They are still trying to pick up the pieces around Bohermeen. Still trying to figure out where it all went wrong, why it all went wrong in 2003. St Ultan's are a proud club, and relegation to junior football has hurt. The year started with the same aspirations almost every club in the country harbour - championship success and league promotion. But St Ultan's had every reason to be hopeful, their chances were as good as any in the intermediate grade and they were certainly strong enough to win promotion from Division 4A. The black and greens hadn't set the world alight in 2002, but there was a feeling that this year would see them finally turn the corner and live up to their undoubted potential. However, it all went horribly wrong and a year that started with dreams of grandeur fizzled out in the most disheartening way possible. An intermediate relegation play-off defeat to Curraha confined them to junior football next year, while a mid-table finish in Division 4A ensured they remain in that group for 2004. Throw in the unnecessary controversy surrounding Gary Rogers - which saw the club make the national newspapers - and it is easy to see why 2003 will not be fondly recalled by the club. However, reliable St Ultan's midfielder Brian Mulroe argues that the year gone should act as a catalyst for the club to stand up and be counted once again. "We are definitely good enough to bounce straight back up to intermediate next year. We have a good strong panel and if we can get everybody training I don't see any reason why we can't win the junior championship," he says. "Not only are we good enough to win the junior, but I think we are strong enough to be challenging for a play-off spot at intermediate level. Things didn't work out for us this year and we found ourselves relegated, so it's up to us to win promotion now. We want to get back up to intermediate football. "There is a definite step up in the standard of football at the intermediate grade, and that is where we want to be playing right now." Brian, son of John, has been one of the club's most consistent performers in recent years. He only turned 23 in December, and is currently working as an engineer in Dublin. He had trials with the Meath under-21s in the past. Brian also won a minor championship with St Cuthbert's and a Leinster B schools' title with Kells Community School. Like many of his team-mates, he was optimistic at the turn of the year. "Certainly everybody was positive and we were confident of doing well. We had started out with two main aims - the first was to win promotion from Division 4A and the second to make the play-offs in the intermediate championship. "We had a few good wins in the league but it wasn't enough, and although we started off pretty okay in the championship our final five games ended in defeat." Coached once again by Paul Murray, St Ultan's played out a 1-7 to 1-7 draw with Donaghmore / Ashbourne in their first championship outing in early April. Later that same month they faced much fancied Carnaross in a north Meath derby. The game also ended level, 1-6 to 1-6. "That was probably the best championship game we played all year and you only have to look at what Carnaross went on to achieve to see that it was a good result. But we had plenty of opportunities to beat them and definitely could have won that game." With two matches gone in the championship, St Ultan's were relatively content. It was only April and they had two points on the board. Relegation wasn't even mentioned. However, St Ultan's would not pick up another point during the entire championship. Duleek inflicted defeat number one in early May, 1-8 to 0-6, before Slane dished out number two, 1-13 to 1-7. "The defeat to Slane was the real turning point. That was the game that really cost us dearly. We should have beaten them, but once that game slipped away we knew we were in a real fight for survival," states Brian, who made his debut with the club's first team when only 16. Slumps to St Colmcilles and Oldcastle followed and as they entered their last group game against Nobber, St Ultan's realised that it was win or bust. A victory could have saved them from a relegation play-off if other results went their way. However, they put in an anaemic effort against a Brian Farrell inspired Nobber and fell heavily, 4-15 to 1-2. They faced Curraha in the relegation dogfight, but after leading at half-time, the Bohermeen parish side were pegged back and lost by a single goal. Their spell in the middle tier of Meath football was over. "The mood in the team was positive coming up to that game. We felt we were good enough to retain our intermediate status and things went well in the first-half. We led by four points at half-time, but the game hinged on a controversial penalty that was awarded to them with about 15 minutes left. "They scored from the spot and tagged on a few points at the end. The initial reaction was one of huge disappointment. We felt good at half-time and to have lost was absolutely awful." Meanwhile, their league form was sporadic. They chalked up six victories and one draw during the campaign, but four disappointing defeats halted any chance of promotion. Those losses came at the hands of Drumbaragh, a heavy defeat to Kilbride, Longwood and their championship nemesis' Nobber. Meanwhile, the victories came against St Mary's (4-13 to 1-6), Meath Hill (4-7 to 0-3), St Vincent's (1-10 to 2-5), Ratoath (2-13 to 2-5), Bective (0-12 to 1-3) and Clann na Gael (1-15 to 0-8). They drew with Rathkenny (0-13 to 2-7). Their season wasn't helped when they suffered the loss of two keys players at different stages of the year, with former Meath minor, under-21 and junior footballer Colm Travers missing much of the championship with a leg injury and current Meath junior Paul Murray jnr breaking his arm in the latter part of the season. Of course there was also plenty of activity off the field this year, surrounding Drogheda United goalkeeper and St Ultan's clubman Gary Rogers. The talented soccer custodian was a late addition to the Meath junior panel prior to their Leinster semi-final clash with Laois. Being a full-time professional with Drogheda, the demands on Rogers meant he was unable to play for St Ultan's for the vast majority of the year. The Meath County Board threatened to axe him from the junior panel as he wasn't playing for St Ultan's, and the club was divided down the middle. Brian says it is unfortunate the incident became so heavily debated. "There is no point in saying the controversy didn't affect the club, because it did. Personally I thought Gary was treated very badly by the county board. "He earns his living with Drogheda United and that's his job. There were different attitudes from players and officials within the club, and unfortunately there was a split in opinion. Fair play to Gary, he was part of the Meath panel that won the All-Ireland. Hopefully it's over and done with now though and we can put it behind us for next year." And so it is that the club are now looking ahead to next year for a change in fortunes. The general feeling is that their stay in the junior ranks will be a brief one. For now they are still trying to pick up the pieces of the past 12 months, but the club have more than enough talent to put it right in 2004. Tweet

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