THE FOUR LANTERNS Ulster Senior League is drawing to a close and three teams are in with a chance of landing the prize.
While there are three horses in the race, it is again the green and white hoops of Cockhill Celtic (pictured above), saddled this season by Gavin Cullen, that are looming as the favourites.
Intermediate Cup finalists Letterkenny Rovers can still hope and Derry City Reserves cannot be discounted either, but it is Cockhill who are the favourites now to land what would be their fourth USL title in succession.
Last season, an interim and truncated season to allow for the transition back to winter football, Cockhill became the first team since the formidable Fanad United of the mid-late 90s to win a third successive title.
Now, they stand poised to have USL chiefs knot the green and white ribbons on the silverware again.
Last summer was one of uncertainty around the Charlie O’Donnell Sports Grounds.
Donal O’Brien, who’d guided them through the club’s golden age, stepped down at the end of that interim season and subsequently took up a position with Derry City.
The Dubliner had been the man who’d worked the pieces of the jigsaw around the table until he’d the masterpiece completed.
When Gavin Cullen – aided by Daniel Nolan and Shane Gallivan – agreed to take on the role of player-manager he wasn’t quite sure what he was letting himself in for.
The ride hasn’t been totally smooth, but Cullen has enjoyed it, if enjoyment can even describe management in this League.
“It’s been easier than I thought actually,” he said recently “but the players here make it easy. They don’t make excuses at all and they aren’t messing about.
“If they miss training it’s for a genuine reason. I hear other managers complaining about getting all the excuses of the day. Hand on heart, I’m not getting that here.
“I worried about boys coming and complaining about not getting on the squad or the team, but it hasn’t happened once. They’re a great bunch of players.
“The attitude from the players here is great. It’s been the same nucleus of players and we’re all good friends.
There were signs early on that they might be about to wobble. They’d won three League and Cup doubles in a row, but their League Cup crown was threatened when they lost 2-1 to Bonagee United in Cullen’s first competitive game as manager back at the end of August.
They’ve not lost in the League, though.
After winning their opening two games, Cockhill fell into a mini slump, drawing three in a row, against Fanad United (1-1), Letterkenny Rovers (1-1) and Bonagee United (2-2). By the end of November, it was looking like they were a little vulnerable.
They had no game for well over a month and when they returned, their message was emphatic: They thumped Swilly Rovers 7-0 and hammered Fanad United 8-0 before defeating Bonagee United 3-0.
“We had no game from the end of November until January so it’s hard to keep boys interested when you’re off for that long,” Cullen said.
| Table | P | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | Pts |
| Cockhill Celtic | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 32 | 5 | 27 | 24 |
| Letterkenny Rovers | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 30 | 18 | 12 | 21 |
| Derry City Reserves | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 20 |
| Bonagee United | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 27 | 26 | 1 | 15 |
| Swilly Rovers | 12 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 15 | 36 | -21 | 6 |
| Fanad United | 13 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 40 | -31 | 5 |
But a break was probably what this over-worked side needed. After all, for three solid seasons they’d been on the road.
In December, Gerry Gill – a key component of their squad previously, who left for his native Greencastle following O’Brien’s departure – returned again and the outlook for their challengers is ominous.
Cockhill hold a three-point lead to their nearest challengers, Letterkenny Rovers, and Cullen’s men have a game less played.
They do, though, have to play each other twice in the run-in.
Rovers overcame Ringmahon Rangers form Cork in an Intermediate Cup semi-final on Sunday and will take on Crumlin United on May 14 in the final at Aviva Stadium.
Rovers defeated Cockhill back in the first round and watching the Letterkenny men reach the decider is sure to have gnawed at Cockhill.
Rovers have bigger fish to fry now. No team managed by Eamon McConigley will give up the ghost just like that, but the distractions for them mean their odds of winning the title can be lengthened, even if they have shown strength within their squad.
It might be that Letterkenny will run out of time.
That’s even more so when it can be considered that Cockhill – who haven’t played a League fixture since the beginning of March – can expect to have another three points chalked up without playing.
On Sunday, they were to play Derry City Reserves, but the Candystripes didn’t field and the disciplinary committee will award a 3-0 win to Cockhill. That will put them six clear of Rovers with four games each remaining – granted, two of them are between each other.
What, then, of Derry City Reserves?
They sought a postponement of Sunday’s game, citing the fact that the first team had a game on Saturday night in Longford and again last night against Sligo Rovers in the EA Sports Cup, while their Under-19s also played on Saturday.
League chiefs, keen for the tail not to wag the dog, didn’t budge with the result that Cockhill – and the appointed referee – made the trip to Templemore Sports Complex only to find themselves without an opponent.
The scenario was described by Cockhill player, Gerard McLaughlin, writing his weekly column in the Inishowen Independent, as ‘an absolute disgrace’.
It was hard to argue with his sentiments, particularly the point about the whole situation drawing further bad press to a League that hardly needs another kicking from a frustrated public.
It was regrettable that Derry, heretofore a fantastic addition to the League since their return, didn’t appear, a week after conceding a League Cup semi-final against the same opponents.
Kevin Mahon has left his post as manager of the Derry City Reserves with senior boss Kenny Shields now taking an active role alongside John Quigg and Hugh Harkin.
A 3-0 win over Swilly last month – with Jordan Allen and a brace by Conor McDermott on the mark – ignited their challenge, but they appear to have undone it themselves.
It is sometimes forgotten in a League that has been battered black and blue, but the actual standard of its games is as high as its ever been and Derry must take their share of credit for that but, much like the League as a whole, also have to take part of the blame when a bullet went through their collective instep at the weekend.
The very future of this League is unclear, but the closeness of its title race shows a pulse and Cockhill’s enduring longevity and desire will surely keep it going beyond its 30th birthday.
In the corridors of power, there are talks of change, but it seems as if it will be a familiar head that will wear the crown this season.
| THE RUN-IN … |
|
| COCKHILL CELTIC | |
| Apr-24 | v Bonagee United (h) |
| May-01 | v Letterkenny Rovers (h) |
| May-04 | v Derry City Reserves (h) |
| May-18 | v Letterkenny Rovers (a) |
| LETTERKENNY ROVERS | |
| Apr-27 | v Bonagee United (a) |
| May-01 | Cockhill Celtic (a) |
| May-08 | v Fanad United (a) |
| May-18 | v Cockhill Celtic (h) |
| DERRY CITY RESERVES | |
| Apr-24 | v Swilly Rovers (h) |
| Apr-27 | v Swilly Rovers (a) |
| May-01 | v Fanad United (a) |
| May-04 | v Cockhill Celtic (a) |
| May-08 | v Bonagee United (a) |
