogan believes that is where the club should be. Delvin proved that they could match it with the best during their time in the senior ranks, but since being relegated to the second tier in 2006, they have failed to make a return. Two defeats in county finals were followed by a defeat in the semi final in 2008 and John admitted that the losses had been harder to take each year. "To lose two county finals in a row is not easy to take. It's hard for lads to get motivated for another year, but in fairness to our lads that's what we have done," said John. "Despite the knock backs, we keep coming back and always seem to put in the required effort, but it just hasn't been enough in recent years, but hopefully this year will be different." The loss of a number of influential players through emigration has not helped their cause and John feels that this has certainly not helped their cause. "Last year, we were missing four lads that headed off and this year Anthony and Ger Clune are going to Australia. They will be a massive loss to us, but we just have to regroup. We have a decent size squad and this gives some of the younger players in the squad to stake a claim for a place in the side. "However, they have to be given time to settle into the side and although there are some very good young hurlers coming through, it could take them a while to adapt to this level. Most clubs are going to lose a few lads due to the recession, so it will be the same for everyone and not just us." In many peoples' eyes, Delvin were favourites to lift the 2008 intermediate title and although John admitted that the squad were not lacking confidence, they were certainly not over confident. "We knew at the start of the year that if we prepared right and put in the effort that we would be there or thereabouts, but we were never cocky. There are a number of decent teams in the intermediate championship and any of three or four could win it. "There was high expectations from the mentors and our supporters, but the player themselves knew the task in hand and it was never going to be easy. As it turned out there were no real easy games in the championship and that is always the case at this level." The intermediate championship consists of eight teams in one group with the top four reaching the semi finals. Delvin's performances meant that they eased through to the last four. Their campaign began with a morale boosting win over neighbours and fierce rivals Brownstown. Two second half goals by substitute Niall Williams, who had being ruled out through illness, set them on their way to a six-point victory. A similar winning margin was recorded over Clonkill in the second outing before the first points were dropped against Turin when the sides played out a 0-6 each draw. "We got off to a good start, but we're around long enough now to know that anything can happen in this championship. It's all about finishing in the top four and reaching the semi finals. You see teams can often go through the group stages winning all their matches and then be beaten in the semi final and we were well aware of that." Cullion were then put to the sword, before another draw was recorded against St Brigid's. Further wins over St Oliver Plunkett's and Southern Gaels ensured a place in the last four. "We did finish strongly in the group stages, but I feel that we went a bit stale after that. We played a few challenge matches and the bite just wasn't there for some reason." The final group standings meant the Delvin would play St Brigid's in the semi final and given the fact that the sides had drawn earlier in the year was an indication that this would be a close match and that's how it turned out. The Dalystown outfit ran out six-point winners on the day, but to be fair the scoreline did not reflect the closeness of the match as it was evenly contested right up until the last few minutes. "St Brigid's had their homework done for the semi final, but our forwards never got going. You need two or three of them scoring, but that just wasn't the case on the day. It was very disappointing to lose, especially as we felt that we were good enough to do so. However, St Brigid's thoroughly deserved to win and we can have no complaints." So what about 2009, can Delvin regain their senior status? John believes that with the right attitude and hard work, it is possible, although he stressed that it may take a bit of time. "As I said the younger players will have to be given time to settle into the side. We certainly won't be favourites this year and maybe that will take some of the pressure off a bit. "Crookedwood have come down this year and they will be looking to make a swift return to senior, while Brigid's will have loads of confidence after they reached the final last year. Turin have worked really hard in recent years and they will be in the fray as well. I'm confident that we still have the players that can win the championship and with a bit of luck who knows what can happen." Delvin will certainly be in contention at the business end of the championship and if the likes of experienced players such as John, Niall and Kevin Williams, JP Farrelly, Damien McHugh and Cathal Nugent can help guide youngsters like Killian Murphy, Patrick Farrington and Luke Kelly, then there is no reason why Delvin won't be in the senior ranks in 2010. Under 16 Footballers offer hope for the future Delvin's appearance in the under 16 Division 3 football final was the highlight of an otherwise poor year for the club which, according to secretary Sean O'Brien, wasn't helped by decisions taken at county board level. 2008 was a very difficult year for the Delvin footballers who suffered devastating losses both in terms of results and personnel. But despite hitting rock bottom and playing second fiddle to their hurling counterparts, there is a steely resolve among members to ensure that the club stays afloat. "The show must go on," says a defiant Sean O'Brien, who is Delvin's long-serving football secretary. "After last year, when we suffered one bad beating after another, we could easily have packed it in, but we don't want to see football dying out in this part of the county and wanted to keep it going. We're in it for the long haul and I have no fear that we'll disappear. But we need help from the county board and that, unfortunately, hasn't been forthcoming in recent years." O'Brien had predicted that Delvin would struggle last season after they were upgraded to Division 3 of the All-County League against their wishes. He claims this decision "undid all the progress of the previous few years" and left the club on the brink. "The Planning Committee, in their wisdom, recommended last year that we be put into Division 3, even though we hadn't won a game in Division 4 the previous year," he recalls. "They argued that the higher standard of football would improve us but, in fact, it had the opposite effect. I pleaded with the county board at the time to demote us to Division 5, but they weren't having any of it. Ironically, the Delvin hurlers had sought promotion in the league, but were demoted instead. "It was totally unrealistic to expect us to compete and win games in Division 3, especially as we had lost 11 of the team that ran St. Loman's to a point in the 2007 junior championship quarter-final through emigration. It left us having to rely on young lads, and that was a big ask against the likes of Ballinagore, who played in the senior championship last year, and three or four of the stronger intermediate teams. We wouldn't have had a hope." Sean's worst fears were realised when Delvin suffered a 38-point hammering at the hands of St. Mary's in their opening Division 3 clash. "We were embarrassed and they were embarrassed," he remembers. "We eventually withdrew from the league after four rounds because it wasn't doing us or our opponents any good. Every result last year was a bad result, with many of the lads having lost interest after the first couple of league matches. They concentrated on playing hurling instead." While welcoming Delvin's demotion to Division 4 this year, O'Brien still feels the county board is not doing enough to help their plight. "Clubs like Delvin feel they have been let down by the football board. Football clubs in the hurling areas have a particular problem that must be addressed. There has to be a way around this. I've no doubt that football and hurling can co-exist provided there's a better understanding of the situation. "The football board needs to look at ways to improve club football in the county. At the moment, their only interest seems to be in the county team." As with the league, Delvin endured a torrid time of it in the junior championship. The tone for the campaign was set in the opening round when they lost to St. Fintan's/Multyfarnham by 0-6 to 3-11 at The Downs. Delvin recovered from the concession of an early goal to trail by 0-3 to 1-2 at half-time thanks to scores from substitute Niall Williams and Brendan O'Brien. But despite the best efforts of Ger Clune at full back, O'Brien at midfield and Williams, Multy pulled away in the second half for a comfortable victory. Further heavy defeats to Loughnavalley, Mullingar Shamrocks, St. Joseph's and St. Loman's made for a disappointing championship. O'Brien, however, is much more optimistic about Delvin's 2009 prospects after a motion submitted by the club to change the format of the junior championship was accepted. "We're much happier with the new format that we had proposed. What you have now is a strong and a weak section with four teams from the strong and two from the weak section going through to the knockout stages. It gives us a realistic chance of going somewhere this year under Michael Lynch, the former Castlepollard and Westmeath hurling goalkeeper, who is also training the Delvin hurlers," he says. Delvin have been making great strides at underage level in recent times, and will field a minor team for the first time in many years in 2009. This team will be backboned by members of last year's under 16 side which contested the Division 3 (13-a-side) final against Killucan. Although beaten by 0-2 to 4-5, Sean reckons it was a great achievement for Delvin to be contesting a county football final. "You would not believe how much of a big deal it was for Delvin to be in that final. We were obviously disappointed to lose, especially after beating Killucan earlier in the year. But it still meant an awful lot to us to be there." Played in bitterly cold conditions at Kinnegad, the final always looked to be going Killucan's way after they scored two goals in the first half to take a 2-2 to 0-1 lead into the interval. Delvin started the second half brightly and only brave defending by Darren Brady denied Cian O'Neill a goal. When Ian McCormack returned the ball into the square, Alan Clune got his fist to it, but again Brady denied a certain goal and Killucan lifted the siege. A Kane Lawrence free kept the pressure on Killucan, but Delvin failed to make their possession count and were punished when Damien Keogh and Mark Glennon bagged late goals for the Saffrons. O'Brien concludes by saying: "We may be down at the moment, but it won't be like this forever. Every club goes through a sticky patch and it's our turn at the moment. "When we won the junior championship in 1989, we were well able to beat the likes of Bunbrosna who are now an established senior club. They turned the corner and there's no reason why we can't as well." The Delvin under 16 team that faced Killucan in the Division 3 (13-a-side) final was: Evan O'Donnell; Ross Fay, Julian Sheerin; Johnny Mangan, Jason Mannion, Cathal Gaffney; Christopher Lynch, Kane Lawerence; Cian O'Neill, Pauric White, Johnny Ivory; Ian McCormack, Pat Clarke. Subs used: Alan Clune, Paddy Poynton and Niall Fox. Delvin's line-up against St. Fintan's/Multyfarnham in the first round of the junior championship was: Paddy Farrington; James Boyle, Ger Clune, John Geoghegan; Shane Farrelly, Anthony Clune, Patrick Clune; Brendan O'Brien, Andrew Reilly; Killian Murphy, Ollie Cassidy, Thomas Clune; Brian Farrelly, Aidan McGovern, David McAuley. Subs used: Niall Williams, Stephen Reilly and Michael Moore. Tweet

Most Read Stories