The boys are back in town
December 31, 2003
Navan O'Mahony's marked the Golden Jubilee of their first Keegan Cup success by regaining their senior status after two tough years in the intermediate ranks.
The Holy Grail was reached with a 3-14 to 0-6 win over Carnaross in the IFC decider but after defeats by Syddan and Rathkenny in May qualification for the knockout stages was in jeopardy.
"Even though I was very disappointed after the Rathkenny game, I believed we could dig ourselves out of the hole we were in," reflects team manager Brendan Murray at the end of his first year in charge of the side.
"In the end the hard work we put in since June paid off and the lads upped their workrate and showed what they are capable of from the quarter-final on.
"The two-month break which followed that game gave us a chance to improve our fitness levels. We also had some very encouraging performances in the league including beating Dunshaughlin which helped the lads believe they could compete with the top teams.
"Our next game against Drumconrath was played on the most horrible night of the year. We showed a lot of character in difficult conditions against a good strong team."
In the end the Brews Hill side resurrected their title ambitions on a 1-9 to 0-5 scoreline with Stephen Bray getting the all-important goal a day after helping Meath juniors into the All-Ireland final with a similar effort against Kerry.
Throughout the campaign the team blew hot and cold with short scoring bursts compensating for long barren spells. In the opening game against Curraha where they posted five points in the opening ten minutes before securing the spoils with a late David Hosie penalty to win by 2-8 to 0-8.
In the next outing O'Mahony's proved too strong for Drumree, despite having Lee Russell sent off in the opening half. Real doubts about their ability to atone for the disappointment of losing to Ballivor in the 2002 IFC final began to emerge when they lost to a physically strong Syddan in their third game.
Those doubts were compounded when they succumbed to a late sucker punch in the form a freak Donal Curtis goal that was reminiscent of the Colm Coyle point that rescued Meath in the drawn 1996 All-Ireland final.
Early season preparation was dogged by a number of factors, including college and county commitments. "We had 16 college students on the panel and a couple of lads doing the Leaving Cert," the manager points out.
Victory over Na Fianna assured O'Mahony's of their quarter-final place. A scoring burst that yielded 1-8 without reply between the 22nd and 40th minutes proved crucial, but in the end they were left hanging on as they avenged the shock defeat by the Baconstown-Enfield side in the previous campaign.
A win over Castletown in the final group game assured them of second place in the group and sealed a quarter-final tilt with the side that lost their senior status in 2002. "The Oldcastle match was our toughest game. They are a physically strong team. We played against 14-men for most of match which is never an easy thing to do."
The Brews Hill side might not have beaten Syddan in the semi-final but for the display of their young goalkeeper. "Marcus Brennan was a revelation," admits Murray, "we didn't consider him early in the campaign because he was doing the Leaving Cert. He's a confident guy, who made the position his own after being selected for the Drumconrath game."
If the performances of the county minor netminder of 2002 had a huge bearing on O'Mahony's reaching the decider, the display of another teenager made a huge impact in the final against Carnaross.
Earlier in the year Mark Ward created a stir when he called into the county panel for the early rounds of the NFL and made a few appearances in the IFC before heading to America for the summer.
"A smart young lad with great potential who's willing to work," is the coach's succinct assessment of Ward who eclipsed Brian Comaskey in the final. Apart from cutting the supply line to Ollie Murphy and John L. McGee the 19-year-old chipped in with two points as well.
When the McKeigue brothers lined out for Meath against Westmeath in the Leinster SFC quarter-final at Croke Park, it was the first time since the All-Ireland final of 1990 that two players from the club started a championship game for the county. (Question - Name the two players who started that final against Cork?).
Stephen MacGabhann was also part of the Meath panel and made a few appearances during the league. "You miss your county players when you don't have them, but when they come back they transform the team," remarks the former Monaghan player.
Preserving the club's top flight status in the league was as import to Brendan Murray who believes "we have to be able to measure ourselves against the top teams in the county."
Despite picking up just one point at their Brews Hill base they remained in Division 1 after winning four games away from home. With nothing but pride at stake they denied Skyrne a place in the final with a draw in the final league game.
Providing continuity with second and third teams can prove difficult as players are promoted to the top team during the course of a season. Despite these understandable difficulties junior coach Donal Finnegan with selectors Ned Cahill and Donal Smyth did well to reach the JFC semi-final for the second year running and the last eight of the Junior B.
"It was disappointing to lose to Ratoath after going so well. There was some consolation in wining the B League Division 2 with young lads like Gary O'Brien, Cormac and Kevin Reilly showing so well," admitted Finnegan.
Kevin Reilly, who was on the national under 17 International Rules panel, scored 1-3 after being introduced as a sub in the extra time win over Trim.
Despite the difficulties in fielding a settled side the third team featuring veteran Brian O'Grady eventually lost out to eventual winners St. Vincent's coached by O'Mahony's only All-Star, David Beggy
.
A strong Under-21 side was fancied by many to win a third successive title but after disposing of Dunboyne in their first outing they couldn't cope with a strong and determined Summerhill side at the semi-final stage.
Cathal O'Bric, the most experienced member of the starting fifteen in the IFC decider, was in charge of the team for the fourth year. During his tenure the club have won two titles and reached another decider.
"We prepared very well but we didn't seem to match Summerhill's grit and determination on the day," was his frank assessment of a 0-12 to 0-8 defeat. Earlier in the year they clinched the 2002 crown with a 4-6 to 0-4 win over Seneschalstown.
Hurling
Defeat was O'Mahony's lot once again at the penultimate hurdle of the SHC. In 2002 they came unstuck against Dunboyne and this year champions Kilmessan proved to be their nemesis after a replay.
Wins over Dunderry, Dunboyne, Longwood and Killyon in addition to a hard fought draw with Kildalkey propelled them to the last four. The dramatic win over the beaten finalists was the highlight of a tough campaign. Victory was grabbed from the jaws of defeat when teenager Derek Loughran directed a long delivery from Brendan Farrell to the Dunboyne net in stoppage time on a sunny Sunday evening at Kilmessan.
"We need a better structured calendar because as it is we have an overcrowded fixture list," according to manager John Leahy.
Losing to Kilmessan was a major disappointment to the Galway-man and while many O'Mahony's supporters wonder why 6 minutes and 50 seconds of stoppage time were played in the drawn semi-final with the champions, Leahy appreciates his side got the breaks in tight contests earlier in the campaign.
"Edward Duignan kicked a point to earn a draw with Kildalkey, we got a late goal against Dunboyne and were fortunate to hold on against Longwood," he points out.
The year ended on a high note for the man who played in the All-Ireland minor hurling final of 1981 when with a potent mix of youth and experience O'Mahony's won the JHC for the second time with a 1-17 to 2-7 win over Rathmoylon.
That team was coached by Kevin Mullin, fresh from his year as Chairman of the Hurling Board. "It's brilliant to win a title at any level from Under 11 up. It's was great even to get to that final because that means you'll have hurlers in five years time.
"On the junior team we had young players like Kevin Reilly, Mark Ward and Gary O'Brien in pivotal positions which augurs well for the future."
Looking at the bigger picture Mullin delivers a few home truths. "If they can accommodate football and hurling in other counties they should be able to do it here. There's a big population in Meath and more people play hurling here than in Offaly," Mullin points out.
At the time of writing the club are still involved in the 2002 and 2003 Under 21 HCs, having won a sixth consecutive title when narrowly defeating Dunboyne by 0-15 to 0-13 in the delayed 2001 decider in November 2002.
Juvenile
A minor championship double was the highlight at juvenile level made all the sweeter because both sides went into their respective finals as slight underdogs.
Neville Dunne, who had a magnificent campaign in the IFC coached the minor football team to a 2-8 to 1-9 win over Summerhill to lift the Delaney Cup for the third time in four years.
Two goals from expertly converted penalties by Henry Finnegan sealed a narrow but deserved win for the side captained by Shane Crosby, whose father Tony is Juvenile Club Chairman as well being part of the selection team that also included Brian Reilly.
One of the encouraging features of the MHC victory over Kilmessan was that the side was coached by 23-year-old senior goalkeeper James Burke, a product of the club's hurling nursery.
The 2-9 to 0-11 win over their neighbours was their sixth final success in seven deciders and atoned for defeat in the previous final which was played last March.
The team struggled in the early stage of the championship but the return of key players including Barry Regan, who scored 3-7 in the semi-final win over Ratoath and 2-6 in the final, boosted them another success.
Women's Football
The women's football team, under the guidance of Gary O'Hare and Brian Smith and assisted by John O'Brien, put in a much improved showing this year and won nine of their eleven games, losing only to Moynalty and eventual winners, Donaghmore/Ashbourne. At the time of going to press the under 16 side are in the last four.
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