The recent GAA transfer night had 45 players cross club lines, but none were bigger than Paddy Smith and Dennis McCarthy who had one common bond. They both had Cavan in the papers, with Tomo, as Smith is well known, leaving his home club for the green and gold of the Kingdom, while McCarthy returned to the Breffni Blues after a stint for Cork.

McCarthy is a brilliant defender and a former Cork minor as a hurler, so he is a huge addition to the Mike Reilly defense.

Hard to replace the scoring ability of Paddy Smith at the other end, however. He averages 1-5 a game, and many have asked if he was introduced in the last 10 minutes against Galway in the championship last year would New York have got an impossible victory. Dan Doona had them within a goal.

The club that had the most success in the draft is Monaghan.  They have eight players arriving to the panel.

Dan Scott and Seamus Dooley must be chomping at the bit for the season to open as the 2010 side was within a whisker of taking the junior division title. Lonon Maguire is the biggest signing, a tenacious defender. He will slot in as a center half who can carry a game at this level. Billy Curtain, Eugene O’Hagan and Sean McMullan are others who solidify the squad.

Astoria Gaels have been one of the top three teams in the intermediate division since their arrival. They had a signing coup, with new manager Justin O’Halloran signing on as a layer, while former Down forwards Mark Dobbin and Seamus Kelly also enlisted.

Two very capable players at this level, they will add to Shane Sweeney, Sean Munnelly and Sean Kelly to have the team as early favorites for the intermediate championship.

The losers in the transfer week were most certainly Donegal. Eight players left the club, with three going to new club Kildare.

Tyrone also had a number of players move, with Gerard McCullough the biggest name. Darren Pettit returns to Westmeath, the club he originally played for on his arrival in New York.