Carolan Concentrate! Cavan's potent formula, by Kevin Carney. Carry on Carolan! That's the message currently reverberating up and down the bowels of the kingdom of Ulster as the Clan's best known footballer goes from strength to strength. Ronan Carolan's recent elevation on to the Ulster Railway Cup team caught nobody by surprise, least of all those who have suffered consistently from the unerring marksmanship of the Mullagh maestro over the last seven years. At times, the victim of the "prophet in his own land" adage, the Dublin based school teacher is now finally being recognised in Breffni land for what he is - a class apart in terms of his overall contribution to the team unit. In Cavan football circles, even the ball-boys behind the goals at Breffni Park have to earn their plaudits. Freetakers are a glorified high-profile species in Cavan especially, they are expected to go where ball-boys fear to thread at half time. Ronan Carolan, Cavan's long time freetaker, carries high expectations every time he dons the Breffni Blue. He can't win, it would seem, following as he does on the heels of artisans such as Peter Donohoe and Charlie Gallagher. Lately, Cavan's resident place kicker looks like winning through. Not as rangy as Kerry's Maurice Fitzgerald but quicker with his long antelope-like stride than Brian Stafford, the 24 year old former minor starlet is on schedule to do for Cavan what Larry Tompkins achieved for Cork. Part of a Cavan team, still haunted by the country's illustrious past, the Cuchullains clubman has been tipped by many in the game as the catalyst required to inspire a lasting resurgence of fortunes for the one time all-conquering Blues. This latest theory has been based on the recent upward movement of confidence within the team. This year's National League campaign has shown that the old ring of confidence has returned to Cavan's ace sharpshooter, as well. It would appear that this symbiotic relationship is a winner alright. When Carolan is doing well, Cavan are doing well, recent performances would suggest. Influenced greatly by his father Paddy, a Kingscourt-based solicitor, and an All-Ireland medalist in 1952 with Cavan, the six foot plus Good Shepherd Primary School teacher acknowledges that confidence is the key to playing well. "Attitudes and displays are all about confidence. In my case, I'm lucky that missing frees on occasions doesn't effect my overall game. It just makes me more determined to score the next one." It's that steely determination, innate confidence and Bjorn Borg-like concentration which has steered the ex St. Patrick's Training College student to the top of the scoring charts for more seasons than supporters would likely recall. Topping the country's points table this year has not been achieved through inherited skills only however. Clubmates testify to combing their hair after a post-match shower only to see the affable Carolan popping the liathroid over in the course of an extra twenty minute practice stint. A further three quarters of an hour pre-match workout from the dead ball position puts the gloss on the finished product seen by thousands of supporters each year, on the playing fields. Co-oped on the county senior panel as a 17 year old by Eugene McGee, the then team manager, Carolan's superb displays in Cavan's trip to the top of Division 2B has been marked by lethal finishing in front of goal. Opening up with a five point tally against the oul enemy Monaghan at wintry Castleblayney, the Ulster debutant elect earned the undying loyalty of Breffni fans with a last second pressure kick to earn the plucky visitors a 0-8 to 0-7 victory. Cavan's most prolific sharp shooter in years, The Dr McKenna Cup 1987 medalist followed up his early good form with a headline catching 2-6 tally in his county's second round home clash against a gritty Fermanagh team. A penchant for notching penalties was illustrated in this match and, indeed, it is Carolan's "goal" den touch of late which has been the most welcome and refreshing asset added to his game. A 2-3 total against Westmeath at the Athlone venue consolidated Carolan's form and defied the theory that his best form has always been reserved for games played on home soil. Even the inhospitable Enniscrone venue failed to stifle the Cavalier Carolan, whose seven points were as vital as long studs on that soft day in Sligo for the round four tie. Talk of bubble being burst after Cavan's 1-9 to 2-8 defeat by Laois at Breffni Park on February 23rd last was confined on the grapevine to the team as a unit rather than the renowned freetaker. A product of Gormanston College, the one time injury stricker marksman has now reached the top of his form, four years after hitting rock bottom with serious ankle ligament damage. It's an episode in his burgeoning football career which is remembered particularly by his peers, for his period on the sideline in 1988 coincided with Cavan's odyssey to the All-Ireland Under 21 final. Having just helped his club to an intermediate championship title the previous year, the Cuchullains hero was ear marked as one of the springs from which national honours would flow. His ankle injury, while playing for St. Pat's, was to deal a mortal blow to his county's hopes. So it was, Cavan's nightmare was to be realised, Cavan minus Carolan went down narrowly to Offaly by two points. The rethorical question is destined to be ever present in Cavan - would Ronan Carolan's presence have been worth two points to the Blues? An adept operator, coming off the shoulder of a team mate at speed to collect a pass and execute a score, it took quite a while for Carolan to regain his old sharpness when fitness was regained. One of six 'erstwhile 1988 under 21s on the current county senior squad, Ronan is generous in his praise of mentors Niall Rennicks and Gerry Hanley, in helping him reach the standard of fitness he now is happy to demonstrate in the slush surrounding of county grounds in early spring. Glad to welcome clubmate Fintan Cahill back from injury to the county team, "presents us with more opportunities up front, creates great options for us," Ronan remembers thoughts of his nightmare returning last year when a stress fracture of a leg threatened to disrupt his career dramatically again. Thankfully for ronan, bad times are now confined to so-called "off" days on the field of play. Like the day against Athlone Regional Technical College when his display and, needless to say, Cavan's performance was well below par. In Ronan's own words, "no matter what I did, I couldn't score in that challenge match." Typically, his answer was to go back to the drawing board. For the uninformed, extra training and more detailed match preparation is Carolan's choice in restoring the status quo. Reckoned by many within Cavan as a potential master midfielder of the future, despite his gypsie-like travels around the berths of all six forward positions, Ronan Carolan remains one of the most polished and consistent score-getters in the modern gaelic game. Having notched five goals and forty-four points in a ten game programme last season, he's the bookies favourite to not only surpass that tally in 1992 but to finish on top of the sharpshooter's pile. The more observant and discerning Gael in Cavan and Ulster is in no doubt why Brian McEniff has handed the Cuchullain's leading light a belated provincial cap. A question of balance, awareness, intelligence and concentrated effort would clear up the mystery. Add in copious quantities of nerve and stylish surges forward and you have an All Star in the making! Taken from Hogan Stand magazine 7th March 1992 Tweet

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