Slane captain Shane Coyle believes that things have finally bottomed out for the Boynesiders after their best season in four years, with promotion back to Division 4 accomplished.

While they may not have featured at the business end of the JFC, Slane s performances this year were much improved on last season when they failed to win a championship game and would have found themselves in danger of dropping down to the junior B grade had Boardsmill not decided to re-grade.

Three wins from five in a highly competitive JFC Group B, coupled with a strong showing in Division 5 of the All-County A League, made it Slane s most successful season since 2007 when they lost the JFC quarter-final to Moynalvey. And with the Bru na Boinne underage club continuing to make great strides, the future looks more promising than it has for some time.
It was nice to get back to winning ways after a disastrous 2010, Slane captain Shane Coyle reflects.

We didn t win a championship game and were relegated to Division 5 in 2010 when we were plagued by injury, but we reclaimed some lost ground this year. We had been on a slippery slope since we were relegated to junior in 2006 and it was hard for everyone involved. But we d like to think that things have bottomed out now and that we ve stopped the rot.
We won three games and were very unlucky not to qualify for the knockout stages. Six points would often be enough to get you through, but we were in a very strong group with Ratoath and Ballivor, and unfortunately for us, they finished ahead of us. But coming from where we were this time last year, you d have to be happy with how the year went.

The long-serving half forward, who is one of the few remaining links with the last Slane team to play in the SFC in 1999, was especially encouraged by the emergence of talented young players like Kevin Reilly, Graham Smith and John Clarke this year.
We badly needed an injection of fresh blood, so it s great to have young lads of that quality coming through. We re beginning to see the fruits of our labour at underage level. Our amalgamation with St. Mary s (Bru na Boinne) has been very successful and has given everyone a renewed sense of hope.

While Jim Harding and Fergus Woodward continued in their roles as manager and selector respectively this year, Frankie Feeley replaced Eamonn Chips Hoey as the third member of the management team. Determined to put last year s nightmare behind them, the wearers of blue and white opened their championship campaign with a stunning 5-12 to 2-7 victory over Trim at Skryne.

The Trim second string actually made the better start by grabbing the first two scores before former Armagh star Andrew McCann opened Slane s account. This settled the winners down and they were awarded a penalty a short time later which Declan Kearns tucked away. Trim immediately replied with a goal of their own, but a second Slane goal from Gerry Carolan ensured them of a 2-6 to 1-5 lead at the break.
A brace of Andrew McCann goals in the third quarter put daylight between the sides for the first time, and when substitute Keith Harding added Slane s fifth goal, they were out of sight. Trim scored a late consolation goal, but Slane had the final say when Alan Harding pointed after a well-worked move.

Eventual champions Ballivor were next up for Jim Harding s side in Dunderry. Played in difficult conditions this was a hard-fought game, which Ballivor won the minimum, 1-8 to 1-7. Despite playing with the aid of a strong wind in the first half, Slane trailed by 0-3 to 1-3 at the end of the opening quarter. But four points with reply from Craig Smith, Declan Kearns and Alan Harding (two) gave them the lead before Ballivor levelled on the stroke of half-time.
The signs looked ominous for Slane when Ballivor reeled off four points without reply on the restart, but the Boynesiders refused to wilt and got themselves back in the game with 10 minutes to go when Andrew McCann knocked down a John Clarke free to Craig Smith who finished brilliantly to the back of the net.

This goal left Slane just a point in arrears, but they couldn t find an equaliser as Ballivor held on for what proved to be a crucial victory.
Slane s hopes of reaching the knockout stages were dealt another crushing blow when they suffered their heaviest defeat of the season to a free-scoring Ratoath side in Ashbourne. Two first half goals helped Ratoath to a six-point interval lead, but with Declan Kearns in fine scoring form, Slane reduced the margin to four points early in the second half.

At this stage, Jim Harding s charges were creating goal-scoring opportunities, but failed to take any of them and were made to pay when Ratoath rattled in a third goal in the closing stages to seal a somewhat flattering 3-12 to 0-8 win.

Slane got back to winning ways when they edged out Kilbride on a 1-12 to 2-7 scoreline at Walterstown. Kilbride were quickly into their stride and had 1-2 on the scoreboard before John Clarke got Slane s opening point. Shane Coyle and Declan Kearns were also on the mark for the blue and whites, but the concession of a second goal left them trailing by 0-5 to 2-4 at the interval.

After the sides had traded points early in the second half, Slane suddenly came to life by scoring six points on the trot. And when Declan Kearns added a superb goal, they were four points to the good. Kilbride clawed back two points, but the Slane men weren t to be denied.

Slane finished their Group B campaign with a third victory over Wolfe Tones second team in Seneschalstown, but it was all in vain as Ballivor and Ratoath progressed to the quarter-finals. Another Andrew McCann goal gave Slane an early lead before Declan Kearns took centre stage by scoring seven points in the run-up to half-time, including four from play.
Wolfe Tones, who had kept themselves in touch thanks to a goal before the break, added a second goal from a penalty midway through the second half, but Slane possessed the greater firepower and further scores from McCann, Kearns, Craig Smith and Eoin Feeley enabled them to run out comfortable 1-18 to 2-8 winners.

In the league Slane were particularly keen to make their stay in Division 5 a brief one, and so it proved to be as along with eventual finalists St Vincent s they were too strong for the other teams in the division.
Indeed, the Ardcath side were a bit of a bogey team as they inflicted Slane s only two defeats in the league stages (which are on a home and away basis) before edging the final by 1-7 to 1-5 at Donaghmore/Ashbourne.

While Slane fielded on their own at under 8, 10 and 12 level this year, they once again joined forces with St. Mary s, Donore to form Bru na Boinne from under 14 upwards. All the underage teams competed strongly with the under 14s, in particular, showing great promise.
A tremendous season for them culminated in a storming 6-13 to 1-8 victory over Oldcastle in the Division 3 Summer League final on June 29. After losing finals at under 12 and under 13 level to Rathkenny and Inny Gaels in the previous two years and this year s Division 2 Super Valu League semi-final to Donaghmore/Ashbourne, no one could begrudge the Bru na Boinne boys their success which was achieved with no little amount of skill, style and panache.

Placed in Division 3 of the Summer League on the basis of their aforementioned (and unlucky) defeat to Donaghmore/Ashbourne and their championship exit at the hands of Rathkenny when injured captain Padraig McGowan was sorely missed, Bru na Boinne enjoyed victories over Ballivor, St. Colmcille s, Curraha, Dunboyne and Oldcastle in the round-robin stage before defeating Oldcastle for a second time in the decider.

First half goals from Shane Traynor and Daniel Forde (two) helped Bru to a 3-8 to 1-4 half-time lead and they remained firmly in the driving seat following the change of ends when they added three more goals to their impressive tally.
The Slane team that defeated Wolfe Tones in their final JFC Group B game was: J Gibney; G Carolan, W Clarke, D Carolan; U McAdam, S Harding, E Feeley (0-1); K Harding, A Harding (0-1); N Coyle, D Kearns (0-10), C Smith (0-1); K Reilly, A McCann (1-4), J Clarke (0-1). Subs used: C McAdam, J Cassidy, K Dunne and A Melia.

A Day To Remember

Slane GFC's newly-formed girls under 13 team had a day to remember in Croke Park on Tuesday July 5.
The girls were the sole representatives from Meath in the national ladies blitz at GAA headquarters and they did the county and parish proud in putting on some truly great displays.

The Ladies Gaelic Football Association in association with Meath Sports Partnership ran a programme called Gaelic4Girls in Slane every Sunday for six weeks concluding on Sunday May 8. It was aimed at increasing participation in Ladies football, and Slane was one of 34 sites running concurrently around the country.

The trip to Croke Park grew out of participation in this programme, and Slane, in fact, had two 10-a-side teams on the day as they competed against teams from Dublin, Wexford, Longford, Laois, Waterford and elsewhere, playing eight games in total and also getting to meet some inter-county Ladies Gaelic stars.

John Greene and Gwen Searle managed Slane Team 1 and Jim Mullery and Mary Mullen managed Slane Team 2.
The girls, mentors and families left Slane bright and early that morning ready for their first game at 10am. It was a hectic morning of games but the sun shone on their efforts as the two teams caught the eye of many in attendance with their array of skills. For a new team, several observers were struck by how much the girls have progressed in a short time.

The 20 girls who travelled to Croke Park were: Andrea Carroll, Rebecca Corcoran, Laura Doonan, Saoirse Gough, Alex Healy, Cerys Hughes, Rhiannon Hughes, Chantelle Kealy, Eve Loughran, Shona Loughran, Niamh Martyn, Aoife Mooney, Leah Mullen, Caoimhe OπHare, Niamh Murtagh, Eve McDonagh, Aisling Power, Laoise Reilly, Emma Robinson, Maia Searle.

Slane also entered competitive ladies football for the first time with the U13s taking their place in the league in Division 4. And for newcomers the team certainly made its mark. In the league stages they were beaten just once in seven outings - by eventual champions Bective.

Having finished second in the league, the girls earned a home semi-final against St Pat's. This was always going to be a close game. The two sides had met on a lovely August evening in the first round of the league and played out a thrilling 1-5 apiece draw that time. Conditions the second time round were so not welcoming, with the game played in driving rain and it was great credit to both sets of players that they still produced a second thrilling game which the visitors won thanks to a late goal. The Slane girls could not hide their disappointment at the final whistle but they lived to fight another day - in the shield final against a great Dunboyne B side.

When the sides met in the league there was only a point in it in Slane's favour so this was always going to be another close game. A huge crowd of families, friends and well wishers from Slane and Dunboyne gathered in Ashbourne for the final and they were treated to a brilliant game of football. Dunboyne had the edge in terms of experience but Slane's tireless work rate saw them over the line by 2-7 to 0-8. The goals were scored by Saorise Gough and Caoimhe O'Hare in the second half.

The Shield was presented to Slane captain Emma Robinson and vice-captain Leah Mullen afterwards and the team and their families then enjoyed a victory party at Monknewtown Community Centre.
Hopefully now Slane can build on this good start and enter more teams in ladies football next year.

The panel for the league was: Rebecca Corcoran, Andrea Carroll, Chantelle Kealy, Laura Doonan, Cerys Hughes, Alex Healy, Caoimhe O'Hare, Emma Robinson, Caoimhe McKenna, Leah Mullen, Moya Cullen, Saoirse Gough, Laoise Reilly, Aisling Power, Eve McDonagh, Niamh Murtagh, Aoife Mooney, Maia Searle, Rhianon Hughes, Aisling Gordon. Tweet

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