O’Reilly says experience of last year stood to Arva

IFC final reaction

Damien Donohoe

In December 2022, Finbar O’Reilly took over Arva as a Junior Championship team and now he has brought them back to senior ranks in just two years. It’s an achievement that hasn’t been done in Cavan since Drumgoon managed it in 2002 but the Lacken man always believed the potential was there.

“I felt last year we were one of the best teams, if not the best team, in the junior in Cavan. I felt that was achievable, to get us up into intermediate, and I felt we would have had a fighting chance at intermediate, which has been the case,” O’Reilly said.

“I suppose the experience and the stuff that has built up from the journey after winning Cavan last year has been immeasurable. The boys physically have developed and grown since this time last year and gained the experience that goes with that and the belief.

“We’ve been in a couple of sticky spots throughout this championship. We were 1-3 down to no score after eight or nine minutes against Drumlane and (making) this day here today looked miles off but we responded.

“The experience and the belief of last year and everything that’s been built up has stood us really strong in key situations. I suppose, to answer your question, I knew the talent was there and I knew the potential was there and these boys have such attitude and such commitment and love for where they come from and that’s the big thing.”

Having gone unbeaten in their last 21 championship games, there is no denying that this is a special group. The reasons for that are many but two things that consistently come through from the group is they enjoy training and playing together and they love Arva. The importance of that combination isn’t lost on their manager.

“I can’t speak highly enough (of that), and I did this all of last year. They are unbelievable to work with. I’ve been with a couple of teams in the last number of years and it’s nothing against any other team but you might get one of two lads that might go against you or mightn’t be in agreement with what you’re trying to do. That just doesn’t exist here.

“They have incredible trust in us as a management team, we trust them. There’s just no nonsense with them, no crap. No crap and it’s just a clean, no-nonsense dressing room in there.

“I’m in charge and they look at it that way and whatever you say goes and there’s no undermining or disrespecting of anything or anyone and that leads to a really, really healthy team, and I think that shows in everything we do on the field.”

With just a week turnaround between the semi-final replay and the final, there was a lot of analysis to get done on Butlersbridge but the former inter-county footballer got the tactical set-up just right.

“Everyone knows Caoimhín and Fionntán and I know them very well myself. They are match-winners and they’re big, strong, powerful fellas and they’re score-getters. We sent James Morris after Caoimhin, people would say that was maybe a gamble.

“James is getting into his 30s and that but he had awesome protection, military-style protection from Dylan (Maguire). Caoimhin likes to run out to his left a lot and Dylan covered off that option for him which was slowing up his impact on the game.

“Finbar (McAvinue) on Fionntán then. Sure, Finbar is one of the best man-markers in Cavan, he’s just so low to the ground and he’s quick and he’s sharp. And we got the perfect start, there’s no doubt, two goals in the first couple of minutes but I thought we could have driven on more potently after that but it gave us the cushion, it was going to take a huge collapse really to let it slip after that start.”

Having gained so much from their run to All-Ireland Junior Championship success, there has to be a real desire to give the Ulster championship a good rattle at intermediate level. Being the studious type, O’Reilly was already beginning to look to the next challenge.

“Look, we’re playing the Down champions in a month, away in Newry. That’s not going to be easy. This time last year we had to go to Owenbeg to play Ballymaguigan so we’re up a level, we’re up to a higher standard of football. We’ll be ready for that, the boys will be up for that. We’ll have a good week now. I think we’ve a month to get ready.

“The boys need a wee rest, mentally, physically. Sometimes it’s harder to win these county titles, it took eight games to win this now, including a replay with Cuchulainns. If you win your first round in Ulster, you’re into a semi-final. Every game there is huge but yeah, we’ll go for it and we’ll see what happens.”