Dunderry GAA Club are looking very much to the future as they embark on an ambitious clubhouse development plan which has a hoped-for completion date of December, 2004. A special function was organised last summer to launch the plans and the overall cost of the project has been estimated at between E500,000 and E600,000 as the club strives to improve its facilities to cater for the large number of teams it currently fields. There are now approximately 600 houses in the parish, which gives a very clear idea of the growing need to provide top quality facilites, and a clear indication of the massive demand can be guaged from the fact that the club caters for no fewer that 27 teams, between men, ladies and under-age sides, and has in excess of 200 registered players, as well as many more non-playing members. The proposed two-storey clubhouse will incorporate new dressing rooms, a reception area, meeting rooms and a fully-equipped gymnasium which should greatly assist with the preparation of the club's teams. Of course, the development should also help the club secure more fixtures as Dunderry is centrally located and is in an ideal position to host important matches. "Up to now we have used the hall for changing facilities," said club chairman Gus Martyn. "We also have rooms for juveniles to change in, but they're not up to much. "A new clubhouse is a must and it's something that just has to be done. You need top class facilities nowadays. Our current facilities are deplorable for showering purposes, in particular, and the new clubhouse should make the preparation of teams a lot easier. At least that's what we're hoping. "We are very confident that we will get planning permission and that it will go ahead. The signs are good. We want it up and running as soon as possible, but it depends on how it goes. There are a lot of factors involved and we can only build it as our budget allows us. That's the reality. "All going to plan, it should be of great benefit in the training of teams and during the winter months all ages will be able to train there. Enhanced facilities should also mean that Dunderry will get more matches as we are centrally located and there is certainly plenty of parking." The cost of the project is big, but the potential benefits to the club and the community can't be underestimated. "It will cost somewhere between E500,000 and E600,000, which is a lot of money for a small club," Martyn added. "Our only means of fundraising up to now has been the club lotto. We introduced a life membership scheme and, thankfully, the response to that has been very good and that will be of major benefit to us." The club is also hoping to secure National Lottery funding to help defray the cost of their ambitious plan and a feasibility study was carried out in the parish with this in mind. Significantly, the new clubhouse won't have a bar, but it will have a gymnasium. "There won't be a bar in the clubhouse," said the chairman. "However, there will be a gymnasium. "Instead of putting bellies on we would hope to be taking them off. It will take a lot of money to equip the gymnasium, but it should be well worth it in the long run." CHAMPIONSHIP Dunderry will obviously hope that at some stage in the near future their enhanced facilities will play an important role in bringing the club its first Senior Football Championship triumph since 1995, something that eluded them in 2003 as they exited the title race at the quarter-final stage when losing to Trim by six points at Pairc Tailteann. Overall, it was very much a mixed championship for Mickey McQuillan's side as they won four matches and lost three in a group that also included Ballivor, Ballinlough, Skryne, Gaeil Colmcille, Seneschalstown, Blackhall Gaels and Simonstown Gaels. Athboy certainly proved to be a happy hunting ground for Dunderry in the early stages of the race for the coveted Keegan Cup as they won their opening three matches at the venue. They made a successful start when beating the Intermediate Championship winners of the previous year Ballivor by 1-14 to 2-3, but Dunderry must have set some sort of record for the 2003 championship as they kicked the phenomenal tally of 23 wides over the hour, yet still managed to win by eight points. Next up were Ballinlough and Dunderry coasted to an 11-point victory on a 1-12 to 0-4 score line after leading by 0-7 to 0-0 at the interval. A Trevor Conaty deflected goal 24 seconds into the second period killed off any chance of a Ballinlough revival, but Dunderry's success was married by a nasty knee injury sustained by Stephen O'Rourke. The team's happy association with Athboy was maintained in the third round as Dunderry edged out Gaeil Colmcille by 1-10 to 0-10 on a day when Anthony Kane top-scored with seven points from frees. Dunderry failed to score for over 20 minutes in the second-half and kicked 10 wides which left them in a very vulnerable position. However, a late goal from Evan Stephens secured victory and they were looking good in their quest for a quarter-final place with maximum points in the bag from their first three outings. However, the winning run was brought to an end in no uncertain manner in the fourth round at Pairc Tailteann when Blackhall Gaels demonstrated just how decent a side they are by inflicting a 12-point defeat on McQuillan's team, winning by 2-10 to 0-4. All the damage from Dunderry's point of view was done in the opening half when Mark Crampton scored 2-3 in a blistering 23-minute spell to boost Blackhall to a commanding 2-7 to 0-0 interval advantage. There was simply no way back for Dunderry after that disastrous opening half hour. Dunderry needed to bounce back from that setback and try to prove that it was no more than a bad day at the office and they returned to Pairc Tailteann for a fifth round meeting with a Seneschalstown side that was without Graham Geraghty. The match turned into the Colm Harte scoring show as he notched 3-1 which helped his side to a 3-11 to 1-9 victory. Seneschalstown had led by six points at one stage in the first-half and by 1-6 to 1-5 at the break, but Dunderry were eight points clear at the final whistle. Dunderry had secured eight points from their first five outings and it was just as well, because their remaining two group matches resulted in defeat, both at Pairc Tailteann. They performed quite well against high-flying Skryne and really put it up to the Blues as Colm Harte's goal in first-half injury-time boosted them to a 1-7 to 1-4 interval advantage. But with Trevor Giles dictating matters with ease, Skryne assumed command to make it six victories from as many outings in the championship with a 2-10 to 1-9 success. A heavy defeat followed in the concluding group game against Simonstown Gaels as Colm O'Rourke's Navan side built up a commanding 10-point (1-9 to 0-2) interval lead en route to a runaway 2-12 to 0-7 victory. It certainly wasn't the ideal way to end the group campaign, but at least Dunderry had achieved their goal of reaching the last eight as they finished fourth in the section on eight points from a possible 14. But their championship ambitions were ended in the quarter-finals as Trim deservedly won by 0-14 to 0-8 after leading by 0-9 to 0-3 at the interval. "Losing that match was a big disappointment for us," recalled Gus Martyn. "Barry Callaghan's injury put a big dampner on our championship campaign overall. It also has to be remembered that two of our best players, David Callaghan and Brian Newman, went to the United States and they were really big losses for us. "We are a bit on the weak side at the moment and we really need more man power." The All-County A Football League didn't bring much in the way of joy for Dunderry as they were relegated from Div. 1. The club's second string endured a mixed campaign in the Junior Football Championship and didn't make it to the knock-out stages, but the Junior D team advanced to the quarter-finals of their particular championship. Group victories were achieved against Dunsany (1-8 to 1-6), Drumree (3-14 to 2-4) and Bective (1-7 to 0-4), but they were eliminated by Summerhill at the last eight stage. It was looking good for Dunderry when they led by 2-4 to 0-6 at one stage during the first-half, but Summerhill had battled their way back to level terms by the interval and enjoyed the better of the exchanges in the second period to win by 2-11 to 2-7. Tommy Leavy certainly didn't deserve to end up on the losing side as he accounted for 2-5 of Dunderry's tally. 'B' league claimed Dunderry's B League Div. 1 team gave the club's supporters something to cheer about when they won the title with a 2-13 to 0-11 final victory over Summerhill at Dunsany. The match provided plenty of entertainment for the large attendance as Dunderry's ability to score goals proved decisive. Sean Kelly notched the first goal towards the end of the opening quarter and that boosted them to a 1-6 to 0-5 interval lead. Summerhill narrowed the gap after the change of ends, but a second goal from Anthony Kane late in the game sealed the title for Dunderry. Noel Howley, Peadar Callaghan, Eric Murray, Thomas Doherty and Kelly were outstanding for Dunderry. Dunderry - G. Dooley; P. Gorey, N. Howley, D. McCormack; C. Mulvenna (0-1), D. Martin (0-1), M. Gibson; P. Callaghan, A. Kane (1-1); E. Murray, T. Conaty (0-3), J. Brady (0-1); K. Folan (0-3), T. Doherty (0-2), S. Kelly (1-1). Subs - P. Bartley for Murray, L. Mulligan for Conaty. Tweet

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