Work in progress
November 27, 2010Last year, the Athboy/Rathcairn combination reached the quarterfinals of the senior hurling championship and although they failed to go beyond the group stages in 2010, selector Kit Leavy feels that they can make a bigger impression on the top flight of hurling in Meath.
Clann na nGael have won three intermediate titles in the last decade (one as Athboy in 2001), but the club has the tradition, although they last tasted senior success back in 1972.
The club then hit a barren spell until the mid to late eighties when they re-emerged as one of the top sides in the county, only to lose out in a couple of finals. That side possessed some outstanding hurlers in the form of Christy Kelly, Brian Connor, Brendan Fitzsimons and David Martin to name just a few and they would be regarded by many hurling enthusiasts in the county as the best team never to win a championship.
When this team started to break up, the club suffered slightly, but a new wave of players came through to maintain their senior status.
However, the club hit a low in 2000 when they were in the intermediate ranks, but like all clubs they worked away and since winning the intermediate in '07 they have plied their trade in the senior ranks and will do so again in 2011.
The joy of reaching a quarterfinal last year gave Clann na nGael great hope going into this year's campaign and they retained the same management team from the previous year. Former Westmeath hurler Alfie Devine stayed on as manager and he was joined once again by former players Kit and Paddy Foy.
The draw for the senior hurling championship was relatively kind to Clann na nGael and they were quietly confident that points could be picked up.
County champions Kildalkey and beaten finalists Dunboyne may have been in the group, but so too were a Navan O'Mahony's side that Devine's charges had defeated 12 months earlier, Killyon, who looked to be struggling in their league form and intermediate champions Longwood.
The first match in the campaign was against a Longwood side still on a high from completing a hurling/football double in 2009. Kit admitted that they were pleased to be drawn against the intermediate champions, but in hindsight, maybe playing them later in the campaign would have been more suitable.
"We definitely went into the campaign looking to at least match last year's performance of reaching the quarterfinal and to be honest we were confident of doing that. We had a couple of younger lads like Aaron Ennis and Ciaran Fitzsimons come through and they are very good hurlers," stressed Kit.
"Playing Longwood in the first game, there was a genuine belief that we could get off to a good start and pick up two early points, but looking back, they were still on a crest of wave from last year and so it looked on the day."
Longwood came racing out of the blocks and held a commanding lead at half time and although Clann na nGael briefly fought back in the second half, there was always only going to be one winner as the white and blacks recorded a 2-13 to 1-10 victory.
Before the game, Clann na nGael were dealt a blow on the double when firstly the experienced Matthew Mullen was ruled out through a hand injury, while in the warm up, forward Gearoid Breathnach was struck in the eye with a sliotar and was unable to start.
This defeat was followed by a second when neighbours Kildalkey were the next opponents in Trim. A gap has evolved between the sides in recent years, but it was certainly not evident during a brave first half performance against the 'village'.
"We stuck with Kildalkey very well in the first half and we played some excellent hurling, but for whatever reason we fell apart in the second half and they literally blew us away then."
Heading into their third match against Dunboyne, it was all to play for, but once again Clann na nGael were forced to line out without a number of key players.
A major problem for the side is a lack of numbers and strength in depth. For the Dunboyne game, only two substitutes were available as a number of players were missing through injury and holidays. To the neutral, this was sure to be an easy win for the Dublin border club, but that's certainly not the way it turned out.
Despite being short a number of regulars, Clann na nGael played with a heart and passion that had not been seen so far in this campaign. Dunboyne were rattled for long periods and needed a very late goal ensure a victory by seven points, which was a harsh margin on the north Meath side.
"We played very well that day against Dunboyne. The few lads were away for one reason or another, but the lads that were there gave it their all and it nearly paid off. Dunboyne were certainly rattled throughout."
The fact of the matter was that it was another defeat and Clann na nGael lay pointless with two games remaining. A defeat to O'Mahony's in their next match would have seen them relegated and so this came down to a real do or die game.
This was where the players had to stand up and be counted and they didn't let their management team or supporters down as they produced their best performance of the year.
O'Mahony's only had one point on the board, but a win here would have left them three points ahead of the Athboy/Rathcairn outfit with one-match remaining.
From 1 to 15, Clann na nGael hurled out of their skins, with the midfield duo of Ciaran Fitzsimons and Garry Mangan being exceptionally good as they battled throughout, running out five point winners in the end.
"We knew the situation going into the game and the lads to a man worked very hard. It was definitely their best performance of the year and they deserved to win. We weren't safe for definite, but it still left us in a strong position to avoid a relegation play-off."
In the last round of matches Clann na nGael met Killyon, while Dunboyne played O'Mahony's. The scenario was that if the Navan side were beaten then a relegation play off would be avoided.
Clann na nGael did their utmost not to rely on other results and indeed lead Killyon by a point at half time, but once again their second half performance did not live up to expectations as Killyon ran out comfortable winners.
Nonetheless, Dunboyne as expected got the win against O'Mahony's, albeit by the narrowest of margins, but the fact was that Clann na nGael are senior in 2011.
"Looking at the positives, we avoided a relegation play-off and that's the most important thing. We know what its like to play in them and lose them and it's not a nice feeling.
"Next year we should have a few more of the younger lads coming through and this will help bolster the squad a bit more. The likes of the O'Sullivan twins, Ronald Hamilton and Christopher Fitzsimons are great talents and they are just some of the younger lads, so hopefully we can build on this for next year."
Clann ladies shine through
Clann na nGael intermediate footballers have been the mainstay of the club since their promotion from the junior ranks two years ago. Once again, the green and golds retained their status in the second tier of Meath football.
However, the plaudits in the club this year go to the ladies junior footballers, who lifted the 'A' title at the expense of Moynalvey in mid-September. This achievement was all the more remarkable as it was only their second year in the grade, having lost last year's final to Oldcastle.
Ladies' coach Donie McLoughlin, who is also chairman of the Clann na nGael club, spoke to the Royal County Yearbook about this success, the work put in at underage level and the fortunes of the intermediate footballers.
Donie has been involved with the ladies' underage section for a number of years now along with former player Paul Flood and they were joined on the management team by Caroline McDonagh.
The junior championship was run on a league basis and the ladies won all their matches bar one when Ratoath inflicted a defeat on them. However, they progressed to the final for the second year running and they were determined to make amends for the 2009 defeat.
"The girls have worked hard all year and they got their due rewards in the final, they were excellent on the night and thoroughly deserved their victory over Moynalvey. In fact, we were the only team to beat Moynalvey all year in the league and championship," revealed Donie.
The junior ladies side is backboned by the under-16 winning team of two years ago and Donie feels that the side will be well equipped to play in the intermediate championship next year.
"They are just coming at the right time. They have got stronger over the last year or two and I wouldn't have any fears for them at intermediate level. They play in division two of the league, which comprises mainly of intermediate and senior teams and they just missed out on reaching the play-offs in that this year.
"There is a good mixture of youth and experience in the side and the underage is very strong at the moment with a number of players coming through to the adult level, so we are quite happy with the way the ladies' football is progressing."
The club's mens' teams are also progressing well and as stated the intermediate footballers maintained their intermediate status. It is a fine line between success and failure as they narrowly missed out on the knockout stages of the championship, but then were forced to endure a nail biting relegation play-off.
Being placed in a group alongside neighbours Dunderry, Cortown, Gaeil Colmcille and Ballinlough gave Clann na nGael a great belief that they could reach the knockout stages. However, luck was not on their side as they lost their opening match to the Kells outfit, when a draw looked like a likely outcome. They lost to Ballinlough before drawing with Dunderry, who were grateful for a decision that saw them awarded a point that clearly wasn't.
This left them with their last match against Cortown and this is a game that Donie, along with many in the club thought they certainly should have won.
"We definitely threw the Cortown game away in the strangest of circumstances. We looked to be coasting to a win with a few minutes remaining, despite only having 14-men for the entire second half, but we had a couple of lapses in concentration and that left us facing a relegation play-off."
This year's relegation format saw a three-way play-off involving Clann na nGael, Castletown and Kilmainhamwood. The latter two played first with K'wood running out comfortable winners. The Athboy/Rathcairn amalgamation then faced Castletown knowing a win would secure their intermediate status for another year.
Nonetheless, it was Castletown that started the brighter and three goals in the first 15 minutes paved the way for a comfortable victory, leaving Clann na nGael needing to beat former senior champions Kilmainhamwood by more than seven points to ensure their safety.
It was a tall order to ask for any side and even more so for one that had just suffered a comprehensive defeat just the week before. However, Mattie McCabe's charges saved their best to last as they totally outplayed K'wood to run out eight point winners and condemn them to the junior ranks for 2011.
"It was a remarkable result and the lads played exceptionally well. We are after being in relegation trouble for the past two years, but you would be hoping that they can kick on from here and reach the knockouts stages next year, that will be their aim anyway I'm sure.
"There is a few players coming through the ranks every year and you had the likes of Ciaran Fitzsimons and Aaron Ennis come through this year, while Odhran Fitzpatrick is another who has a bright future in the game."
Donie admitted that the club's underage structure was very strong at the moment and that the numbers at each level were quite good: "The underage in the club has really taken off in the last few years and the work is certainly been done at each grade. This year's under-14 side won the league and championship double, which was a great achievement, while we were competing at all levels. There is a good few people there working with each team, but we would always welcome more help."
Clann na nGael looks set for a bright future in the ladies and mens sections and with hard working people like Donie McLoughlin at the helm, there is no reason why they can't achieve their goals.
For the record the victorious Clann na nGael Ladies junior side was: Niamh Seoighe, Grainne Whelehan, Niamh Collins, Aoife Mc Loughlin, Cailin McDonagh, Maire Keogh, Siobhan Seoighe, Aine Keogh, Niamh Brogan, Rianna Kelly, Vivienne McCormack, Laura Gilsenan, Claire O'Shea, Shannon McDonagh, Blathnaid Keogh. Subs: Jane Martyn for Claire O'Shea, Emer Staunton for Rianna Kelly, Nicola Darby for Aine Keogh. Tweet
