It has been seven years since Kilskyre last played in the senior hurling championship and although they were beaten in this year's intermediate final by Wolfe Tones, it may not be too long before this young side are back among the senior ranks. Atrocious weather conditions were to attribute to the downfall of the men from north Meath in this year's final against an experienced Wolfe Tones side on a low scoreline of 1-03 to 2-02. On the same day many county finals around the country were postponed due to the torrential rain that fell and how Kilskyre would have wished for the same. Having played Tones twice in earlier rounds of the championship, winning and drawing against them, Kilskyre would have been quietly confident of claiming the intermediate title for the first time since 1994. The conditions on the day did not suit the young Kilskyre forwards, who on a dry day would are at their most potent. For this year's campaign, Dunderry clubman Eamon 'Ned' Howley was handed the reigns as team manager and the benefits of his experience was to bear fruit almost immediately with James Reilly and Gene Tunney as his selectors. Kilskyre's first championship match was played in early April, and although it was thought that Drumree would offer a stern test, it was not to be as Howley's men ran out convincing winners 4-7 to 1-6. Veteran Francis Tunney showing his penalty taking skills by grabbing two goals. Next up was the first of their three meetings with Wolfe Tones, which was also played in wet conditions and a game Kilskyre will feel they should have won, but they had to settle for a draw after Tones scored a fortunate goal, 0-6 to 1-3. The only blip in the group stages came about when Na Fianna was the opposition and although Kilskyre registered 2-8, none of the team could be happy with their lack lustre performance as Na Fianna won by the narrowest of margins. There was then a seven week break before their next championship match, as football in the area took over, and many thought that all Kilskyre's early efforts could have gone to waste. Everybody was proven wrong as they totally outplayed their rivals and neighbours Kells to run out convincing winners 2-12 to 1-6. Just twelve months earlier the rolls had been reversed as Kells had given Kilskyre one of their heaviest beatings in recent years. Following this win there was a new sense of belief in the players and although they only had two points to spare against last year's junior champions Killyon, in their next match Donaghmore/Ashbourne were convincingly defeated by eleven points, with county minor Padraig Muldoon, Ronan McGuinness and Peadar Byrne shooting some excellent points. The second chapter of the trilogy with Wolfe Tones was in a play-off, with the winners going straight through to the final and the losers facing Kells for the right to meet Kilskyre in the decider. On Saturday evening September 29, Kilskyre arguably gave their best performance of the year, when they rattled into the Kilberry side from the start and totally dominated their opponents throughout, eventually winning by five points, 1-10 to 2-2. Indeed the scoreline flattered Wolfe Tones somewhat as they were outplayed all over the field. Former Meath footballer Jody Devine gave an exhibition at centre-back, scoring four points and he was ably assisted by the full-back line of Donie Geraghty, Barry Smith and captain Philly Fox. The forwards once again scored some excellent points with Ronan McGuinness leading they way with some penetrative runs in to the heart of the Tones defence. The final itself was fixed for Sunday October 20 in Athboy and Tones once again were to be the opposition. Confidence was high in the Kilskyre camp as they went about their preparations quietly. Ned Howley had his side fitter than they ever had been and after playing more challenge matches and having more training sessions than previous years, everything was set. Kilskyre suffered their first blow when influential midfielder Peadar Byrne was ruled out for the match with a knee injury and then on the morning of the final, torrential rain put the fixture in doubt. The game itself went ahead and Kilskyre elected to play with the wind in the first half. This move looked to have worked as the Tones defence was under severe pressure in the opening minutes, but for all their possession, Kilskyre did not register their first score until midway through the first half, when Padraig Muldoon pointed a free, after Ronan McGuinness had been fouled. Tones then got on the scoresheet when Robert O'Kelly-Lynch also pointed a free. Kilskyre had a number of wides before the industrious McGuinness scored from long range, before full-forward Paddy Nugent slotted over the third to leave the half time scoreline 0-3 to 0-1. After a lengthy half-time break, Wolfe Tones emerged with a change of jerseys and their fortunes were also about to change, when from the throw-in, speedy corner-forward Alan Fox got in behind the Kilskyre, only to be brought down in the small square. O'Kelly-Lynch struck the resultant penalty low and hard, but 16-year-old keeper Derek Muldoon saved well and cleared up field. Tones kept up the pressure and Meath footballer Donal Curtis scored his side's first point from play after twelve minutes of the second half. Their experience was beginning to show and it was the turn of the Kilskyre defence to come under pressure, with Barry Smith and Niall Geraghty commanding in their respective positions, then a free from Tones Tom McKeown was dropped in to the Kilskyre goalmouth, where O'Kelly-Lynch was on hand to make amends for his penalty miss. At this stage it was expected Kilskyre's inexperience would cause them to drop their heads - not to be the case as a minute a terrific Alan Smith run resulted in Padraig Muldoon finishing to the net from close range, and give them a one point lead with 10 minutes to go. With the underfoot conditions getting heavier as time wore on, it was the Kilberry side who got the vital score as sub Rory Glennon rifled home an unstoppable shot after John Curtis had laid on the pass. Despite keeping the sliothar in the tones half of the field for the remainder of the game, Kilskyre could not get the vital scores and it just wasn't to be for this year, although they may not have to wait another seven years until the make the breakthrough. Kilskyre team and scorers: D. Muldoon, D. Geraghty, B Smith, P fox, M Owens, J. Devine, N Geraghty, F Higgins, S Byrne, F Tunney, T. Nugent, R. McGuinness (0-1), P. Muldoon (1-1), P. Nugent (0-1), A. Smith. Subs: K. Devine for F Higgins and T. Fagan for F. Tunney. Kilskyre's progression to the final was mostly the result of hard work by the team management and the players, but also an underage structure that has been put in place in recent years. A number of player's who were on the victorious Under-16 team that won their respective championship in 2000, played in this year's intermediate final which included Derek Muldoon, Niall Geraghty and Padraig Muldoon, while Terence Fagan, Cillian Porter and Philip Davis were among the subs. Under the guidance of Paddy Muldoon, Donie Geraghty and Mark Owens, Kilskyre underage hurling is going from strength to strength. Along with under-21's Peadar Byrne, Alan Smith, Ronan McGuinness and Paddy Nugent and the more experienced Barry Smith, Donie Geraghty, Seamus Byrne and Jody Devine, Kilskyre have the pedigree to reach senior status in the next couple of years. Tweet

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