Cavan squad impress in Kennedy Cup

Leading Cavan soccer coach Keith Guilfoyle is confident that the calibre of the players included in this year's local Kennedy Cup squad fairly reflects the growing standard of the Cavan Underage Football League. Guilfoyle was part of the local league's think-tank which travelled to Limerick last week to take part in the Kennedy Cup tournament at the University of Limerick campus. The Cavan league played five games in total, winning two and improving the seeding of the league ahead of the 2011 tournament. "It was a wonderful experience for all the lads and the management team as well," Guilfoyle said. "The players relished the challenge of pitting their skills against some of the best players of their age in the country. The experience should certainly stand to them as they were able to play against different opponents using different systems and employing different tactics. "For a full week, the players lived like professionals and their behaviour and manners were a credit to their parents." The Cavan schoolboys travelled to Limerick on Sunday evening and after an overnight stay played a fancied Cork team in their first group match. Sadly the Munster lads eased home 4-0 winners. "The first game was against Cork we lost 4-0 but it was a harsh four-nil but we knew they'd be our toughest match in the group," team-manager John Crudden reflected. "The result flattered Cork. I would have thought a two-nil or three-one win for Cork would have been fairer on our lads but the heads never went down." In their second round game, a Jake Doyle-Hayes strike earned Cavan a 1-0 win over Limerick but a 1-3 setback next time out against Wicklow proved a major disappointment. "Wicklow finished third in the whole competition and two freak refereeing decisions we could have got the better of them," says Crudden. "They never got a look-in apart from a couple of handy frees but what we were about was giving all fellas a run and allowing them to experience such a high profile tournament. "We hoped they'd go down perform well and get one or two results and, collectively, the lads gave us 100% effort and commitment and 90% of them individually would have had personal bests in terms of what they did on the pitch. "With the emerging talent programmes, there isn't a lot of difference in the standard between the various leagues nowadays." For his part, Guilfoyle believes Cavan's style of play won them a lot of admirers. "We always tried to play the ball on the floor; there was no question of us hoofing it up the field anyway because the physicality wasn't there up front for us. "The standard of football was very high but our fellas weren't out of place at all and they were complimented for the way they tried to play the game." "After the Cork result we played Limerick and it wasn't hard to pick them up; we were well worth our one-nil result but a fairer result would have been 3-0." Cavan played Kilkenny following the 1-3 defeat to Wicklow and despite goals from Ronan McKiernan and David Majola lost out by 2-4 to the Cats. Carlow was next up with a goal apiece from Caoimhin Carney and David Majola netting Cavan a 2-2 draw before they finished up 4-2 winners on penalties with goalkeeper Enda Shalvey pulling off two fabulous saves. Cavan's final game saw them take on a West Waterford/East Cork selection and unfortunately a 1-4 scoreline concluded their campaign. "Our final game was against West Waterford/East Cork didn't go our way but it didn't take away anything from the week; it was a great experience," Crudden adds. "An FAI official complimented us on our efforts and on the way we tried to play the game," Guilfoyle points out. "The game is heading in the right direction locally and I think Limerick showed that." The Kennedy Cup squad were guided down in Limerick this year by John McCrudden (team-manager) and Keith Guilfoyle (coach) plus Head of Delegation Lar Hammond and co-ordinator Gerry Arrowsmith. Corey Smith was kit-man. The 2010 Cavan Kennedy Cup squad: Enda Shalvey (Cootehill Harps), Michael Cullivan (Sporting Youths), Matthew McKenna (Cavan Shamrocks), Louis Coleman (Cavan Shamrocks), Saulo Cantero (Cavan Shamrocks), Caoimhin O Reilly (Cavan Shamrocks), David Majola (Ballyjamesduff), Mark Stuart (Ballyjamesduff), Ben Conaty (Ballyjamesduff), Phillip Bogue (Cavan Shamrocks), Michael Smyth (Sporting Youths), Caoimhin Carney (Cootehill Harps), Ronan McKiernan (Ballyhaise), Ronan Mallarkey (Clones), Josh Crowe (Cootehill Harps), Thomas McDonald (Sporting Youths), Darragh Mahoney (Ballyhaise), Ian Telford (Ballyjamesduff), Ryan Guilfoyle (Ballyhaise), Jake Doyle Hayes (Ballyjamesduff), Jamie McEnroe (Lavey). The management and players who represented the Cavan Schoolboys League last week are indebted to the following businesses who kindly sponsored individual players and the collective panel: Kiernans Service Station, Topaz Service Station, Imperial Bar, JP's Bar, The Sports Shop, Delaney's Bar, Pat Brady's, Eamonn Donohoe's, Lee's Gala, The Orchard Bar, Meadow View, Whartons Travel, Back To Nature, Seamus Bogue Plant Hire, Murtagh's Pharmacy, Main Street Barbers, Poles Coop, James Crowe Fruit and Veg, Rooney's Centra, Ballyjamesduff, Spar, Ballyjamesduff.