'Everyone was just in shock': Cavan's Ulster title win hasn't sunk in yet, admits Thomas Galligan

'It was just great to win with all of the lads that you’ve trained all year with, who have put serious effort in over lockdown'

Wed, 02 Dec, 2020 - 06:00

John Fogarty

Cavan’s first Ulster title in 23 years will take some getting used to, admits one of their heroes Thomas Galligan.

Against Dublin in Saturday’s All-Ireland semi-final, they won’t have the chance to contemplate that famous win over Donegal but Galligan says the achievement left them dumbstruck following the final whistle in Armagh.

“I think everyone was just in shock. We had all visualised what we were going to do to win, what needed to be done to get over the line but I don’t think anybody thought of that final whistle moment, like 'What do we do now?' because nobody gave us a chance.

“It was just great to win with all of the lads that you’ve trained all year with, who have put serious effort in over lockdown, people training on their own, boys getting sick (Covid) – to be able to turn around at the end of the year and say 'I’ve an Ulster medal at the end of it', it made it all worthwhile. I don’t think it will sink in for a couple of months. It’s a bit surreal at the moment.”

As motivated as they were by being told by pundits and the media Donegal would win a third consecutive Ulster title, no one comment or article upset Cavan.

“Ah no, there’s nobody you’d be holding a grudge against for saying what they were saying,” insists Lacken man Galligan. “They probably weren’t wrong in what they were saying, but I think the whole country would have thought that Donegal were just going to turn up and tune in and they’ll get themselves ready for Dublin.

“If you listen to it all week, you are not going to nail it down to one person who is the reason why I’m going to give an extra per cent, because you are going to give everything you have anyway.

You wouldn’t really play into that or hold grudges against people who say something.

That Cavan have reached this point without leading players like Dara McVeety and Conor Moynagh makes their success even more remarkable. Currently travelling, the pair have been in touch with the likes of Galligan to pass on their congratulations.

“Obviously they were texting me all week saying best of luck, and after the game saying congratulations and that it was unbelievable and all that goes with it. But I’m sure they are a little bit disappointed, but they are the lads that brought this group on.

"They should be given a lot of credit for winning, even though they weren’t involved. They brought Ulster U21 medals to Cavan and were key players in that and they have been key players for Cavan for the last six or seven years and they’ve been stalwarts.

“So I don’t think they owe Cavan anything more. Obviously, they’ll be disappointed they weren’t involved, but it just worked out for it to be a bad year for them to miss. But they are enjoying themselves wherever they are in Australia and New Zealand. You’ll probably see them in a Cavan jersey again.”