Getting closer
November 30, 2009
After slipping out of intermediate ranks in 2006, Slane are finding it difficult to get back up Meath's football ladder and in this year's JFC the five points garnered from a possible ten
were not sufficient to enable them qualify for the quarter-finals. By Noel Coogan.
After making it through to the last eight in 2007, the Blues gained just one win in the following year's championship and in 2009 two wins and a draw in Group D left them again disappointed as St Brigid's, Simonstown Gaels and Ratoath all finished above them.
Slane had Gerry Gough as manager for the third successive year with cousin, Colm Gough, Eamonn Gibney, Damien Greene and Keith Duffy his selectors and Alan Heary the team trainer.
With experienced players like Stephen Carolan, Declan Kearns, Shane Coyle, Brian Colgan and Stephen Gough to spearhead the team, there were reasonable hopes that further progress could be made than in the previous two championship campaigns.
However, the five points were gained in the first three outings and then they drew blanks in the outings against Ratoath and St Brigid's.
The Boynesiders had a comfortable ride in their opening outing against Boardsmill at Martry, winning by 2-7 to 0-4. The previous year one of the club's officials suggested that they probably depend too much on Declan Kearns for scores and not surprising, he was again their main marksman.
In that opening JFC outing two goals from Kearns, one from a penalty kick, in the space of a minute in the first half put Slane well on the way to the win. He scored 2-3 of the winning total.
It was 2-6 to 0-4 at the break and the two sides could only manage to add one point between them in the second half. Slane's second brace of points was gained in a 0-11 to 0-7 success over neighbours St Mary's in a May Bank Holiday Monday tussle at Seneschalstown.
Simonstown's 2-9 to 0-15 draw with Slane at Kilberry was described as a major surprise in what was also called a very entertaining game. Slane raced into an early lead of 0-4 to 0-0 and it was 0-7 to 1-4 at the break. A goal from David Moran put the Navan side into the lead but a point from the outstanding Shane Coyle gave Slane a share of the spoils.
A defeat at the hands of 2008 beaten finalists Ratoath effectively ended Slane's hopes of reaching the closing stages of this year's JFC. They scored 1-2 in the opening five minutes of that outing but after that bright beginning, they only added two point for the remainder of that encounter.
They lost by 1-4 to 0-11 but both Ratoath and Slane missed out as St Brigid's and Simonstown Gaels advanced from the group. Gerry Gough's charges had no more pride to play for in the final outing against the table toppers from Ballinacree.
Slane gave good account of themselves in that game at Drumbaragh which Brigid's won by two points on a 1-8 to 0-9 scoreline. It was 1-7 to 0-4 at the break and Slane failed to convert a penalty in the first half when Declan Kearns' kick was stopped by Eugene Gilsenan who also made some good saves in the last quarter.
Slane player David Gough expressed disappointment at not reaching the last eight of the JFC, saying, "we put in a lot of work and started training in the gym last November, we had a lot of preparation done before the league started in February.
"We started the Division 4 League with two wins which were followed by two draws. Also in the championship our first two games were won but after that the draw with Simonstown was all we got from the next three games.
"Before the start of the championship the goal was to reach the quarter-finals but the defeats to Ratoath and St Brigid's meant that we again failed to make it to the closing stages. That was very disappointing because we could have won all of our last three games.
"Overall our performances were a big improvement on last year and we can take some positives from 2009. Missing out on qualifying should make us all the more determined to get further in next year's championship. There is a very good underage structure in the club and such a set-up augurs well for the future."
David Gough has been combining playing with refereeing over the last two years. Such a dual role can be difficult at times but he praised the county fixtures-makers for appointing him to handle games which do not clash with his commitments to Slane.
"I have been in charge of a number of games in the intermediate and junior grades as well as being fourth official for a number of games, including a few inter-county matches at Croke Park.
"I was the fourth official for the opening National Football League game between Dublin and Tyrone this year as well as for the Dublin versus Kildare Leinster final and the All-Ireland semi-final between Cork and Tyrone.
"In that role I'm responsible for keeping control of the sideline, noting the substitutions and gauging the time to be added for stoppages, I'm wired up to the referee," he said.
Another Croke Park role for Gough is being part of the team which operates the big screen. "I do part-time work with a company called CBS Outdoor who provide this service and I am there for all matches, sitting in with the technicians," said David, who is a primary school teacher in Templeogue.
"I have to make sure that nothing appears on the big screen which should not appear. For instance, replays of controversial incidents are not shown as they could influence the referee who might not have initially seen the incidents," he added.
As well as his endeavours to get Slane back up the club football ladder, David Gough is looking forward to improve his status as a referee. He recently attended a Leinster Council academy designed towards young whistlers in the province.
A big occasion for the Slane club in 2009 came in July when GAA president Christy Cooney made an official visit to Toddy Harding Park where there was a large turn-out of members, parents and children.
It was the first official visit to Meath by the man from Youghal in Co Cork and he was welcomed by Slane GFC chairman Jim Mullery. The president spent over an hour at the pitch where he talked to coaches, children and parents before moving on to the local Conyngham Arms Hotel where he held discussions with 20 club members.
Cooney was greeted at the hotel by county chairman Barney Allen. The visit was a big success and the president said he was pleased with the amount of work being done in the club and wished Slane success in the future.
Christy Cooney was especially impressed by the club's fundamentals programme which is aimed at young children between the ages of five and eight and took place on Thursday evenings during the summer, The president was accompanied by Croke Park official Kieran Leddy and was presented with a piece of Newgrange Crystal and a DVD on the history of Slane GFC.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Slane's last title triumph in the Meath IFC when they defeated St Colmcille's in the centenary year final at Pairc Tailteann. That winning team was captained by present day junior manager Gerry Gough.
The '80s was a successful decade for the Slane club. In 1983 they won the Division 2 (the equivalent of junior B) FC with a 2-4 to 1-5 victory over Walterstown. That team was captained by Mattie O'Brien and he was one of five players from that success to go to play in the following year's intermediate decider.
Ray Wogan, Des Lane, Kevin Harding and Peter O'Brien were the other double winners who helped defeat the fancied seasiders in the 1984 decider. Early in centenary year the club committee decided that a determined effort be made to bring the intermediate championship back to the village.
Paul Kenny was appointed as coach and trainer and what happened after that holds a proud place in Slane GFC's history. Wins over Moylagh, Ratoath, Oldcastle and Walterstown in the group games put them through to the quarter-finals where they continued their successful run at the expense of Harps.
Duleek were Slane's semi-final opponents and a close contest was won by two points. St Colmcille's had won the JFC the previous year and had up-and-coming young players like Robbie O'Malley and Bernard Flynn and went into the final as warm favourites.
However, Slane were quietly confident and after the sides were level on 0-3 apiece at the interval, the men in blue and white ran out 0-8 to 0-5 victors to claim possession of the Gaelic Weekly Cup and claim the title for the first time since 1968 when Kevin Harding was also in attack.
Pat Downey was the winner's top scorer with five points and Davy Hoey and John O'Brien (two each) and Mattie O'Brien got their other scores. Soon after the final whistle Gerry Gough received the silverware from the then county chairman Brian Smyth.
The Slane team in the 1984 IFC final was: Gerry Hand; Kieran Gough, Jim Harding, Ray Wogan; Norman Maloney, Des Lane, Vincent Lenehan; Gerry Gough, Greg Lyons; Davy Hoey, John O'Brien; Mattie O'Brien; Pat Downey, Mick Scully, Kevin Harding. Sub: Peter O'Brien for K Harding.
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