Tom O’Reilly has lavished praise on Terry Hyland, who stepped down as Cavan senior boss this week

FORMER Cavan chairman Tom O’Reilly has claimed that the Cavan public failed to fully appreciate the progress made under Terry Hyland, who resigned earlier this week after nearly five years in charge.

Now working with the Ulster Council, O’Reilly held the Cavan chairman post when Hyland was appointed senior manager back in 2012 after a successful stint in charge of their U21 team.

On Tuesday Hyland stepped down in the wake of their disappointing championship exit to Derry last month, and O’Reilly paid tribute to the Lacken man, labelling him a “father figure” to his players.

He said: “I was chairman when we brought Terry in. Cavan football will never repay him for the way he built up the team. At U21 level he was brilliant – he wasn’t just a manager, he was a father figure to players. He was a gentleman to work with, I gave him a job as senior level, he took a four and-a-half year stint at it.”

Hyland was the second longest currently-serving intercounty football manager before tendering his resignation. Perhaps his most significant achievement with the Cavan seniors was achieving a long-awaited promotion back to the top flight this season for the first time in 15 years.

O’Reilly said: “He took Cavan from the edge of Division Four up to Division One. I’m disappointed he didn’t play one year at least in Division One. I couldn’t say enough about him and I don’t think the Cavan people really appreciate what he did for them.”