Cavan Gaels GAA
Cavan Gaels is a Gaelic Athletic Association club from Cavan Town, County Cavan in Ireland. They are affiliated to Cavan GAA. The club was founded in 1957 following the merging of 2 clubs in Cavan Town, Cavan Harps and Cavan Slashers. They are the second most successful team in Cavan GAA history. They have 14 Senior Championship titles, the most recent being in 2017 when they beat Castlerahan on a score line of 0-13 to 0-08. Cavan Gaels appeared in 16 of the 20 Cavan Senior Football Championship finals between 1998 and 2017 winning 10 . History. The club was founded in 1957 in Cavan Town, County Cavan, Ireland after the merging of 2 clubs in the town, Cavan Slashers and Cavan Harps. The name Cavan Gaels was first suggested by Hugh Doonan the late father of the 2003 Cavan Senior Football Championship winning captain James Doonan. A year after their foundation they lost the Cavan Senior Football Championship to Crosserlough 3-07 to 3-04. They won their first Cavan Senior Football Championship in 1965 beating Baileborough Celtic. They lost their next two finals both to Crosserlough in 1968 and 1972. In 1975 they regained  the Oliver Plunkett cup beating rivals Crosserlough, they won it again in 1977 & 81 beating St. Mary's and Ballyhaise, their last for 23 years. They lost the 1984 final to Laragh United, the 1997 final to Mullahoran and the 2001 final to Gowna 2-10 to 0-11. The new millennium was the dawn of a new era for the Gaels as they appeared in every final from 2000 to 2011. They won 8 Cavan Senior Football Championship winning two trebles (2003-2005 and 2007-2009). After defeat to Gowna in 2000 they won the following year beating Gowna  0-18 to 0-07. In 2002 they lost again to Gowna. In 2003, 2004 and 2005 they beat Mullahoran before being beaten by Mullahoran in 2006. In 2007 the Gaels beat Gowna 0-12 to 0-11, the first of another treble. In 2008 and 2009 they beat Denn GFC 0-12 to 0-11 and 1-10 to 1-11. They lost to Kingscourt Stars in 2010 1-10 to 1-09 but regained the title in 2011 beating Castlerahan 1-14 to 1-12. Their largest winning margin in a Cavan Senior Football Championship final. Their astonishing  run of consecutive final appearances was ended in 2012 when they were beaten in the quarter final stages by Killygarry. An unfancied Ballinagh GAA side pipped the Gaels to the 2013 Cavan Senior Football Championship, before finally regaining the Championship against Kingscourt Stars in what can only be described as a titanic struggle in 2014. They hold an unrivaled success record to the envy of every other senior club in Cavan. They are the current favourites for the 2018 championship even after a narrow loss to local rivals Killygarry. Club Crest. The club crest came into existence in 1984 when  all clubs in the country were asked as part of the G.A.A.’s Centenary year to design their own club crest. Central to the crest is the Fransciscan Abbey, an important landmark in Cavan Town and the interlocking of the letters H and S which illustrate the merging of the two existing town clubs, Cavan Harps and Cavan Slashers into one town club, Cavan Gaels in 1957. Notable players. Current Gaels players on the Cavan senior team include Seanie Johnston, Stephen Murray, Paul Graham, Barry Fortune, Luke Fortune, Micheál Lyng, Martin Dunne and Niall Murray plus former player and club  member Micheal Graham is the current Cavan Senior Team manager. Former players include Eamon Reilly, Dr. Cathal Collins, Anthony Forde, Nicolas Walsh, Jim McDonnell, Jimmy Sheridan, Charlie Noonan, Colin Sheridan,Shane McGlade, James Doonan, Paul Kinsella, Johnny Graham. All Ireland Final referee Brian Crowe is also a member of the club.