Ultan's retain status
November 27, 2011It's doubtful that any club in Meath has suffered from the economic downturn and emigration more than St. Ultan's who have lost a whopping 14 players from their 2008 intermediate championship winning panel.
For a small rural club, these losses have had a devastating effect and it has been reflected in their results which weren't what you'd expect from a team that competed in the senior championship just 12 months earlier. The tone for a disappointing championship campaign was set when Ultan's drew their first Group A game with St. Colmcille's after surrendering a big lead. They were pipped by Clann na nGael in their next outing and further defeats to champions-elect Moynalvey and Castletown in their remaining group fixtures consigned them to a three-way relegation playoff which also involved St. Michael's and Cortown.
Ultan's lost their first game to St. Michael's on a 0-11 to 1-10 scoreline, but a 1-10 to 0-9 victory over Cortown - who also lost to St. Michael's - saw them preserve their intermediate status.
"I wouldn't use emigration as an excuse for our problems this year," stresses Tom Lynch, who has just completed his first year as club PRO.
"When we won the junior championship in 2006 and the intermediate championship two years later, we had a young team with a few older heads helping them along. Things were going very well at the time and the future looked bright.
"But since then, we've not only lost several lads to emigration but the older lads have retired as well. However, emigration is a fact of life for a lot of clubs and you have to get on with it. We were still able to fulfil all our fixtures and that's the main thing. You have to think positive and having survived in intermediate, we hope to build on that next year.
"Once we starting winning again, it becomes a habit. The St. Cuthbert's underage club is quite strong at the moment so there is light at the end of the tunnel."
Under the management of former Meath goalkeeper Donal Smyth - who took over the reins from Martin Barry - and his selectors Pat English and Tommy Casserly, St. Ultan's had targeted an immediate return to the senior ranks. However, their failure to take both points from their championship opener against St. Colmcille's in Slane was a setback from which they never really recovered.
When the sides met in Division 2 of the league a month earlier, the 'Cilles had coasted to a 2-13 to 0-7 victory, but St. Ultan's quickly set about turning the tables and led by 1-2 to 0-1 inside five minutes, with Shane Mulroe finding the net after only 30 seconds. County star Graham Reilly replied with a couple of scores for the east county club, but with Paul Murray and Gearoid Rennicks dominating at midfield, the men in green and black continued to press strongly and eased into a 2-4 to 0-3 lead when Cian Rennicks slotted home a penalty in the 15th minute.
St. Ultan's still led by six points, 2-6 to 0-6, at the interval, but St. Colmcille's were a different proposition after the restart and a flurry of points had them in front with 10 minutes to go. Daryl McLoughlin bagged a 53rd minute goal for the Bohermeen/Martry outfit, but they still needed a late point from centre back Alan Martin to claim a share of the spoils on a 3-7 to 0-16 scoreline.
Clann na nGael inflicted a first defeat on St. Ultan's since their return to the intermediate championship when they triumphed by 3-11 to 2-11 at Trim. The Athboy side pounced for a goal inside the first minute and, despite five points (including four frees) from full forward Cian Rennicks, Ultan's trailed at the break by 0-7 to 2-7.
The switch of Alan Rogers from goal to full forward in the second half had the desired effect and St. Ultan's soon had the margin down to three points when Rennicks converted his second penalty in as many games. Damien Tuite immediately replied with a third Clann na nGael goal, but the 2008 champions refused to give up and were back in it again when Rennicks grabbed his second goal.
However, they couldn't get any closer than two points as Clann na nGael held on for victory.
Donal Smyth's charges were now facing an uphill battle to stay in the championship and their quest for a quarter-final spot was ended by Moynalvey in Walterstown. The Kildare-border club rocked Ultan's with a brace of early goals from Ciaran Collins and Ray Ryan. The green and blacks narrowed the gap to three points, 0-5 to 2-2, at the end of the first quarter, but that was as close as they got to an in-form Moynalvey side who finished the half with two points each from Daniel Treacy and substitute Mark Treacy to take a 2-6 to 0-7 lead into the interval.
St. Ultan's tried hard to reduce the leeway in the second half, but Moynalvey were always able to keep daylight between the sides and eventually won by 2-12 to 0-12.
A 0-7 to 0-15 defeat to Castletown in their final group outing meant that St. Ultan's finished bottom of the table behind St. Colmcille's on a -4 score difference. That left them facing a relegation dogfight along with St. Michael's and Cortown.
After losing to St. Michael's, the win St. Ultan's so desperately craved came against their near-neighbours and underage partners. They laid the foundations for a 1-10 to 0-9 success in the first half when Cian Rennicks' goal helped them to a commanding 1-8 to 0-2 interval lead. As you'd expect, Cortown rallied in the second half, but Ultan's had done enough in the opening 30 minutes and their safety was confirmed by Cortown's subsequent loss to St. Michael's.
The one chink of light for St. Ultan's this year were the performances of the various St. Cuthbert's underage teams. And while silverware eluded them, particular encouragement could be taken from the appearance of the St. Ultan's-Cortown combination in the minor league Division 6 final against local rivals Gaeil Colmcille.
For long periods, it looked like the Kells side would run out comfortable winners but St. Cuthbert's never gave up and two late goals left only four points - 2-8 to 2-4 - in it at the final whistle.
Gaeil Colmcille led by 1-4 to 0-2 at the break, with Ryan O'Rourke accounting for both of St. Cuthbert's points. Tony Smyth reduced the deficit on the restart before goalkeeper Cian Farnan produced two fine saves to deny Hugh Martyn and Oisin Reilly. However, he was eventually beaten by Reilly for Gaeil Colmcille's second goal and further scores from Liam Ferguson, Reilly and Ryan O'Reilly pushed the winners 10 points clear.
But inspired by Tony Smyth, St. Cuthbert's kept going and a brace of goals from Ryan O'Rourke had them back in the hunt. Unfortunately, though, time ran out on St. Cuthbert's brave comeback. Among those to impress for the Bohermeen men were Cian Farnan, Conor Smyth, Tony Smyth, Ryan O'Rourke and Mark Allen.
"The underage is very strong," enthuses Mayo native Lynch, who has been involved with St. Cuthbert's for more than a decade.
"We didn't win a trophy this year, but I wouldn't be too worried about that because the numbers are big and that can only bode well for the future."
In May, members of the St. Ultan's men and ladies teams took the catwalk for the club's first ever fashion show, which was held in The Headford Arms Hotel in Kells. Members of the 2008 men's intermediate winning team and the 2010 senior ladies winning team modelled clothes to help raise much-needed funds for the club.
The St. Ultan's team that drew with St. Colmcille's in the IFC was: Alan Rodgers; Jason Bennett, Kieran Lynch, Tomas Coyne; Darren Mallon, Alan Martin, Darren Costello; Paul Murray, Gearoid Rennicks; Eugene Brady, Richie Lynagh, Rob Duffy; Daryl McLoughlin, Cian Rennicks, Shane Mulroe. Sub used: Shane Rennicks. Tweet
