The Mill grind out minor success
December 31, 2001
2001 marked only the second time that Boardsmill fielded a football team at minor level. However, such is the talent being nurtured at underage level within the club that many more landmark achievements - like the club's minor title success - are doubtless just around the corner.
Ever tried pushing water up a hill with your nose? Been at the coalface of underage hurling in Portstewart in your time or maybe you're a committed gaelgoir living in Harlem ? If so, then the promotion of football in Boardsmill is just the challenge for you!
Boardsmill is to football in Meath what Mullahoran in Co. Cavan is to hurling. Outposts of the game but passionate and proud gaeldoms nonetheless. When it comes to establishing roots for the respective so-called 'minority' games in their locales, the gaels of Boardsmill et al certainly do wear their hearts on their sleeves.
Take Des Hamilton for example. Forget about the fact that he's one of Boardsmill's healthy crop of blow-ins. The day he 'married into' Boardsmill was a good day for the GAA club there.
The Dublin Airport-based gael is a stout disciple of the game of Gaelic football. He lives in Boardsmill and, against all the odds, he is not alone engineering sound foundations for the development of the big ball game in his adopted homeplace, he has successfully made the winners' enclosure with his young charges.
Of all the stories that make up another exciting year for the GAA in Meath, the achievement by Boardsmill in winning Minor Football League Division Four title takes some beating. In fact, as they say around Trim and its environs, you couldn't beat it with a big stick!
For years and years, it appeared that nobody in Boardsmill took football seriously. Poor relation? More like impoverished. It needed not so much a leg-up as a 40 foot ladder to keep its head above water. The club's minor footballers surprised everyone in the Royal County with a swimmingly good campaign in 2001 - so good, in fact, that they're probably still floating on air down Kildare way!
The successful Boardsmill minor squad didn't emerge out of thin air. Instead, like most award-winning teenagers, they were fastidious in learning the rudiments of the big ball game in the company of Des Hamilton and Michael Leonard from under 12 upwards. Their title-winning exploits in 2001 was the culmination of their attention to detail.
"I couldn't begin to describe how easily managed these fellas have been and how keen they are on learning the game and improving their skills.
"I'd love to see them sticking together as a group of footballers because I have great faith in their potential to go on win things at other grades in the years ahead.
"There is a great spirit among this particular group of lads and I've no doubt that if they keep at it they can see to it that the club is playing at intermediate level in the next couple of years," Des enthuses.
As it stands about four of the outgoing minor players are plying their skills at junior C level with Boardsmill so the prospect of more of the Class of 2001 graduating to take their place on Boardsmill's premier team is pretty high. And as the outgoing boss of the club's junior C team, Des is well positioned to analyse the relative talents of those operating at adult level.
"I'd say at least six of the minors will be ready to play with the juniors in 2002. The fellas at the club have been knocking on the door at under 13, 14 and 16 levels over the last few years and it is right to expect that these lads will continue to improve and do well in the future.
"In 2001, for instance, four of the minors featured on the club's junior C side which beat Ballivor and Summerhill. That's a sign of progress if ever there was."
Needless to say, Des - involved with the underage football brigade in Boardsmill since 1995 when he oversaw under 12 affairs - says that he was confident of giving the minor title race in 2001 a good run for it. The pedigree of the players at under 14 and 16 levels over the last couple of years ordained as much.
The outgoing minor team, after all, had lifted the under 14 division four title in 1997 - the club's first ever underage football success.
"Things hadn't looked that rosy a couple of years before that though. I remember us getting hockeyed at under 12 level by the likes of Summerhill. At different times, I felt it necessary to ring up the opposing team manager and ask him to go easy on us because our lads just weren't up to it at that point.
"To be honest, in those years I was getting disheartened with all the heavy defeats at under 12 level and it was the players who kept me going with their enthusiasm, spirit and determination.
"For ones so young, the lads showed tremendous pride in playing for Boardsmill and a great sense of self-belief, especially as the team improved over the years. They believed they could beat anyone.
"As the years went on, it became obvious to me that these fellas didn't fear any team and they didn't feel in awe of any other club. But they deserve all the success they have achieved because they have worked so hard," adds Des who trained the Meath team to win the under 14 provincial title and Fr. Bannon Cup three years ago.
The quality of the stuff included in Boardsmill's up and coming breed of starlets was not to be sneered at by any of the county's more vaunted outfits as the erstwhile outgunned under 12 crew matured and improved its football nous.
For instance, Des's son Keith was a member of the 2001 county minor panel which lost out to Kildare in the Leinster Championship while Eoin Dunne and Stephen O'Toole featured prominently in the county under 16 team. Meanwhile, Ian Darby has experience of county under 14 and 15 levels.
Indeed, the perception was around the county that Boardsmill would be the team all others would have to beat if they were to win the minor division four title in 2001. Some clubs felt that the Hamilton/Leonard-trained crew were even fit for division three fare.
Boardsmill's minor panel improved at each hurdle they were asked to vault during the year. In the semi-final against Slane, the winners-elect produced a workmanlike, efficient display which saw them comfortably book their place in the county decider.
The fact that Boardsmill drew earlier in the season with Athboy/Bective suggested that the minor final was going to be an equally close affair but that's not the way things panned out on the day.
Very strong in the central roles, Boardsmill had, in the words of Des, "only played as well as they had to in the previous rounds" so the question of how much the team had left in the tank was a moot one.
Married to Anne Hamilton (nee Daly) - a daughter of former All-Ireland athletic winning champion Larry Daly - Des says that the team's gameplan for the final worked to a tee. Their fast, direct football worked the oracle even if the first 15 minutes of the game was a bit scary for the mentors and fans.
"They were very dangerous in the full-forward line in the early stages of the first half even though we had a fairly good start to the game overall.
"The lads settled quickly though after those early, anxious minutes and they ended up dictating the pace for the rest of the game," Des recalls.
Bective's early two point lead created a false type of scenario as Boardsmill gradually got into their stride. By half-time, the winners-elect edged into a 0-6 to 0-4 lead and were already eyeing the winning post.
On the restart, Boardsmill were a different proposition and their sharpness and opportunism in front of goal was particularly pronounced.
The amalgam soon began to struggle to stick with the new kids on the block. Boardsmill showed a tremendous hunger to succeed and duly capitalised on a number of defensive errors on the part of Athboy/Bective to take full command.
With great ambition and skill, Boardsmill headed for the winners' enclosure and well-taken goals from David Farrell (two), Sean Reilly and Keith Hamilton were more than enough to seal an impressive victory for Boardsmill. Indeed, the final score of Boardsmill 4-12 Athboy/Bective 1-5 just about reflected the difference in class between the sides on the day.
Team-manager Hamilton agrees that it was as good a day as could have been expected:
"A tremendous game for us. I was delighted for all the lads and the club 'cause it was a great boost for football in Boardsmill.
"All the players deserved their rewards - they put in a lot of work during the year and proved themselves to be the best side in the competition.
"You can't beat winning to keep things going and winning the minor title will help keep these fellas together for the under 21 and Junior C battles ahead," Des concludes.
For the record, the all-conquering Boardsmill team and subs that did duty against Athboy/Bective was as follows:
J. Fay; I. Darby, P. Dunne; S. O'Toole, E. Dunne (0-2), C. Leonard; S. Reilly (1-0), A. Eivers; K. Hamilton (1-6), F. Ennis, R. Guy; R. Cribbin (0-2), D. Farrell (2-1).
Subs; J. Doran for Dunne; P. McLoughlin (0-1) for Ennis; K. McEvoy for Cribbin; P. Carass for Guy.
Junior 'B' crown for the ladies
Boardsmill were first to score in this match with a well-taken goal from Sinead Burke in the eighth minute which was followed with a fine point also from the same player. Michelle Doyle further enhanced Boardsmill lead with a great point. Royal Gaels opened their scoring on the 13th minute with a point followed with a goal two minutes later and a further point on the 17th minute to see the sides level. Michelle Doyle put Boardsmill back in the lead with a point on the stroke of half time and Royal Gaels replied with a goal to leave the sides - Boardsmill 1-3 - Royal Gaels 2-2 at the interval.
In the second half Royal Gaels were first to score with a goal but this was their last score of the half. Sinead Burke again opened Boardsmill scoring with a point on the 14th minute, followed with a Caroline O'Brien point on the 20th minute. Michelle Doyle then drew the match for Boardsmill with a goal from a penalty in the last minute to see the sides level at full time - Boardsmill 2-5 - Royal Gaels 3-2.
Extra time was then played (15 mins a side)
Royal Gaels started the strongest in the first half of extra time and scored 1-2 within the first three minutes. Two points from Michelle Doyle and a point from Karla O'Brien within the next seven minutes got Boardsmill going again. Royal Gaels scored another point before half time - half time at extra time - Boardsmill 2-8 - Royal Gaels 4-5.
The second half of extra time saw Boardsmill again take control and whilst keeping Royal Gaels scoreless for the entire 15 minutes. A cracking goal from Aoife Guy in the first minute and two points from Michelle Doyle saw Boardsmill very worthy winners on a full time score of Boardsmill 3-10 - Royal Gaels 4-5.
This was a brilliant game of football played in very wet conditions, but nothing dampened the spirits of both teams who served up some brilliant football.
Boardsmill team and scorers:
E Flynn, L Darby, M Doran, R McLoughlin, C Dempsey, S Rattigan, S McLoughlin, Aoife Guy 1-0, B Guy, E Guy, P Guy, M Guy, Michelle Doyle 1-6, S Hannon, Sinead Burke 1-2. Subs: Caroline O'Brien 0-1 for S Hannon, Karla O'Brien 0-1 for S Burke, Sinead Burke for E Guy.
County Board Chairperson Geraldine Sheridan presented the cup to Brid Guy.
Player of the Match was awarded to Ciara Dempsey who had a fantastic game. Others to perform well were Mary Doran, Laura Darby, Michelle Guy, Sinead McLoughlin and captain Bríd Guy. Of course, Michelle Doyle and Sinéad Burke were on fine up front for Boardsmill.
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