After being better known as a hurling club over the last few decades, Boardsmill have been carving a football niche for themselves over the past couple of years. The junior C success of 2002 was their first championship triumph in the big ball game and then they came tantalisingly close to adding the junior B title last September. Boardsmill enjoyed outstanding hurling successes in the '50s, '60s and '70s. They won the SHC title for the first time in 1958 and repeated the success in 1964. The golden period in the club's history came became 1971 and '75 when the Jubilee Cup was lifted four times in that five-year period. As well as the 1971 triumph, there was the great sequence of three SHC outright victories in a row, in 1973, '74 and '75. The small dual club in Trim parish was also keeping the football flag flying in those years. In 1964 they reached the Junior B FC final only to lose to Martry who went on to claim outright junior honours that year. In those years there were just two junior football grades and the A and B winners met in an overall final. While Boardsmill were proving to be the 'top dogs' of hurling in the Royal County, they were also making a small mark in football. In 1971 they reached the JFC final but lost out to Donaghmore. Despite losing out in that decider, Boardsmill were promoted to intermediate ranks and they played in that grade for three years. The new junior 3 grade for football clubs with just one adult clubs them to compete at their own level and they reached the final of that championship in 1981. However, Kilmainham spoiled their dream of a first ever championship title and Boardsmill had to wait another 21 years to sample such a success with Dunboyne being defeated in the junior C decider. Boardsmill have enjoyed a number of significant under age successes since 1997 and young players like Eoin Dunne, Keith Hamilton, Sean Reilly, Stephen Masterson, Cormac Leonard and Stephen O'Toole went on to make their mark at adult level. Men like Dessie Hamilton, who played in the Ballivor attack in the 1973 SFC final against O'Mahonys, Mick Leonard, a former Longwood clubman, and Anthony Reilly have been the main men behind the upsurge in Boardsmill's football fortunes over the last few years. It is interesting to note that of the Boardsmill panel for last September's Junior B FC final against St Vincent's, virtually all of them have also won honours in hurling. The club's best known hurler over the last few years, Thomas Reilly, however, missed most of the 2003 season as he was in Australia. Eoin Dunne gave the club a major boost when playing at left half back on the Meath minor football team which reached the 2002 All-Ireland final. However, he was sidelined with an injury picked up while assisting the county under 21 hurlers and filled the role of spectator for much of 2003. A Boardsmill footballer who actually won an All-Ireland minor medal is Alan Ashe, a substitute for the 1990 triumph. After a spell with Moynalvey, Ashe returned to the 'Mill and was the junior B captain this year. The return of Ashe was a big boost as also was the arrival of the experienced Danny Coogan from Dunderry. The 29-year-old was at centrefield when Dunderry captured the SFC title in 1995 and filled the same position as his new club went close to gaining junior B honours. After winning the junior C title in 2002, Boardsmill firmly put their sights on the junior B championship and felt that they could have a good run in the higher grade. They recovered from three defeats in the group stages to show a big improvement in the home straight. Alan Ashe proved his scoring worth in the opening two games when sending over five points in each outing. A winning start was made with a 1-8 to 0-8 win over Seneschalstown at Kilmessan, Bernard McLoughlin putting his name on the first of a number of goals from him in football and hurling championship action during the year. It was back to Kilmessan for Boardsmill's second game in the Junior B FC and the first setback with Blackhall Gaels gaining a narrow 1-9 to 1-8 success. Although Bellewstown were disposed of on a 3-9 to 0-4 scoreline, there was another slip when St Vincent's inflicted a second successive defeat on a 1-9 to 2-4 scoreline. Goals from David Farrell and McLoughlin in the second half of the latter clash were not enough for the 'Mill who then made it three losses on the trot with a 0-13 to 1-17 defeat by south county rivals Longwood. A place in the final then looked an unlikely prospect but the men in blue and white lifted themselves for a 2-5 to 0-5 win over parish neighbours Trim. Keith Hamilton scored 1-2 and Stephen Gibbons netted the other goal. With four teams qualifying from eight, teams could afford to be beaten two or three times and Boardsmill clinched a quarterfinal place with a 1-13 to 0-8 win over Castletown. David Farrell sent over eight points that day and Alan Ashe scored 1-2. St Brigid's, seeking an immediate return to junior A ranks, were the next opponents and after trailing by 0-0 to 1-2 in the first half, Boardsmill turned things around to lead by 1-5 to 1-2 at the break and win by 1-11 to 1-7. Boardsmill's semi-final against Blackhall Gaels was a repeat of an earlier clash and again the minimum margin divided the sides at the end, only this time the 'Mill had the advantage, on a 1-8 to 2-4 scoreline at Dunsany. Again it was a 'come from behind' job as a 0-3 to 2-3 interval deficit was turned around with a Bernard McLoughlin goal ten minutes from the end proving to be a crucial score. Boardsmill had been eight points to the bad during the first period of that encounter. They had Alan Ashe, who missed the 'semi' because of holidays, back for the final and again a slow start was made by the south county side as St Vincent's built up a 0-7 to 0-1 interval advantage. The fact that they did not score until the 19th minute proved to be a handicap which this time was not overcome. Scoring only two points from play was another burden although a Boardsmill triumph looked highly likely when Stephen Gibbons fired over the second of them in added time at the end of the hour. Earlier a speculative ball from the full forward finished up in the net. Just before Gibbons' point, Paudie Guy found the net and it appeared as if Boardsmill were above to claim a second junior title in two years. But then came the late, late converted penalty which they will not want to be reminded of. Eoin Dunne came on in the second half and he and the rest of his team mates will be looking forward to making a strong attempt to go one better in 2004. They will be one of the favourites in the grade but may need to get more consistency and more points from play - Keith Hamilton sent over four frees in the final and midfielder Ian McLoughlin also got on target. In the 2003 SHC Boardsmill promised that they might reach the semi-finals but they were found wanting in a crucial clash with Trim which their town rivals won comfortably. Eamon Cosgrave's charges made a rather inauspicious start with a 1-9 to 2-6 draw with Kiltale as a late goal from Eric Cribbin gave them a point. That was followed by wins over Wolfe Tones and Rathmolyon. Thomas Reilly made a sad return home for the funeral of his girlfriend Michelle Quinn, who was due to travel down under to join him and lined out in a few SHC games. He sent over five points in the easy 2-16 to 0-6 success over Wolfe Tones and Bernard McLoughlin and Mark Flood netted the goals in a one-sided encounter. McLoughlin bagged 2-1 in the 2-14 to 2-11 success over Rathmolyon with Thomas Reilly weighing in with eight points. But that was Boardsmill's last win in the 2003 Jubilee Cup competition. They looked to be on the way to another brace of points when leading Kilmessan by 1-3 to 0-0 after 18 minutes of their fourth round clash. Bernard McLoughlin again found the net to bring his championship haul to 4-5 but the holders prevailed on a 1-12 to 1-11 scoreline. Thomas Reilly shot five points and brother Sean sent over four. Boardsmill should have been encouraged by that showing but they failed to repeat against Trim, scoring a miserable 1-1 to 0-18 for their opponents. Thomas Reilly had returned to Australia while an injury sidelined Vinny Guy. George was their only scorer in the first half which ended with Trim having 0-8 on the Longwood scoreboard. When Eric Cribbin netted immediately after the restart, a contest looked likely but Boardsmill bowed out without scoring again. Boardsmill will again try to make it to the closing stages of the SHC in the coming months while on the football fields the junior B title will be the big aim. Both are realistic targets. Tweet

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