THERE IS an air of resignation around Tullow that the local Gaelic football club will ply its trade in the intermediate grade in 2011. Defeat by Rathvilly on Sunday consigns them to the relegation tournament for the second successive season without a win and on the back of a dreadful league campaign.

Not even the enthusiasm and direction of former player Larry Canavan could generate the head of steam St. Patrick's required to gain competitiveness and he having brought the rugby club through three tiers in the same number of seasons up to Leinster League Division 1.

Why Canavan could not transfer his Black Gages success to Bro Leo Park is up for discussion yet no-one seems to have an answer other than the usual bleat 'lack of interest, 'lack of pride' and a raft of other excuses which simply do not wash when viewed against other senior clubs struggling for lack of numbers.

It's a tragedy that the second town cannot challenge for the senior title; it THE team in he late '50s and early '60s when many of its number back-boned the Carlow team which reached the National League semi-final against Down.

More puzzling still is that the hurlers did have their day in the sun when winning the junior crown but that enthusiasm not shared by their footballing colleagues.

The problem was aired at an ad hoc meeting ten months ago when several of the winning teams of the turn of the '50s - invited to a 50th celebration of that first SFC win in '59 - sat informally and without agenda to discuss the demise of the club which since has slipped even further into the shadows.

They had no mandate to examine the situation but rather were concerned as once its leading footballers who bemoaned the lack of impact Gaelic football was having locally and not showing in results.

Billy Canavan, Joe Nolan, Sean Nolan, Pat Brophy and Nicksy Jackman - who were involved in all three successes (and the one they claim they wee denied when failing to play another final) - spoke out of loyalty to the club even though they were not contributors to its management, chiefly as most of that era do not residing locally.

Baffling those former local legends is the fact that soccer and rugby could be so successful yet many who were dual players did not seem to give the same commitment to the GAA club, something which frustrated Larry Canavan towards the end of the league.

The oldies make it clear that they no not have a mandate to dictate or even suggest from beyond the club perimeter, but all are willing to toss in their tuppence-worth should their experience then, and since, be of any value in turning the wheel, but none wishing to prompt anything but awareness and hopefully cause a think-in.

"It was really a general discussion about the very poor state of Tullow football and was there anything we do to help" recalled Joe who emphasised that it was merely casual conversation about the club.

Unwilling to discuss in detail what was said at the meeting, the former goalkeeper regretted that it came to nout with no further discussion but he feels that they should explore ways in which they might help if it be welcomed by the club.

"We felt that there was not sufficient effort put into the club by all sides, including the players…interest in the club has waned, and in our view it required the development of under 14s which was the eventual platform on which the three championships wee won," adding that in their opinion the future depended on the game getting more attention in national schools.

Recalling the efforts by the late Padraig Cunnane to create interest at the lower age-groups, the vets felt that it was the only way Tullow would regain any stature in the county. "The basis of the '59 team came from the '48 and '53 schools teams which did well…without a doubt it was the school teams from where all the footballers came," he remembered and noting the impact of the work the Patrician Brothers did. "It has to start from 7, 8 9 and 10."

The 'gang of vets' agreed that rugby and soccer had taken the high ground in the town, but with a cross-over from both sports, particularly rugby, they could not see any reason why the GAA teams should not benefit, even though there has been an overlap of activity. "Seemingly the rugby people are looking after their players better," adding that rugby's progress and that of their underage teams, was receiving more attention and public recognition.

Joe feels that the club did not gain, as others have done, from the experience of many of the '50s/'60s players because they had moved away from the town as he did himself did, and regrets that he did not have more of an input into it. "I go regret that I have to say."

The Carlow businessman felt that Larry Canavan did not get the cooperation needed to drive Tullow forward, even though they had the players capable of achieving far more than the club did over the last three seasons.

He and the others are reluctant to make any move without the blessing of the club administration, but they would be willing to offer any assistance which would prove productive. "We'd love to add our views to any initiative which would profit the club and there are other old players around who I think would be similarly disposed."

Puzzling Joe and others is that St. Patrick's should be further up the pecking order in that they do not suffer from the dearth of players like many of the rural clubs who seem to be achieving better results. "We cannot put a finger on why they are not better for there's as good footballers as anywhere else in the county."

Joe feels, if nothing else, talking about St. Patrick's senior demise, just might stir a trend of thinking which could result in more positive promotion and action. "It is always part of any club solution to have some of the older players at the front, even in our time, and I'm ashamed to say that I don't know who the leaders are today save for chairman Chris Murphy, but a lot of my generation are gone."

He would favour the reintroduction of street leagues. "It was great craic at the time and generated huge interest," but acknowledged that changing social practices and other interests led to the disappearance of those competitions. "In those days there was great pride in putting on the jersey for either Tullow or the county team…you'd always be wondering if you'd be in or dropped, and when you'd hear your name on the team the hair would stand on the back of your neck. That same interest doesn't seem to be in the game in Carlow."

Considering that the boom years of money and improved life-styles led to the diminishing interest in sporting participation, Joe feels that it should not be going the other way because of current financial pressures. "In my day you wouldn't have the price of the pictures. After a training session in Tullow Mick Mulhall would bring us over to give us an ice-cream or buy us a bottle of mineral. It doesn't happen now." Can the oldies still help? "A lot of them are old not and either are too far away or are not in the best of health or may not have the time, but they'd add their voices if they were asked by the club. Something might come out of it."

Joe would not baulk at Tullow going back intermediate provided there was a renewed interest in returning to the top grade. "Larry (Canavan) did great work and I'd say if he got the co-operation he could do with Tullow what he has done with the rugby club."

Any progress which would see Tullow on an upward graph would make some old players very, very happy.

- PAUL DONAGHY