Mattock Rangers proved emphatically that they are no one-hit wonder by storming to an unprecedented treble in 2005. The Collon men claimed the Joe Ward Cup for the second time in four years, silencing their critics and emphasising their status as a real force in the game. Just for good measure, they added the inaugural Leinster senior league and the McShane Cup (Division 1B), spelling the most successful season in the club's 53-year history. By Gerry Robinson If 2002 was an extraordinary year for Mattock Rangers, then '05 defies description. Three years on from their breakthrough senior championship success, the Collon men returned with a vengeance to reclaim the most coveted prize in Wee County GAA at the end of a dramatic, meandering SFC odyssey. Mattock's championship prospects endured more ups and downs than Sylvester Stallone in an installment of Rocky - they looked good, then bad, they flat-lined, they returned and then they finally got their title shot. With only moments left, right at the end of the county final, it looked like Mattock had suffered a killer blow and would have to give up on the dream. The Black & Reds trailed by a point as the 2005 Louth senior football championship final crept into injury time. But there was a stunning denouement: four unanswered points left the Blues reeling and presented Mattock with their most satisfying victory ever. The outsiders had prevailed. Joe Ward was on his way to Collon once more and this time not even the most cynical begrudger could argue with the outcome. Mattock may have rode their luck a little at times during their successful championship campaign - and they are aware of the fact that they suffered two defeats en route to ultimate glory - but the new format allows for this and Paddy Clarke's men can only play in accordance with the rules and within the structures that are in place at any given time. Thus, Mattock Rangers are worthy Louth senior football champions. They could hardly have asked for a tougher group. Of course, there are no easy games in senior football and every group is difficult in its own right - but from the very outset Group B (containing Mattock, the Blues, Glyde and O'Connells) had battle written all over it. And so it proved… Mattock started confidently with a first-ever championship win over the Drogheda side and an adequate performance against the men from Castlebellingham. In the next two games, however, the wheels almost came off the wagon. An unexpected defeat to a grossly under-rated Glyde Rangers team meant that there would be a three-way play-off to determine the final placings at the top of the group. When Mattock suffered a second successive defeat - a drubbing at the hands of the Blues - it looked bleak for the Collon contenders. But they bounced back to exact revenge on Glyde in the second play-off and claim second place in the group as well as a place in the business end of the SFC. Three hours of football (and victories over Oliver Plunketts, Naomh Mairtin and Newtown Blues) later and Mattock were once more crowned kings of all they surveyed in the Wee County. Over the course of the year, Mattock became masters of winning close matches - one of the true defining characteristics of champions. Though it is the players who deserve most of the credit for what was achieved in '05, there can be no denying that Paddy Clarke was the catalyst. The talisman. The alchemist, even. The former Louth boss returned to the club where he cut his GAA managerial teeth and what an impact he had! Paddy certainly appears to be the man with the Midas touch when it comes to club football and his successes in Monaghan, Cavan, Louth, Meath and Dublin are surely unparalleled anywhere else in the country. But even Paddy himself could hardly have expected to make such an instant impact in his second stint in charge of Mattock. In '04, Collon got as far as the semi-final stage only to lose by three points to Cooley. It was a defeat that hurt and the players were determined to set it right. With Paddy Clarke lending a calming influence on the line and despite a potentially-crippling rash of injuries all through the summer, they did precisely that. The incredible story of Mattock's year begins with a six-point defeat of Oliver Plunketts in the first round of the all-county league Division 1B on Sunday February 20th. With wins over the Brides, Naomh Mairtin and Stabannon, Mattock set themselves up nicely for the remainder of the league campaign and, in truth, clinching a return to the top flight was a mere formality for a team who were embarrassed to slip down to this division in the first place. By the time they suffered their only defeat of the campaign to Naomh Mairtin, the Black & Reds already knew they had done enough to return to 1A. They finished the year well clear at the top of the 1B table and claimed the McShane Cup - one of three major pieces of silverware that would wing their way to the south county club in 2005. Meanwhile, the decision to participate in a fledgling competition outside the county confines proved both brave and productive. Mattock's year commenced in earnest way back in April. Having accepted an invitation to take part in the inaugural Leinster club senior football league competition, they opened their account with a superb 3-13 to 0-7 defeat of Westmeath combo Coralstown/Kinnegad on April 13. Seven days later, there was an even more emphatic victory over Arles/Killeen of Laois, 3-19 to 1-4. Despite losing by a point to Thomas Davis of Dublin (4-8 to 1-16), Mattock had done enough to qualify for the last four and they duly accounted for The Heath in Laois by 3-9 to 1-6 on May 11. Mattock again conceded home advantage - to St Mary's of Saggart - for the final in Dublin a fortnight later (Wednesday May 25). Christy Grimes landed five points in the first half and David Reid added another five after the break as the Louth club took a deserved two-point victory, 0-12 to 1-7. As he would do all year, veteran goalkeeper Michael Englishby played a leading role with a vital late save. Mattock had shown that they were a force to be reckoned with, marking themselves out as genuine contenders for the Louth SFC. The team that won the inaugural Leinster senior club league was: Michael Englishby; Daire Englishby, Richard Sherlock, Earnan Roche; Sean Gilsenan, David Brennan, Ivor Sherlock; Mark Brennan, Christy Grimes; Adrian Reid, David Reid, Shane Grimes; Mike Englishby, Robbie Brennan, Alan Finnegan. Sub: Darren Brennan And so to the SFC. Mattock played eight games in all in the 2005 competition, winning six and losing two. They scored a total of 12-75 (111 points) and conceded 8-73 (97 points) along the way, giving them an average winning margin of less than two points. Apart from the eleven-point play-off defeat to Newtown Blues and the 13-point quarter-final victory over Oliver Plunketts, the rest of Mattock's matches in the championship were very close. They beat the Blues by one point, O'Connells by four, lost to Glyde by two, and enjoyed three-point wins over Glyde, Naomh Mairtin and the Blues. Full forward David Reid finished as top scorer in the SFC with a tally of 3-33, while Mattock were also well served in the scoring stakes by Adrian Reid, Alan Finnegan, Niall Callan, Mark Brennan, Shane Grimes and Christy Grimes. But the contribution of goalkeeper Michael Englishby, solid backs Ernie Roche, Richard Sherlock, Daire Englishby, Sean Gilsenan, David Brennan and Ivor Sherlock as well as midfielders Gerard Hanratty and Donal Geraghty over the course of the year were equally telling in what was a magnificent all-round team effort. There is more that a touch of symmetry to Mattock's second SFC success. The '05 campaign began and ended with victories over erstwhile bogey team Newtown Blues at Drogheda. There was almost exactly four months between these two matches, which were played on Saturday June 4 and Sunday October 2. The Group B opener in early June was arguably the best game in the Wee County's 2005 championship season, as goals from David Reid and Niall Callan fired the Collon club to a thrilling 2-8 to 0-13 victory. This match captured the imagination from the off and Mattock effectively took the spoils with two goals in as many minutes inside the opening seven minutes. Reid opened the scoring with a pointed free in the second minute. When Sean Gilsenan's attempted point came back off an upright, Callan was on hand to beat Blues player-manager Colm Nally, and Reid calmly converted a seventh-minute penalty after Mark Brennan had been felled by Breen Philips as he bore down on goal. The penalty put Mattock seven points clear, 2-1 to 0-0, but the Blues were not about to surrender without making a real fight of it. Mark Brennan's power and pace caused the Drogheda side all sorts of problems early on but Mattock suffered a blow when the centre forward was forced out of action with a hamstring injury at the end of the first quarter. Reid swapped points with Thomas Carr but two more Carr frees as well as points from play from Carr and Hugh McGinn narrowed the gap to three points by the 20th minute. Alan Finnegan delivered the winners' first score in 16 minutes and Christy Grimes' injury-time free gave the Collon crew a 2-4 to 0-6 interval lead. Blues restarted with a brace of points but No.8 Grimes lifted Mattock when converting a free and a superb sideline ball from in front of the Blues dugout. When the Blues got the next three scores, there was just a point in it with eight minutes left. A late tackle on David Reid presented the full forward with a simple free in the 54th minute. Jamie Carr again closed the gap but a wonderful Donal Geraghty fetch set up Adrian Reid via Niall Callan and Mattock led by two again. Blues almost salvaged a draw but Mattock held on for a narrow victory - the perfect start to their campaign, a monkey off their back, and sweet music to the ear of the manager who was on holiday but close to his mobile phone! Next up was O'Connells at Dromiskin on June 26. Mattock didn't produce a vintage performance in this game but still managed to carve out a four-point victory, 2-10 to 2-6. A second successive victory left them clear at the top of the group on maximum points, though it must be said that the display did not inspire confidence. The Castlebellingham/Kilsaran combination threw everything at the favourites and Mattock could well have been in real trouble but for some timely second-half points from Christy Grimes, David Reid and Shane Grimes. Clearly missing the probing of Mark Brennan, Mattock took a 2-4 to 0-4 interval cushion thanks to first-half goals from Alan Finnegan and Adrian Reid. But the Mattock defence was uncharacteristically porous thereafter and the concession of two second-half majors did little for the team's confidence going into the final group game against Glyde Rangers. The clash of Glyde and Mattock at Ardee on July 22 was a repeat of the 2004 quarter-final tie that went to a replay before the Collon men sneaked through to the last four. Once again, there was little between these two sides with Glyde forcing their way back into championship contention on a scoreline of 1-10 to 1-8. Aiming to maintain their 100% record in the competition, Mattock, who were again shorn of their No.11 Mark Brennan, led by 1-5 to 1-3 at the short whistle despite the concession of a freak goal in the opening minute. Alan Finnegan (who received his marching orders towards the end) was on hand to provide the Collon goal but Glyde produced an impressive second-half revival to deservedly take the two points on offer. When the Blues beat O'Connells 24 hours later, the stage was set for a three-way play-off. Mattock's second meeting of the year with Newtown Blues is a game they'd rather forget. The champions-elect completely misfired at the Gaelic Grounds on August 7 and fell to a humiliating 2-12 to 1-4 defeat. Mattock were totally outclassed by a brilliantly-drilled Blues outfit and the fact that they recovered from this setback to reclaim the Joe Ward Cup speaks volumes for their indefatigable spirit. Christy Grimes had picked up an injury upon his return to the intercounty arena and Mattock sorely missed their playmaker's leadership qualities. Despite starting with twelve of the team that had begun the 2002 Leinster club final, Mattock were second to every ball and could have no complaints about the margin of defeat. The only saving grace was that they still had another chance, facing Glyde in a second play-off at Ardee seven days later to determine who would take second place in the group. The fourth championship meeting of the two Rangers' in just over twelve months produced yet another nail-biting encounter. The game could really have gone either way but there were two decisive moments and both worked in Mattock's favour: Trevor O'Brien missed a penalty after 14 minutes and David Reid bulged the net in first-half stoppage time. It was enough to give the Collon side a 1-7 to 0-7 success and a quarter-final meeting with Oliver Plunketts. The bad news for Mattock was that midfielder Donal Geraghty suffered a broken ankle and would play no further part in the 2005 championship When one also factors in lengthy injuries suffered by Gerry Hanratty, Mark Brennan, Christy Grimes and Daniel Bannon over the course of the year, it makes Mattock's 2005 triumph all the more remarkable. Drogheda was the venue for the Saturday August 27 quarter-final and Mattock encountered no difficulties in chalking up a 2-15 to 0-8 win. While the Plunketts had had a lengthy lay-off from championship fare since surprisingly finishing top of their group, Mattock had in contrast endured a hectic schedule which served them well as they looked sharp and focused in easing through to the last four. The game was over as a contest by the 24th minute when Mattock led by 2-9 to 0-2. The winners were further boosted by the earlier-than-expected return to competitive action of Christy Grimes in the 45th minute. Early goals from Shane Grimes and Mark Brennan took the competitive edge off this match almost immediately and Paddy Clarke used up his full complement of substitutes safe in the knowledge that his side would contest a county semi-final a fortnight later. Mattock advanced to their third county final appearance in five years when beating Naomh Mairtin by 2-11 to 1-11 in an entertaining semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday September 10. County star Nicky McDonnell almost produced a repeat of his dramatic quarter-final winner against St Brides when he broke through on the Collon goal in the dying seconds with Mattock holding a delicate 2-10 to 1-11 lead - but his shot went across the face of goal and relieved Rangers sealed their victory with a late Mark Brennan one-pointer. The Mairtins provided stubborn opposition and, even though Mattock at times looked capable of pulling away, they were unable to do so. Indeed, the Monasterboice men actually took the lead midway through the second half and Mattock had to pull out all the stops to remain on course. Points from David Reid, Shane Grimes, Niall Callan and Christy Grimes made it 0-4 to 0-1 after ten minutes but the Blue & Whites levelled when McDonnell placed Francis McCullough for a 14th-minute goal. David Reid provided two points in a minute and his brother Adrian netted an opportunistic goal as the winners powered to a 1-7 to 1-4 interval lead. Within eleven minutes of the resumption, the Mairtins led, 1-8 to 1-7. However, Christy Grimes caught a free on the end line and placed Adrian Reid for his second goal to spark new life into the Mattock effort. Substitute Alan Finnegan stretched the lead to three points, 2-8 to 1-8, but Naomh Mairtin again closed within a point courtesy of JP Rooney and McDonnell. The match went right down to the wire before Mattock's big players delivered in those moments of need as points from David Reid (his fourth), Finnegan and Brennan booked a place in the county showcase despite the late scare provided by the unlucky McDonnell. Newtown Blues pulled off a surprise semi-final victory over Cooley Kickhams to set up a repeat of the 2001 county final - and a third Mattock/Blues meeting in the '05 premier competition At the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday October 2 2005, veteran midfielder Gerry Hanratty became the second ever Collon man to accept the Joe Ward Cup following a stunning 1-12 to 2-6 defeat of a shell-shocked Blues side in a rivetting county decider. The Newfoundwell side looked to be home and hosed when leading in injury time but Mattock had saved their best wine 'til last and took the honours with a sensational late four-point spurt. Mattock dominated the county final for long spells but were unable to pull clear and had to win the laurels all over again in injury time. Three minutes from the end, the Blues hit the front for only the second time in the match. It looked like Joe was heading for Drogheda. Surely the best Collon could wish for now was a replay? Not on your life! Trailing by 1-8 to 2-6, Mattock rattled off four late scores to give the Louth senior football championship one of its most dramatic ever climaxes. The Blues never got back into Mattock's half in the dying stages. When Gerry Hanratty was fouled in front of the posts on the stroke of full time, David Reid obliged from the resultant free and the sides were level. There would be at least four minutes of stoppage time. Three minutes into added time, Niall Callan struck the lead score after being placed by the ever-astute Mark Brennan. Captain Hanratty added another and it was appropriately David Reid, from a free, who closed the scoring in the 2005 Louth SFC. Though it was a dramatic finale, the truth is that Mattock were full value for the win and they possibly deserved to prevail more comfortably. The winners made a dream start with a goal at the end of the first meaningful attack: two minutes on the clock and Christy Grimes soared into the sky and broke a kick-out to Man of the Match Brennan…he placed Callan…who fed Shane Grimes…who planted the ball in the back of the net. Mattock squandered a number of scoring opportunities and allowed the Blues to close within a point. Alan Finnegan fisted a point with the goal at his mercy in the 18th minute and points from David and Adrian Reid left Collon a goal to the good at the break, 1-3 to 0-3. Mattock should have been further ahead. Callan, Grimes and Reid were quickly on target on the restart and Mattock led by six. But Jamie Carr's 37th-minute goal put the cat back amongst the pigeons. Points from Hugh McGinn and Keith Lynch meant there was only one in it with 20 minutes remaining. Shane Grimes made it 1-7 to 1-5. Disaster threatened when Thomas Carr fisted to the net and put the Blues ahead for the first time in the match, 2-5 to 1-7. A David Reid free had Mattock level seven minutes later, before James Murray appeared to put the Blues in control three minutes from time. Mattock were having none of it, though. This was their year. Mattock Rangers, 2005 Louth senior football champions: Michael Englishby; Earnan Roche, Richard Sherlock, Daire Englishby; Sean Gilsenan, David Brennan, Ivor Sherlock; Gerard Hanratty (0-1), Christy Grimes (0-1); Adrian Reid (0-2), Mark Brennan, Niall Callan (0-2); Alan Finnegan, David Reid (0-5), Shane Grimes (1-1). Sub: Robbie Brennan. Tweet

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