Schools and colleges football continues to represent part of the bedrock of the game in county Cavan and in 2004 there was plenty of talent and exciting matches showcased at every level. It was a case of honest endeavour without the requisite number of provincial or national trophies to match for the creme de la creme of Cavan's student footballers in 2004. In many ways, the results achieved at various strands of competition outside the domestic scene by the county's schoolboy teams fairly reflected the ongoing travails experienced by Cavan's inter-county teams from minor age upwards. In the same degree though, that there is a bevy of skilful, talented and ambitious schoolkids currently playing Gaelic football in Cavan brooks no debate. The following is a mere dip in the ocean of such talent and the teams those players embellished. The growing influence exerted on the third-level college football scene by Cavan College of Further Studies continues to excite and delight those within Cavan GAA circles. One of the college's most outstanding games during 2004 came in mid-February 2004 when they recorded a thrilling 2-9 to 0-9 win in Athlone over a vaunted Limerick IT side in the second round of the Trench Cup. In the opening round of the competition, Tipperary Information Technology had been overcome. In a cracking encounter against Limerick, the Cavan lads found themselves on the backfoot in the opening 20 minutes and duly fell behind by 0-1 to 0-4 as they played second fiddle in most sectors of the field. However following some shrewd switches by Cavan's think-tank, the would-be winners slowly but surely settled into their stride and a 1-1 tally helped ease them onto level terms, 1-2 to 0-5, at the interval. It was point for point immediately on the restart but Cavan broke through for the all-important second goal of the game to leap into a vital 2-6 to 0-6 advantage. It was nip and tuck from there to the finish but the Breffni-based boys had the bit between their teeth and they refused to surrender the initiative. A look at the star-studded line-up of the Cavan College of Further Studies line-up that day against Limerick gives one an idea of the quality therein; Keith Gumley (Butlersbridge); Damien Martin (Lavey), Mark Lynch (Crosserlough), Gerard Argue (Cootehill Celtic); Gary Ferncombe (Drumalee), Colm Malone (Ballybay), Padraig McGovern (Corlough); Alan Durkin (Ballinagh), Anthony Gaynor (Ballinagh); Marin Rock (Ramor Utd), Keith Soden (Ramor Utd), Michael Higgins (Carrickedmond); Mark McGovern (Kingscourt), Darragh Gaffney (Drumalee), Adrian Garvey (Tubberclare). With a subsequent victory over North West Institute of Further Education, Derry, the Enda Reilly/Aidan Crossan/Fr. Gerry Kearns crew duly reached the semi-final of the Trench Cup. Alas, a 0-3 to 1-11 defeat to St. Mary's University College, Strawberry Hill, London was their lot - a sure example, if ever there was, of the gap between almost full-time physical training on one side and Cavan's part-time college elite on the other. Meanwhile on the secondary school front, Virginia's finest caused one of the shocks of the year when they ousted defending Markey Cup (Under 18) Ulster Vocational Schools title holders Holy Trinity at sun-kissed Rockcorry in early March last. Virginia produced an outstanding display to edge home winners by 0-10 to 0-9 after a top-class contest. Their impressive show was highlighted by a five-star display by 'keeper Shane Mulvanny who brought off a brilliant save four minutes from time to prevent a certain goal. Mulvanny's stop inspired his colleagues to go on and finish strongly and clinch a great win. Virginia opened the game strongly and led by 0-3 to 0-0 after just ten minutes with Ronan Flanagan, Kevin Brady and Stephen Sheridan. However Trinity came roaring back and succeeded in holding the Cavan side scoreless for the rest of the first half. Level on the restart, 0-3 apiece, Virginia conceded the opening point of the second half but rallied and points from Cian Mackey and Stephen Sheridan edged the side back into the lead. But a five point, unanswered, haul in a twelve minute spell from Trinity thereafter threatened to unhinge Virginia's hopes. But Virginia showed true grit to hit back with interest though with a hat-trick of points by Daniel Lynch drawing the side level with one minute to play. Virginia retained the initiative and in a last-gasp effort, Kevin Brady popped up to fire the ball over the bar for the winning point. The quality of Virginia's play and their sheer commitment on the day fairly reflected their terrific Markey Cup effort. Virginia's crew which faced Trinity was; S. Mulvanny; A Taite, P O'Reilly, M Duff; S Gaffney, K Lynch, C McBreen; K Brady (0-2), S Monaghan; P Cunningham, D Lynch (0-4), C Mackey (0-1); S Sheridan (0-2), R Flanagan (0-1), D. Sexton. Sub; D Nolan. Meanwhile as far as St. Pat's College is concerned, it continues to be a learning curve for them as far as their Leinster senior colleges experience is concerned. They failed to get among the silverware but the performance of the school's premier team in beating Dundalk Combined Schools by 2-8 to 0-8 in the first round spoke volumes for the inherent ability of the players and the degree of coaching received by them. The win over the Louth side was St. Pat's first ever win in their novel surroundings and a major upset too. The Dundalk side were strong favourites but a goal apiece in the first half by Enda Gaffney and David Finnegan held the key to success. St. Pat's fully deserved their victory, all told, having dominated large sections of the game. Backboned by a terrific defensive display and a superior midfield pairing of Ray Cullivan and Gary Sheridan, the Cavan lads played some terrific football as a unit and underpinned their penchant for bagging vital goals with excellent points by Enda Gaffney, Colm Smith and Paddy Brady to help engineer a winning lead. Despite eventually falling short of the winners' enclosure, the St. Pat's crew can be rightly proud of their Leinster expedition. Their team against Dundalk was; L Jackson; D McKenna, T Smith, P Brady; D Hatchett, N Reilly, D Reilly; R Cullivan, G Sheridan; C Smith, P Brady, M Higgins; D Finnegan, B Brady, E Gaffney. Subs; C Greenan, K Monaghan. Meanwhile on the vocational schools' domestic scene, few victories were as thrilling or as dramatic during the course of the year as that served up by Bailieboro Community School's under 14 side as they triumphed over their St. Clare's College, Bally'duff opponents by 3-10 to 3-9 in the decider last December. Predictably there was hardly a kick of the ball between the sides over the hour at Breffni Park with one team and then the next shading matters on the possession front. The first half was hallmarked by a stunning Marc Curran goal for the would-be winners. A brilliant six man move by the east Cavan side ended with young Curran doing the needful following a brilliant point by team-captain and colleague Peter Clerkin just moments earlier. Those two exceptional scores helped ease Bailieboro into a two point interval lead against their wind-assisted opponents. However an equally fine goal by Bally'duff's Shaun Conaty just three minutes after the restart put the cat amongs the pigeons once again. But a Niall Kelly goal midway through the second half once again put Bailieboro in the driving seat as the game swung from one end of the field to the other. The sides were level once again though thanks to a cracking Barry McKiernan goal for St. Clares but in the dying minutes a Bailieboro move downfield helped on by Shane Grey was finished to the net by sub Stephen Kierans to put the issue beyond doubt and so end a brilliantly contested decider. Bailieboro's heroes were; C Gilsenan; S Clarke, E Reilly, K Martin; D Carolan, C Tierney, A Farrelly; P Clerkin (0-1), A Carroll (0-1); M Curran (1-0), N McCabe (0-2), J Collins; C O'Reilly, N Kelly (1-6), S Grey. Subs; C Brady, S Kierans (1-0). Tweet

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