The soccer infrastructure along the Cavan Monaghan border looks set for a major development, as dreams for a Centre of Excellence get the green light from UCIT (Ireland).

Cootehill Harps AFC, already a well known entity among the soccer fraternity in the two counties, have been approved funding to make possible their vision of an 11-a-side synthetic pitch in a bid to provide all-year round playing facilities not just for use within their own club, but by all teams within the Cavan Monaghan League, a number of which have no home ground of their own. And as is the case with the club's existing all weather facilities, usage doesn't expect to be restricted to the code of soccer.

The club aim to develop Cootehill Harps AFC into “County Cavan’s Centre of Excellence”, accessible for all social groups living in the Cavan and Monaghan Area. The playing facility should be received warmly by those involved in the two county league who annually see bad weather upsetting fixture plans. The existing 5-a-side pitches presently located at the club grounds in Clara Lane provide a socially accessible facility to entities in the area focussed on the provision of services to those with disabilities.

Despite a population of 4,000, and ranked among the bigger towns in Cavan, Cootehill does not have a sports centre. The only recreational facilities in the area are the local Gaelic Field, a Playground, and sports hall at the local comprehensive school which carry restrictions on use. (The soccer teams from the school play all their games at the Harps’ grounds).

This phase of development follows recent works undertaken in 2008 and, once up and running, are expected to be followed by other exciting elements of the club's master plan.