STEPHEN KING has more experience of Ulster championship football than any other figure in the province. At 34, he is playing in his 16th successive season for Cavan and his attitude.
Towards the hurly burly of the Northern championship.. remains unchanged ahead of Sunday's semi final meeting with Down.
"It's all on the day in Ulster. You could win on Sunday and the same team could kick you off the field on Monday. If it happens for you, you're very lucky and if it doesn't, out you go, get your fishing rod".
King's attitude towards football makes him a worthy advocate of Kipling. "If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same....
The strong Cavan midfielder is reluctant to dwell on failures. "I enjoy the game. If you're disappointed every time you play football, then you shouldn't go out the door. There was nonetheless a sense of real disappointment when we were beaten by Derry in the National League (an injury time point by Brian McGilligan saved the day for Derry). "But," says King, "we were back training on the Wednesday night looking ahead to the championship. It's an ongoing cycle that I'm well used to."
King has shared in many examples of shattered Cavan dreams and ambitions. "We have failed to fulfil targets many time when we had the winning of games." In this context he recalls the clash with Monaghan three years ago. We were something like nine points ahead and coasting in the second half but we were beaten by four or five points."
He makes an appraisal of Cavan's fortunes down the years thus. "We didn't adopt to the style of football that was been played in all the other provinces and especially in Ulster. We still, more or less, stayed with catching and kicking unlike the possession team game played by the other Ulster teams. It's only now, that we have started to play combined football, that we are progressing a little bit.
He concedes that Down are generally regarded as hot favourites to beat Cavan on Sunday "brit we wouldn't look upon it that way. Ulster is an absolute minefield. Anything can happen in it.
King has worn the Cavan jersey under the management of a host of aspiring football bosses since 1979. He rattles off the short litany of names that tried to make it happen for Breffni.
There was PJ Carroll, Gabriel Kelly. Eugene McGee, Eamonn Curley, Gabriel, I think again, then there was PJ again and then Martin.
"I don't remember much of my first match for Cavan. I was 17, it was some Micky Mouse challenge against Meath."
King, however, does have a clear recollection of the players he was joining up with at the time. "There was Paddy McNamee, Sean Leddy, Aidan Elliott, Pat McGill and of course Jim Reilly who played for years after that."
Martin McHugh's approach and work has impressed a discerning King. "He has a professional attitude. He is totally dedicated to it and he has it all organised that you start on time. You are, at all times, punctual and he has built in that self belief that we have, in fairness to him."
How does he rate Sunday's opposition? "Down are a fabulous, big strong physical team with All Ireland medals hanging out their back pockets. Their team hasn't changed a lot since 1992 and this is understandable. You can't discard fellows like Micky Linden, James McCartan, Greg Blaney and Ross Carr these guys are household names. Then there is Conor Deegan, Gregory McCartan and they have Shorty Treanor back again to add to a marvellous panel to pick from."
The type of honours that King has won after all those years of honest endeavour have fallen short of ambitions. What in fact has he won? "Very little," he admits, a few Railway Cup medals and McKenna Cup medals." He played with the Ireland team that toured Australia in 1987. That same year provided King with his most memorable day in the Cavan jersey. We drew with Derry in the Ulster championship semi final. Things went well that day but unfortunately we didn't win the replay.
Other defeats that stick out in the memory for the Killeshandra man was last year's Ulster final setback at the hands of Tyrone and the defeat by Donegal in 1983.
How would he assess the present Cavan team? "The morale and dedication is great, the management is very good. We have a self belief that wasn't there before."
What would enable him to feel happy enough leaving Clones on Sunday? "Nothing less than a win," he promptly replies. "Apart from that I would like to see a good Cavan performance and I hope the supporters enjoy their day. We would love to win for them as well as for ourselves."
Breffni Park, the squad's usual training ground, is currently not being used because of redevelopment work. Instead McHugh's panel have been preparing in Ballyhaise. It remains to be seen if the change of scenery will make any difference for a success starved county existing still on memories largely created by Big Tom and John Joe.
