St. Michael's can look back on 2004 with a great deal of satisfaction, despite missing out on Junior 'A' Football Championship honours, Ollie Cassidy reviewed the year. Every self-respecting club in the county looks forward at the beginning of the year to winning their respective championship. Progressive north Meath side, St. Michael's had similar aspirations. Unlike many clubs in the Junior 'A' grade St. Michael's hopes of winning the championship weren't without foundation. In 2003 the lost out in a quarter-final to eventual winners and north rivals Wolfe Tones, who went on to win the All-Ireland Junior Club Championship. "We were hopeful we would make it to at least the final. We lost out last year to Wolfe Tones in the quarter-final so we felt we had a good chance of going all the way this year," Ollie who coached the club's Under 16 team commented. But St. Michael's 2004 Junior 'A' Championship challenge came to a disappointing conclusion when south Meath outfit Ratoath beat them in the semi-final at Walterstown on Sunday September 12. St. Michael's chances of making the junior decider were dealt two hammer blows in the space of 10 minutes in the first half. "Last year against Wolfe Tones we were missing two of our best forwards in Daithi Regan and James Lynch. Both players had to come off injured in this years' semi-final." "We were all over them for first 20 minutes, playing against a gale force wind. Then we lost James with ankle ligament damage and Daithi with a hamstring injury. Daithi had the injury going into the game so we knew he knew we were taking a chance playing him," he added. To compound their problems the north Meath outfit were forced to field without highly rated midfielder / attacker John Barry O'Reilly because of a neck injury. "John Barry also missed the game with a serious neck injury. He could be out for quite some time, but we are looking forward to him playing for us again next year," he noted. Regan hobbled back into action with five minutes left on the clock, but was unable to turn the Ratoath tide, which saw them running out winners by the only goal of the game (1-8 to 0-8). It was a heartbreaking end to a campaign that had started so brightly. "We fancied our chances of coming out of the group and that is the way it panned out. We topped the group even though we lost to Dunboyne and drew with Moylagh," he recalled. They got off to a winning start when they disposed of Kilmainham at Drumbaragh in Round 1. However they didn't have it all their own way and it took a sparkling display from Daithi Regan, who notched nine points, and strong performances John and Andrew Rogers, Sean Gaffney and, John Farrell and Tommy Moriarty to see them across the finishing line. "First round games are always very hard to win no matter who the opposition or their form from the previous year. Everybody is looking to get off to a winning start and Kilmainham were no different. If you lose the first game, you are on the back foot straight away. Generally first round games are very tight," he recalled. "We managed to beaten them by four points (1-12 to 2-5). Daithi scored nine points on the day and Andrew Rogers scored a goal and a point. Andrew's goal lefts the sides level at the break (1-5 to 1-2). We upped our performance in the second half and pulled away from them," he added. Having opened their campaign with a win, St. Michael's entered their second game against Dunboyne brimful of confidence. "They never got going that day at all. Perhaps they were over confident. There was only a point in it at half time (0-5 to 0-6) but Dunboyne really piled on the pressure in the second half and deserved their victory," Ollie elaborated. St. Michael's and Moylagh finished level (0-10 to 1-7) when the sides met in Round 3 at Carnaross. At the interval it looked odds-on that the Carlanstown based outfit would prevail when they led (0-7 to 0-4). However, 14-man Moylagh launched a spirited recovery after the break and deserved a point. It took a superb second half display to ensure that St. Michael's gathered full points in their next group match against St. Vincent's, having trailed at the break (0-3 to 0-7). "St. Vincent's were leading were leading until 15 minutes into the second half. We up the tempo and ran out winners by two points (1-10 to 0-11), he noted. In Round 5 St. Michael's were pitted against old foes Meath Hill in Nobber. "That was a game we had to win. Meath Hill were unbeaten going into that game. It was one of our better performances of the year." St. Michael's had two points to spare over their North Meath rivals (0-9 to 0-7). Kevin Lynch, Daithi Regan, and Peter Clinton were to the fore in a hard-fought victory which them on to seven points from five outings. Meath and St. Michael's legend Martin O'Connell made a brief appearance in Round 6 when they scored their most comfortable victory of the campaign in routing St. Mary's at Rathkenny. St. Michael's led 0-9 to 0-0 at the break. While they took the foot of the gas in the second half they still cruised to a comprehensive 0-13 to 0-3 victory. Brenadan Ryan, Sean Gaffney, Derek Flood, John Farrell, James Lynch, Phelim O'Reilly and Daithi Regan all impressed on the day. "We always had trouble beating St. Mary's so it was a very satisfying victory. I would rate that as our best performance of the year. They were still in with a chance of qualification, they were up for this game," he revealed. St. Michael's cruised into the last eight of the Junior 'A' Championship when they scored an emphatic victory over hapless Summerhill at Martry in their last group game. Michael Rogers, Peter Clinton, John Farrell, James Lynch, Andrew Rogers and Ben Farrell excelled in this 2-14 to 0-3 romp, which did little to prepare St. Michael's for the sterner tests that were yet to come. "In fairness to Summerhill they had a lot of young lads out on the day. That game was a learning process for them and I am sure they will improve in the future," Ollie graciously admitted. Scores were at a premium in St. Michael's quarter-final victory over Skryne at Rathkenny. Having played against a stiff breeze the north Meath men managed to go in level 2-0 to 1-3 at the break. James Lynch and Daithi Regan bagging the all-important first half scores. Martin O'Connell was sprung from the bench in the second half in place of Andrew Rogers. It was an inspired substitution, which yield two late points to ensure victory. "He stuck by us in the past when the club was in the doldrums. He stuck with us through thick and thin. He came off the bench that day to win the game for us. He is a brilliant clubman and deserves great praise," Ollie enthused. The lion-heart St. Michael's man made another substititute appearance in the semi-final against Ratoath when he replaced the injured James Lynch. But not even the mighty man's inspirational presence could swing the outcome favour. The injury to Lynch, quickly followed by the retirement of Daithi Regan robbed the management team of Dudley Farrell, Christy Regan, Paul Curran and Tom Halpin of two of their potent threats in front of goal. The Lynch inury also denied Farrell the chance of springing O'Connell as an impact substitute in the second half. It was a day when the Gods conspired against the North Meath men. But there time will come pretty soon, according to Ollie. "This is a very young team. They won an under 21 league a couple of years ago and I am sure they have the ability to with the Junior 'A' Championship. There is a good blend of youth and experience. You have the likes of Daithi Reilly and Daithi Regan who are the experienced members of the team. Then there is plenty of young talent like James Farrell, Sean Gaffney, Phelim and John Barry O'Reilly." He continued: "Andrew Rogers is another up and coming young footballer. He is one of the most promising forwards in the club. So there is a great stream of talent coming through the ranks. I believe they have to make the breakthrough in the next year or so." He concluded: "Dudley and his selectors did a great job this year and can count themselves very unlucky that they didn't make to the final at least. Next year could be their year." Tweet

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