EXPERIENCED Cavan defender Killian Brady says they’re determined to prove that they’re no one-hit wonder after they reached  the pinnacle in Ulster last season in unforgettable circumstances for the first time since 1997.

The 1997 team is a handy comparison point as they failed to build on their Ulster Championship title – not a major shock in hindsight as manager Martin McHugh stepped down after their All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Kerry while a raft of key players were in the twilight of their careers.

There are  no such concerns this time around as Mickey Graham is back for a third year and the age profile of the team is generally favourable, even if there are a few players on the ‘wrong’ side of 30 (Brady himself will enter his fourth decade later this year).

Brady, who plays his club football with famous Cavan club Mullahoran, said: “I’ve spoken to a few players from the ’97 panel about that – the likes of my own clubmate Damian O’Reilly – and I asked what happened after that year.

“They talked about how older players stepped away and the management left so of course it was going to have a massive impact on them.

“For us, we’re lucky as we have a great management team coming back and there’s  no word of retirements so it’s not like we’re starting from scratch like in previous seasons.

“There were times there was a mass exodus of seven or eight or even 10  players, and it makes it very hard for management and the strength and conditioning coach having to start afresh with new players.

“Thankfully that trend hasn’t continued and that’s probably because we did have success. Players want to play for Cavan now and that should make us better.”

While he should still have another few years in him, Brady admits that as the seasons passed he started to wonder whether it would ever be Cavan’s turn in the Ulster Championship.

“Winning Ulster is always an aim at the beginning of the new season as it’s a realistic target to aim for. To be honest, as the years went on, you do begin to wonder if it’ll ever happen.

“I’ve been there for seven or eight seasons so naturally enough you have your doubts, but you still have some belief that things can turn around and luckily enough we got over the line last year – now it’s just about backing it up.”

A Garda by profession, Brady wasn’t tempted to follow suit when the likes of Dara McVeety and Conor Moynagh opted out of the 2020 season to go travelling, even though he didn’t really figure in the 2019 season due to injury.

“Of course there were times in the earlier part of my career when I considered taking a step back. I suppose you start to realise that the opportunity to play for Cavan isn’t going to be there forever, so it’s important to make the most of it while you still can.

“I went to Chicago in 2014 after the intercounty season was over so I got a small taste of it. Fair dues to the lads who did take that opportunity to travel, they’re dead right in a way and they probably went at a good time as they have plenty of years left in them.”

Looking back on their Ulster final triumph over Donegal, Brady, who lined out at corner-back, says playing behind closed doors didn’t really detract from the overall experience.

“It was unique in a way as you got to share the moment with the players. I know from experience of winning with the club that you can get lost in the moment a bit and it’s nearly the next day before you can sit down with your team-mates and really celebrate it.

“From what point of view it was brilliant but of course you miss the crowd as well as it adds that extra bit of atmosphere. We did miss that as the season went on. I’d have loved to have been in a few of those sitting rooms as the games went on. I’d say there’d have been lots of drama.”

The Cavan panel is in rude health at the minute – Graham recently revealed that interested club players have picked up the phone to him – and Brady says that can only be a good thing for rookies and experienced heads alike.

“It makes you extra eager to get any niggles cleared up. If you’re not available to train you’re not available to put yourself up for selection, and that’s always been the way no matter what management team has been in place.

“I see it as only a positive that there are  fellas breathing down your neck. If it’s a younger fella putting pressure on me it’ll make him better as well, as he’ll have to fight for his position.”

Collective training is banned at the minute, but the talk is that it’ll be allowed again from mid-February ahead of a delayed league start sometime in March. Brady can’t wait to get going again, even if they’re set to play their league football in Division Three.

“You can’t really afford to take a break even if you wanted one as there’s an extra bit of pressure going into this season. You have to back up the bit of success you had.

“It’s about striking a balance between getting the body right and getting prepared for the season ahead.

“It gets a bit harder as you get that little bit older, things don’t just repair as quick as you’d like. I’m still raring to go and I’d love to be back training – it’s harder when you’re training on your own, you miss the social aspect of it as well.”