The Official Cavan GAA Discussion thread.

There was another good player a few years ago for Maghera, Michael Muldoon. Played Co Minor and u20. Is he abroad or still with them?

He was playing for Maghera in the Junior shield against Mountnugent there a few weeks ago. You have to admire the loyalty staying when your season essentially started in September. The Blackwater Gaels amalgamation would seem to be working given Munterconnaught having brought lads through that were central to them winning the Junior championship yesterday and as others have said have players on county minor team this year to bring through yet. Not sure are Maghera though, have got well beaten in their Division 3 Reserve championship games so far. Long term you would think they assimilate into Munterconnaught?

Ballyboden knocked out the All Ireland Club champions yesterday. Eamon Reilly is doing well as manager. Ballyboden are not exactly minnows, but Dublin is very competitive. Na Fianna beat Kilmacud in the other semi.

Coles, Monghans ,James McEnroe to name a few were from Maghera. Cole Transport the heart of Maghera.

It’s a bit like the Gaels twenty years ago. They used to pick up the best kids from the surrounding areas because they were successful. I remember Gaels lads used to mockingly call Drumalee their B team.

Yes I believe this is the case though not sure if this is 100% correct but in the 1970's many clubs could amalgamate for senior championship- Redhills/Belturbet and Castlerahan/Munchies both won senior championship so did Ramor United under Virginia Blues and Maghera amalgamation but then they both ended up winning intermediate championships back to back and county board stipulated that two senior clubs couldn't amalgamate for the senior championship so there was a vote to united under one club, vote went through by slim majority in Maghera but the ones who voted against it continued with Maghera but seriously depleted the club and fair to say it has never recovered. Still not straighforward cos the ladies side of things it is one parish club Lurgan, they play games in both Ramor and Maghera pitches.

Still Cavan king mentioned gaels/drumalee above, Maghera and Munchies pitches are as close to each other as terry coyle and drumalee's is and that is in a major town so when they about 5 minutes drive apart then long term I fail to see how Maghera dont just merge in with them.

What geographical area did the former Lurgan GFC cover?

Is there a separate country area other than Vrginia and Maghera?

Believe it was 1976 as Maghera won intermediate in 74 and Virginia Blue in 1975- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavan_Intermediate_Football_Championship

Lurgan church and there used to be a Lurgan community centre, not sure if still there was on Ballyjamesduff road side of Virginia, to the right of Lisgrey house as you come from Cavan town, I assume this is the area Lurgan GFC covered though wasn't aware that club had existed too.

Conor McManus, Paudie Clifford, Brian Fenton didn't play Co Minor. A late developer can play more off the cuff then someone who has been in a Development panel from 14 or 15.

There are lots of Cavan lads playing midfield in school teams within Cavan and no doubt possibly in Longford aswell.

Monaghan schools have 3 teams in the McRory which is surely a help to their county minor and u20 teams to have so many lads playing top level schools football.

Karl O’Connell from Monaghan didn’t start playing Gaelic football until he was 17.

Cullivan had injury troubles. A lot of these young lads get dragged pillar to post when they are exceptional at underage. It hits their career length.

Towards the end of his career Cullivan could only play one game a week and could barely train between games. I remember Lavey had a game on a Saturday and then a Thursday evening and he had to pick between the two.

Ronan Flanagan was another exceptional underage player on that underage Rules team and part of the reason he had a long career was because he delayed joining the club senior team which was a wise move by him & his parents.

He was a fantastic man to catch a ball but just wasn’t mobile enough.

He walked from the panel on the day of a game one of the years too in the early noughties that he was named a sub for a game.

I remember that. It was before they played Fermanagh. Tommy Carr was manager in 2010. 2012 was his last year on the panel at 24. He was one of the 6 dropped by Val Andrews along with Johnston, Lyng, Dermot Sheridan, Martin Cahill. There was someone else.