2010 will go down in the annals of Ballymachugh GAA as one of the club's most successful of recent years with title triumphs at under 16 and minor levels.

Summer had just peeked its neck around the door when Ballymachugh's class minor side secured the MFL Division Four title.
Their county final victory (2-12 to 2-7) over Kildallan on May Day kick-started a rich return for the Hughs' underage brigade in 2010.
Just three months later, the Ballyheelan-based club would be celebrating again, this time with a glorious under 16 Division Two title triumph.

It is said that anything worth winning is worth fighting for and Ballymachugh's elite under 18 troupe certainly rolled up their sleeve in '10.
Their league campaign had more ups and downs that your-commoner-garden bog road but the talented green and saffrons stuck with it.
Under the guidance of Stephen Baxter, Peter Mulligan, Richie Fitzsimons and Tommy Smith, Ballymachugh's minors had the bit between their teeth from the very get-go.
It wasn't easy though. First time out, a win over Cuchullains was just what the team-mentors ordered. Then victory over Knockbride added to the mix.

But with Leinster final duties with the Convent of Mercy, Granard, taking it out of some of the players, the club lost their duel with Belturbet the same week.
The following round saw the Hughs lose further ground in going down to would-be county final opponents Kildallan by a decisive 2-5 to 2-12.
"We missed a few chances for scores that day," explains the aforementioned team mentor Stephen Baxter, "and they got some handy scores."

Another defeat, this time by a single point to Killygarry added to concerns within the Hughs' camp.
"We weren't that disappointed by the result against Killygarry because we knew they had to beat us by 12 points to go through," Stephen explains.
"Having said that, they led by nine points at one stage but we came back into it and never looked like achieving what we wanted which was to cement a place in the semi-finals."
Ballymachugh duly progressed to the last four at the expense of Killygarry and after a nip and tuck affair with Knockbride advanced to the decider.

Kildallan were Ballymachugh's opponents in the final at Crowe Park, Lacken. The west Cavan side entered the decider as clear favourites to win.
As things would pan out, Kildallan were to lose their unbeaten record in the competition, going down by 2-7 to 2-12 after a fascinating contest.
The final scoreline didn't in any way flatter Ballymachugh who were in the driving seat for the entire contest, bar injury time when feet and pedals became temporarily separated.
Ballymachugh opened the scoring but then in the 3rd minute, Darragh McGoldrick was forced to bring off a brilliant save to keep his goal intact.

A few minutes later, Ballymachugh got a leg-up from their opponents they barely needed when Pauric Kelly was hauled down in the square.
The resultant penalty was dispatched with aplomb by Stephen Hartin  only for the First Ulsters to respond in kind with a well-taken goal of their own.
Thereafter points from young Hartin, Kelly, Adon McFarlane and Killian Goldrick helped propel the would-be champions into a 1-6 to 1-2 half-time lead.
And the half-time pep talk?

"Basically we kept telling the lads to say focussed and to go out and hit the ground running for the start of the second half," Stephen adds.
"We had done a very intense warm-up before the game and had trained on the Lacken pitch the previous Thursday so we were well prepared.
"It all worked out great. We were delighted that they went out in the final and played probably their best football of the year."

Two superb saves by the Kildallan 'keeper early in the second half stymied Ballymachugh's race to the winner's enclosure.
At the other end of the field, Kildallan showed some sharp teeth to reduce their deficit to just three points.
Ballymachugh hit a purple patch though at the perfect time with sub. David Lynch setting up Liam Buchannan for a score soon after coming on and McFarlane rifling over two more brillant points to leave Kildallan six in arrears with eight minutes left to play.

Kildallan clawed back a point but then came the hammer blow from Ballymachugh with Hartin drifting in from the wing and blasting a cracking shot into the top corner of the Kildallan net.
Moments later Anthony Baxter broke through to all but seal the issue for the Ballyheelan-based boys with Kildallan's injury-time goal having the word 'consolation' stamped all over it.
Ballymachugh (MFL Div Four final winners):

Darragh Goldrick; John Denneny, John Daly, Darragh Kiernan, Diarmuid O'Reilly, Michael Coyle, Ciaran Goldrick, Anthony Baxter (0-1), Pauric Kelly (1-1), Adon McFarlane (0-7), Killian Goldrick (0-1), Stephen Hartin (1-1), Liam Buchanan (0-1).
Sub used; David Lynch.
The following August, more glory came Ballymachugh's way when they annexed the U16 Division Two Championship title for the first time in the club's history.
After tasting defeat to St. Finbarr's earlier in the league final, the Ballymachugh boys were utterly determined not to have to suffer the same pain again.
Managed by John Coyle with the assistance of Ronan Baxter and Eugene Duffy, the Class of 2010 proved their class by steering their way to a convincing 1-12 to 1-5 victory over Bailieboro at Kingspan/Breffni Park.
The same troupe had won the 2009 U16 Division Four title so they had form as the aforementioned Coyle is wont to point out:
"They won all their games pretty easily at under 16 level in 2009 in division four and only lost out to Drumport in the division three championship final the same year.

"We asked the county board to move the team up to division two for 2010 'cause we felt they needed to play at a higher level and they showed they could do that by winning the title against Bailieboro.
"These fellas have been constantly knocking on the door anyway; they have played in eight finals in the last four years and won four of them."
Ballymachugh's think-tank went about the business of preparing their charges for competitive action in 2010 in serious fashion.

Training for the panel commenced in the last week of January. Before the league kicked off, the squad took part in six challenge games.
Swords were crossed at that time with teams such as Crosserlough, Ardragh (Westmeath) and Gowna as match fitness was honed.
Two amalgamation teams were defeated en route to the final with Scarvey Gaels (Lacken and Cornafean) dispensed with in the quarter-final and then a much fancied Redbridge side (Redhills and Butlersbridge) ousted at the penultimate round stage.
So what had the Ballymachugh under 16s got going for themselves in 2010?
"We have some really very good talented footballers, great ball players and the weaker lads that would have been on our under 12 team four years ago have really come on a lot and the 2010 team was a very well balanced team," explains team mentor Coyle.
"We worked hard over the years improving the weaker players and trying to get the stronger players to bring the not so strong players into play during training and matches and that policy worked well.

"Over the years this group of lads have showed a lot of character in coming back from being well behind in games and that stood to them as well this year."
Indeed, Ballymachugh had to come from behind to defeat a battling Bailieboro side who got the boost of an early goal in the opening quarter.
Ballymachugh nearly conceded a second goal but Darragh Goldrick dived full stretch after 19 minutes to thwart the Shamrocks.
With 22 minutes on the clock, the Hughs were awarded a penalty but Stephen Harten's shot was brillantly saved by the Bailieboro 'keeper.
Young Harten showed his resilience by notching a point moments later as the sides proceeded to go in at half-time deadlocked at 0-6 to 1-3.

Ballymachugh had much the better of the second half and a goal by Adon McFarlane midway through the second half helped greatly in propelling his side first past the winner's post.
"I think the lads were well worth their seven points victory. I'd say the winning margin fairly reflected the difference between the sides.
"The lads didn't want to experience the same sort of feeling that they were left with in Stradone after losing the league final to St. Finbarr's."

Fulsome in his praise for the leadership provided by chairman Tony Tierney and the facilities made available to all mentors and players at Ballyheelan, John is confident that the coaching structures in place at the club will ensure that more historic triumphs can be attained in the not so distant future.

Ballymachugh (U16 Div 2 Championship final winners):
Darragh Goldrick; Ronan Lyons, John Daly, Mark Mahon, Michael Coyle, Killian Goldrick, Darragh Kiernan, Noel Denneny, Liam Buchanan (0-1), Stephen Harten (0-3), Adon McFarlane (1-4), Pauric Kelly (0-2), Mark Kiernan (0-1), Sean Galligan, Mannix Kiernan (0-1). Tweet

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