Over 300 club members, players, friends and supporters of Drumgoon Eire Og attended the 2012 Champions Ball at the Errigal Country House Hotel near Cootehill on Saturday 4th February to celebrate the oddessy that was the 2011 GAA season for the club.

Silver Jubilee Teams of 1986

With the club now in its 108th year, the gala evening opened with a fitting retrospective, as the clubs first county title winning teams from 1986 were paraded to the assembled and highly appreciative audience, to a soundtrack of hits from 1986.

The then under 12 and under 14 silver jubilee teams were greeted warmly by the guests and emotionally by the team coaches of 25 years previously, as Tom Farrell (manager of the 1986 U14 team) and Aogan Farrell (manager of the 1986 U12 team) shook the hands and presented a unique momento to each team member, some of whom had travelled from overseas to be present on the night.

And in a fitting gesture to a family focused club, Sean Fox (1986 U12 team captain) and Hugh P Donohue (representing his son, the late Niall Donohue, 1986 U14 team captain) presented the coaches awards to Drumgoon brothers and lifelong GAA devotees, Aogan and Tom Farrell.


The collective guests were invited to dine as Fr. Owen Collins PP delivered grace and were treated to a rolling presentation of images dating back to the clubs first county final in 1928.


Team Presentations

Dining complete, the presentations for the evening began in the presence of the five county titles won by the club in football and Camogie during 2011. Not to be out-done, three inter-county trophies were accounted for as Drumgoon contributed to the winning of the Ulster Ladies football crown, the Ulster Minor Championship and more recently, the U21 Hastings Cup.

The Drumgoon Camógs opened up proceedings with the presentation of County Championship medals to the winning under 16 and minor camógie teams, delivered by honoured guest and Cathaoirleach Coiste Bhreifne, Mr Tom Reilly.

The underage teams were followed into the lime-light by the Drumgoon Senior Camógie squad, who secured the Junior Shield for the second consecutive year in 2011.

Denoting the fourth club championship title won during 2011, the Drumgoon Junior football team were led to the podium by team captain Gerry Hughes, who watched on as his team were presented with their Junior C Championship medals by An Cathaoirleach, Tom Reilly.

Finally, for the team presentations, Adrian Crosson made his way to the presentation area where Tom Reilly presented the Gulroy Cup for the Cavan Intermediate Championship to a Drumgoon captain, for just the second time in the clubs history. The champions were then presented with their championship medals - Niall McIntyre, Edward Gaffney,Tommy McKitterick, Philip Smith, Michael Hannon, Killian Moynagh, Keith Fannin, James McDonald, Aogan Farrell, Niall Fortune, Conor Moynagh, Patrick McCabe, Jim McNally, Shane McGorry, Shane Smith, Pauric McGorry, Ian Craddock, Paul Crosson, Ronan McDonald, Brendan McCabe, Francis Mahon, Henry Reyburn, Connor Bates and Corey Smith.


Special Achievement Awards

The awards category moved on to special achievement during 2011, and opened with the club acknowledging five All Ireland championship winning performances during the year:
- Conor Moynagh - Irish Intervarsities Freshers League - DCU
- Mark Murray - All Ireland Further Education League - Cavan Institute
- Henry Reyburn - All Ireland Further Education League - Cavan Institute
- Bryan Bates - Coach - All Ireland Further Education League - Cavan Institute
- Michael Hannon - Coach - Irish Intervarsities Senior League - DIT

The club presented a special award to Dernakesh NS, feeder club to Drumgoon Eire Og to mark the 175 continuous year of operation of the school and its contribution to the sporting ethos of the Parish, accepted on behalf of the school by Principal, Aogan Farrell.

The Chairman of the County Board then present the International and Inter-county awards to those club members who excelled on the international stage during 2011.

- Caitlin Keenan - Irish Australian Rules team - European Champions
- Michael Murray - Guernsey Gaels - European GAA Champions
- Edward Jackson - John Mitchells, Liverpool - All Britain Club Finalists
- Killian Moynagh - Naomh Alee Riyadh - Gulf Games Championship Finalists

The inter-county exploits of club men and women were noted at under-age level and at championship level:

- Joseph Kelly - Cavan Minor Hurling
- Conor Moynagh - Cavan Minor Football - Ulster Champions
- Niamh Farrell - Cavan Ladies - Ulster Champions
- Christine McCutcheon - Cavan Ladies - Ulster Champions
- Patrick McCabe - Cavan Junior Football - Leinster Finalists
- Keith Fannin - Cavan Junior Football - Leinster Finalists
- Caroline Shalvey-Martin - Cavan Camogie
- Pamela Crowe-McCabe - Cavan Ladies - Ulster Champions


Player of the Year Awards

The presentations progressed to individual achievement at club level, with the presentation by the President of Ulster Council, Aogan O Fearghail, of the player of the year awards:

- Junior Ladies Football Player of the Year - Margaret Smith
- Senior Ladies Football Joint Player of the Year - Teresa Clerkin
- Senior Ladies Football Joint Player of the Year - Grace McNally
- Junior Camogie Player of the Year - Caoimhe Clarke
- Senior Camogie Player of the Year - Caroline Shalvey-Martin
- The 2011 Golden Boot (highest scorer) - Patrick McCabe
- Junior Football Player of the Year - Ronan McDonald
- Senior Football Player of the Year - Edward Gaffney


Cavan Team of the Year

In addition, the club paid tribute to two players who were selected for the Lynn Publications Cavan Team of the year. In a season that saw the club achieve great heights within Cavan, the assertive style of Conor Moynagh in both the Ulster Final and the Intermediate final saw him selected at half-back on the Cavan Team of the Year. Meanwhile the mercurial talent and versatility of defender come forward, Keith Fannin, saw him selected at mid-field for the 2011 team of the year.

Fittingly, the final presentation of the evening was presented by the President of Ulster Council to the Cavan Intermediate Player of the Year 2011, Keith Fannin.

Formalities over, the teams retired for the official photographs while the gathered audience prepare to party into the small hours to the music of popular local band, 'The Urge'. The revelers celebrated the clubs five titles in 2011 in fine style and will now look forward to a season of consolidation in the premiere rank of football in the county, during 2012. Tweet

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