Shercock pushing on

Cavan minor and Shercock player Brian Sankey

IN JUST a few weeks time, Shercock, currently second in the division three league, will find themselves in the same Cavan Intermediate Championship group as Lacken, currently second in division one.

Shercock were promoted to the intermediate championship thanks to their junior title win last year, but still ply their trade in the junior league.

Changes to the format of the league system mean that nothing but top place on the league ladder is any good to Shercock if they want a stab at promotion, so they are all too aware of the challenges facing them in the coming weeks.

Barry O’Reilly took over the reins as the club senior manager at the start of the season. The 36 year old only hung up his boots at the end of last year’s campaign, and his former colleagues have certainly responded well to his appointment with seven wins from the eight games they’ve played so far.

“Funny enough, I didn’t find it all that difficult. I played alongside almost all of the boys. They’re an easy bunch to work with, which made the transition that bit easier for myself. They tend to get on with it, which makes the job of manager a good bit easier.”

Last time out they beat Ballymachugh by 1-14 to 1-9, and also took the spoils when they met current leaders Bailieborough with a 1-11 to 2-3 win. Their only loss to date came against Ballymachugh, and they currently find themselves just two points off the lead with a game in hand.

Shercock have always had a healthy sprinkling of county representatives, and their most recent graduate to the Cavan senior ranks, Killian Clarke, has been a leading light for O’Reilly’s men this season. The club senior goalkeeper Colin Courtney has also been part of the Breffni senior panel this term.

The full story is in the current issue of Gaelic Life, published on Thursday June 4. Buy your copy now in your local newsagent, or you can purchase the online version – for only 90p – by clicking here