Cuchulainns invested a tremendous effort at underage level in 2003 and received their just rewards in the shape of silverware at U14 and U16 levels. We speak to Fergal Kenny, Sean Smith and Martin Lynch, the trio who guided the Cross/Mullagh club's juvenile surge in '03. It was certainly a year to remember for Cuchulainns' younger members. The club's U14s marched to a tremendous league and championship double and also put it up to the best in the county in the Feile competition. With a number of those same players featuring, Cuchulainns also claimed U16 league honours - a fine achievement with a particularly young side. During the year, the Meath border club fielded teams at U10, U12, U13, U14, U16 and minor levels, pulling out all the stops to ensure that the youngsters of the area are given a real chance to participate of the national code. Success-wise, the U14s got the ball rolling by winning the U14 Roinn D league. Victory here earned them promotion to Roinn C level for the championship, which they also duly won. A fine double! Says Sean Smith (who managed the U14s alongside Fergal Kenny and Martin Lynch): "This team had won everything coming up through the grades and we always felt they were in with a great chance of further success in 2003. Unfortunately, they were put into Roinn D for the league, which was well below their level. We knew they should be playing at a higher grade but couldn't get it changed and the lads won the league comfortably." It truly was a facile triumph. Munterconnacht were beaten in the league decider and Cuchulainns also recorded victories over Knockbride, Mountnugent, Drumalee and Butlersbridge along the way. Victory meant they were promoted a division for the championship, but the result was the same as Cuchulainns once again beat all comers to annex further glory. The Roinn C championship wasn't such a formality but was still captured in style. Killygarry were beaten by four points in a close, exciting final played in October. Sean notes: "It was a very lively game from start to finish and it was probably the tightest match we played all year at U14 level." Earlier, Cuchulainns had enjoyed a well-merited victory over Shercock at the semi-final stage at Kingscourt. This was a difficult tie but the winners pulled away in the end for a comfortable win. Ironically, the competition that gave the best indication of the strength of this U14 team was the only one they didn't win! But what a performance from the lads in the county Feile competition! Cuchulainns went all the way to the semi-final of a tournament in which they rubbed shoulders with the very best in the county … all other teams in the competition were either Roinn B or Roinn A. In the Feile, Cuchulainns recorded victories over senior clubs Kingscourt and Castlerahan, only to be pipped by four points by the might of Cavan Gaels (who would go on to represent the county in the All-Ireland Feile) in the semi-final. "I think our performances in the Feile showed just how strong the team was," Sean Smith beams. Meanwhile, the club's U16s - managed by county minor trainer Niall Lynch, with Martin and Sean as selectors - captured the Division Three league. This was a notable accomplishment given that Cuchulainns were so pressed for numbers at under 16 that many of their U14s were included on the team. The U16s went on to compete in the Division Two championship but lost narrowly to Corlough/Swanlinbar. The club's minors had a quiet season, managing only one victory over the year. Sean is hopeful that the spine of the 2003 U14 side will go on to achieve even bigger and better things in the blue and white jersey: "There are at least six or seven very strong players there and we're hoping that they'll keep going and won't lose interest. We're hopeful that they'll go on to play a lot of football with the club and it'd be nice to think that many of them will feature at adult level in the future." Speaking of adult football, Cuchulainns' intermediates almost forced their way into contention for senior football in '03 … but not quite! They were in a three-team group and beat Ballyhaise in their first outing before succumbing to Drung. This was enough to book a quarter-final spot but the Mullagh/Cross combination came a cropper at the hands of Ballinagh. They're hoping to go a step or two further in 2004, however… Sean Smith has been bringing through players at underage level for the past 14 seasons at least, and has given invaluable service to Cuchulainns down through the years. Indeed, he has been responsible for grounding many of the current first team. A former club player and an executive member of Bord Peil na nOg, Sean has a practical outlook: "We've had various successes these past few years, even if they have been in the lower divisions, so the lads have a winning habit. But, we're the same as any other club and the big challenge is to keep them at it. Young lads tend to lose interest and we're no better or no worse than any other club in this respect. "We're going to hold onto as many of these lads as we can. We're also confident with the amount of building development going on in the area and people coming in that we can gain a few more players from that down the line." Co-manager Fergal Kenny was particularly happy with the club's showing in the Feile: "The Feile was probably our best performance of all because we were playing bigger clubs, who are well above us in the leagues, but we more than held our own. We were in the company of clubs like Lurgan, Castlerahan and Cavan Gaels, who have huge picks, and we gave them plenty to think about. "The bigger clubs tend to dominate the Feile but we got to the semi-final and gave Cavan Gaels a real fright. They went on to represent the county but they'd be the first to admit that Cuchulainns gave them the shock of their lives. They probably didn't expect much resistance from a Roinn D team, but we gave them a game. "When it came down to it, we ran the best team in the county to within a few points and that's the best indication of how good a team we had at U14 level. Nobody gave us a chance as we were the only team from outside Roinn A and Roinn B." Cuchulainns also showed plenty of battling qualities when Killygarry asked some question in the Roinn C championship final, as Fergal reflects: "It was a tight game for the most part and, in fairness, Killygarry were really up for it. We managed to get a couple of crucial scores near the end and that earned us some breathing space - only for that it could have been a lot closer." There appears to be plenty of potential in the club at present, and Fergal is optimistic about the future: "There's good talent there and some of the lads are involved with County Development squads. The Keating twins and the Dalys are very strong footballers and Sean's own son is one to watch. Christopher Tully is another big strong player. But it's unfair to single anyone out as there's quality throughout the team. We're peppered with strong players up the middle, with loads of skill on the wings. "Better than that, they're a great bunch of lads to be involved with. We never had to say anything to them and they're a pleasure to work with. There was very little disciplining required and they were good lads to bring away. Granted it was a task trying to motivate them for the Roinn D league, but then again they knew they were too good to play in it! "The players all knew their jobs and they wanted to play football, which is half the battle. We had good footballers all over the field and they were all very adaptable, so they were easy to manage. The lads all know each other and they get along together … there's a great bond between them and it's good to see." Fergal says he was delighted just to be part of such a unit: "Paddy Smith, who owns Smiths shop here in the village, sponsored them a set of jackets coming up to the end of the year and that gave them a lift. Little things like that made a big difference over the year. "The lads were well looked after and responded accordingly. On the rare occasions we shouted at them at half time they knew it was for their own good. Anything that was said stayed on the pitch and they showed maturity beyond their years. They realised we just wanted them to do their best - and that's exactly what they did!" Martin Lynch - the third part of the management triumvirate - was also happy with how the year unravelled: "The U14s were very good and it was also a great achievement for the U16s to win their league, as we had a small panel to choose from, with only a few lads the right age and a lot of very young players on the team. We have a small pool of players and don't have the pick at the moment, but the population is starting to rise, which is encouraging." Like Sean and Fergal, Martin was heartened greatly by the club's display in the county Feile: "They played well and gave the Gaels a great match. It was a fine achievement because we had to include some very young lads on our team." Looking to the future, Martin notes: "I hope they all stay playing and that none of them fall by the wayside. It's a trying time when they start going to college but hopefully we can cope with that. The current first team has a number of players at various colleges throughout the country and they all come home for games - from Tralee, Limerick, Maynooth and Dublin. Those are the challenges a rural club faces today." Martin is taking charge of the Cuchulainns minors in 2004 in conjunction with Martin Quinn. The former states: "Last year's minors fulfilled all their fixtures but only won one game. This year, we have last year's U16s and nearly all of them have at least another year minor. It's a very young minor team, so our aim is to play all the games and keep them interested in playing football. Hopefully we'll then be a bit stronger at minor level in 2005." Finally, Martin is sometimes dumbfounded by the goodwill afforded the club's juvenile section: "We never had to book a bus or a coach for any of the games during the year. The parents - mostly mothers - looked after all the transport voluntarily and put a tremendous effort into the club. "The jerseys were always washed voluntarily and there's just a huge amount of support for the club in general, which is greatly appreciated. "We have small numbers, but they're a great bunch of lads and you can bring them anywhere. They do themselves, their families and the club proud. "The senior club always accommodates us in any way they can, laying on facilities and making sure our underage teams have every possible chance." The future of Cuchulainns is in safe hands. Tweet

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