While two clubs, Trim and Kilmessan, are running neck and neck at the head of the Meath senior hurling roll of honour, Athboy are in third place with nine outright triumphs. However, they have not celebrated with the Jubilee Cup since the spring of 1973.

That was after defeating Kilmessan at Pairc Tailteann in the delayed 1972 final. That game is remembered as a thrilling encounter with Mattie Mullen playing a star role for the side in green. The Athboy club has experienced more downs than ups since the triumph of nearly 30 years ago.

The annexation of the 1972 SHC title completed the most successful period in Athboy's hurling history with five senior championships being gained in seven years. The 1966 success was the first for all of 37 years and then a three in a row was completed with victories in '67 and '68 before the crown was regained in 1970.

A few decades before that there were four outright successes back in the twenties, in 1923, '26, '28 and '29. When Meath won the county's first All-Ireland title in 1927, with a junior hurling triumph, Athboy had eight players on the winning squad with captain Larry 'Horse' Mitchell, Bob Collins, John 'Rack' Doherty, Martin Doherty, Tommy Carrigy, Seamus Finn, James White and Dinny Meagher the clubmen who figured in the success which was gained with a final victory over Galway in a replay.

Bob Collins, father of former All-Ireland referee and long serving Westmeath county secretary Paddy, was along with Ned Giles, grandfather of Trevor, one of Meath's first two Railway Cup hurlers, both being honoured in 1929.

Surnames like Carrigy, Doherty, Ennis and Mullen have been prominent in Athboy hurling successes down the decades, especially during the golden era between 1966 and '72. Those clans were well represented in the 2-7 to 0-7 victory over Kilmessan in March 1973 with Tommy Carrigy the last Athboy player to lift the Jubilee Cup.

The late Larry 'Lag' Mitchell, son of Meath's 1927 captain of the same name, was the main man behind the successes of that glorious period with Christy Kelly senior another key mentor.

Although it is seldom used, Athboy have O'Growney's remembering local hero Fr O'Growney in their title. It has been so since 1917. The club gave the O'Growney Cup to the County Board in 1933 and won the trophy themselves for the first time in 1964 when defeating Trim in the final at Pairc Tailteann.

Athboy's last appearance in the county SHC final was in 1987 when the side in green captained by Seamus Ennis lost out to Trim. David Martin was in goals in that decider when only 15 years old and other notables on the side included Christy Kelly junior, Andy Hayes, Brian Connor, Brendan McGovern and Martin Ennis. But they were unable to get their hands on the Jubilee Cup and the slump continued in the following decade.
They reached the nadir when neighbours Kildalkey beat them in a relegation play off, the result meaning that Athboy's first adult hurling side would be operating in a grade lower than senior for the first time since 1955.

In recent years Athboy have had more hurling downs than ups but they may be on the ascendancy following the intermediate triumph of last October and it has been suggested that they should be well able to hold their own on the return to senior ranks.

After being relegated from the top ranks by neighbours Kildalkey in the autumn of 2000, Athboy set their sights on getting back up as soon as possible. They would have been favourites in most followers' books but could hardly have got away to a worse start to the campaign.

"How the once proud kingpins of Meath hurling have fallen," stated a report of the first round defeat to Drumree as last year's beaten finalists scored a 3-9 to 0-9 victory at Boardsmill, having led by 3-6 to 0-6 at the interval.

John Doherty's charges recovered from that setback with victories over Kilskyre, Donaghmore and Na Fianna enabling them to qualify for another tilt with Drumree in a semi-final encounter. They did better than in the previous clash, drawing on a 1-12 to 2-9 scoreline before winning the replay by 2-7 to 2-5.

Gaeil Colmcille were already through to the final and that clash took place at Kilskyre on Sunday, September 16th when Athboy completed a speedy return to senior ranks with a 2-13 to 1-10 victory over their Kells opponents.

The men in green started that decider brightly when Matthew Mullen, son of the afore mentioned Mattie and a recent wearer of the green of his county, pointing them into an early lead which they did not subsequently concede.

Gary Mangan sent over seven points, six from frees, of the title winning total and the first three of the latter left Athboy leading by 0-4 to 0-1 at the end of the opening quarter. After 19 minutes John Doherty's side struck for their first goal with David Geraghty finishing to the net following a long range free by Mangan.

Points from Barry Higgins, Barry Doherty, Mangan and Paul Daly boosted Athboy into a healthy 1-9 to 0-3 advantage after 25 minutes and it was 1-9 to 1-4 at the interval.
The second half was a closer contest and although Mangan sent over three more scores, Gaeil Colmcille recovered further and got the deficit down to two points near the end. But Athboy finished the stronger with Geraghty shooting over the bar and Doherty getting the sliothar under it to complete the victors' tally.

Coincidentally two teams relegated from the respective senior ranks in 2000 both went back up at the first time of trying. Blackhall Gaels achieved the more difficult task but Athboy should be pleased at gaining promotion despite a couple of setbacks.

After being relegated, it was suggested that dropping down could be a blessing in disguise for Athboy and that being in the lower grade could give them the chance to develop a winning habit again.
The Athboy team and scorers in the IHC final: K. Leavy; O. McKenna, M. Kelly, V. Doyle; D. Wright, D. Heaney, R. Mullen; J. Shaw, B. Higgins (0-1); G. Mangan (0-7), D. Geraghty (1-1), P. Daly (0-2); B. Doherty (1-1), M. Mullen (1-1), T. Matthews. Sub - B. Heaney.

The unthinkable happened at the end of 2000, once mighty Athboy were relegated to hurlings intermediate zone. Were they destined for a long stay in the lower grades? An early hammering by Drumree suggested a stint in the doldrums but Athboy as if shocked by their lowly position got their act together and garned intermediate honours at the first time of asking.


The Wright Way

When Athboy captured the A FL Div. 4 title at the expense of Curraha at Simonstown on Sunday 4th November it proved a fitting reward for a season of hard work and honest endeavour. Half back David Wright reviewed the 1-8 to 1-5 win with John Loughran.

Beaten by Dunboyne in the Junior 'A' semi-final the previous year, Athboy by their own admission under performed in their championship campaign earlier in the year, failing to get out of a group including Meath Hill, Trim, Dunshaughlin, Kilbride and Dunboyne. However, they put together a good run in the league that saw them finishing runners up to Curraha, ensuring them a final appearance.

In the run-up to the final, there was an air of cautious optimism in the camp. David recalled: "I genuinely thought we were going to win. We had played them already in the league in Curraha and they beat us by a point on the day. We were absolutely atrocious that day, I knew we could perform better, so I knew we had the beating of them."

Curraha had annexed the Junior 'A' title the previous week when they overcame Wolfe Tones. "There was talk of them doing a treble - the championship, league and the Leinster Junior Club Championship, so we knew they were up for it. That gave us the impetus we needed to go out and beat them," he added.

Simonstown in north Navan proved an ideal venue for an eagerly contested final. Curraha were first out of the blocks and led 1-2 to 0-3 at the interval. Athboy's inability to turn good possession into scores proved to be their undoing in the first half.

It took Athboy 20 minutes to open their first half account when centre half back and captain Jamie Shaw finally got them off the mark. Pat Foy and Barry Higgins accounted for the other two points.
"We had the lions share of the possession but we hadn't put the scores on the board. Gary Woods missed a few frees in the first half and I was beginning to wonder was it going to be our day. Thankfully it came right for us in the second half and Gary did well in pointing his last three frees."
Shane Mc Anarney opened the winner's second half account to close the gap to the minimum and Gary Mangan hit the equaliser (1-2 to 0-5) half way through the third quarter.

Curraha showed the battling qualities that made them Junior 'A' champions the previous Sunday when they when pushed ahead again with a well taken point from Paul Hetherton. Woods, restored parity with a nicely struck free before Gerry Butler restored Curraha's lead. It was to prove the last time the Junior 'A' champions got there noses in front.

Trailing 1-4 to 0-6 at the end of the third quarter Athboy made the vital break through when Shane McAnarney finished to the net following a great move involving Pat Foy and Barry Higgins. The winners never looked back subsequently.

Woods went on to convert another two frees in the final 10 minutes, while Curraha could only manage a solitary point to leave McAnarney's goal separating the teams.
The Curraha team seemed to lose the plot in that 10 minute spell and three of their players Noel Keogh, Christopher Bermingham and Declan Hanley all received their marching orders from Simonstown referee Gerry McGivney for a variety of infringements.

David however, believes Athboy would have prevailed irrespective of the dismissals. "The more they had sent off, the worse we got, because we didn't know what to do with the extra men. We actually played better when they had 15 on the field. I don't think it was an advantage to us."

David thought the foundations for the victory were built on the performances of team captain Jamie Shaw and Barry Higgins. "Jamie and Barry were brilliant on the day. Barry missed a lot of the season through injury, and missed most of the championship and league. He is a great outlet in the full forward line. On the day he scored a point but he had a hand in most of our scores."

The victory represented the club's second outright league success, having captured Div. 5 in 1999. David believes the club is in good shape to launch an assault on Div. 3 next year. "Most of our lads are in their early 20's. There is a good mix of teams in Div. 3 and we can only benefit from the experience. Wolfe Tones got out of this division last year and they were in the Junior final this year and in the shake-in for Div. 3 honours. We feel we can do equally as well."

Buoyed by their league victory Athboy are looking forward to rubbing shoulders with some of the big guns in Div.3 in 2002 and a strong showing in the Junior 'A' championship. They certainly have the talent to make a big impression.

Athboy - P Flood; A Farrell, D McLoughlin, P Ennis; D Wright, J Shaw 0-1, K Leavy; T Hanley, D Heaney; G Woods 0-3, P Foy 0-1, S McAnarney 1-1, B Higgins 0-1, G Mangan 0-1, M Priest.

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