For the first time in nearly a decade, Clonard fielded under 10 and under 12 teams last season. Declan Twomey, who was junior 'B' team player/manager, gives the lowdown on happenings in the south county club. For the first time in six years, Clonard failed to qualify for the knock-out stages of the junior 'B' Football Championship. Finalists in 1996 and '98 and unlucky losers to Kilmainham in the semi-final of 2000, the tiny south county outfit managed just one win from four championship outings last season. Supporters have come to expect better but according to junior team player/manager Declan Twomey, emigration, retirements and injuries combined to make it a miserable season. "We were bitterly disappointed with the way things turned out but it wasn't entirely unexpected," he explains. "We simply lost too many players from the previous year and a small club such as ourselves can't afford to lose anyone. We made a good start to the championship but then we suffered a bad defeat to Summerhill and things started to go downhill from then onwards." Clonard's list of absentees in 2001 was almost frightening. Tony Roche, Padraig Donlon and Padraig Rafferty all emigrated to Australia while hurling commitments ruled out Mark Gannon and Thomas Duignan. Long-serving goalkeeper Peadar Donlon retired while Eamon Campbell missed the entire year through injury. Another key player, Alan Campbell, was more often than not unavailable due to his commitments as a news reporter with TV3. "It was a nightmare year really," notes Twomey, who was assisted in his managerial duties by Peter Darby and former Westmeath player Christy McNevin. "We lost nearly half our team and the replacements just weren't there. Nick Egan did transfer to us from Ferbane in Offaly and he proved to be a great asset. He showed tremendous interest, something which unfortunately hasn't always been evident in Clonard." The blue and golds made an ideal start to their championship campaign, defeating Rathkenny by a comfortable margin in Athboy. However, things started to go horribly wrong after they suffered a devastating 2-7 to 0-1 defeat to Summerhill in the next round. They produced a spirited performance against Walterstown at Dunsany but still ended up losing. Defeat was once again Clonard's lot in their fourth outing against the Enfield, Baconstown and Rathmolyon amalgamation, Na Fianna. Clonard conceded a walkover to St. Pat's in the final round, a game which had strangely been fixed for the morning of the Leinster final between Meath and Dublin. The consistency which had brought Clonard to the brink of Junior 'B' Championship success in the previous five years had sadly been missing last season. In 1996, they qualified for the final but lost to Seneschalstown. The following year, Curraha edged them out in the semi-final while Trim inflicted further heartbreak on them in the 1998 decider. Then in '99, they went one step back again, losing to Walterstown at the penultimate round stage. In 2000, Kilmainham ended their interest, again in the semi-finals. As for the league last year, Clonard fared reasonably well, beating the likes of Gaelteacht and drawing with Boardsmill. According to Twomey, it was the sort of year when losing games by slender margins became something of a habit. "Even though we were short so many players, we competed well against most teams. In both the league and championship, we lost games we could just as easily have won. Next year we hope to turn those one-point defeats into one-point victories." Undoubtedly the most positive development in Clonard GAA over the past 12 months has been the revival of the club's underage section. For nearly a decade, Clonard's numbers were so small that they needed to combine with Ballinabrackey to field underage teams. This continues to be the case at under 14, under 16 and minor level but in the under 10 and under 12 grades, Clonard now go it alone. "It's a great boost to the club to have our own under 10 and under 12 teams," Declan says. "Our chairman Joe Gannon is over both teams and the work he has put in has been tremendous. One night, he had 37 youngsters at training which is incredible for Clonard." The under 10 team competed in a county board blitz and recorded wins over Athboy and Ballinbrackey to name but two. The under 12 team, which comprised largely of under 10 players, also enjoyed a successful year. "The large number of new families who have settled in the area have made it possible for us to field underage teams again. A lot of the families have come from Dublin and have been delighted to get involved. Hopefully, we'll be able to keep the young players together and have a successful adult team in a few years' time." Members of this year's Clonard/Ballinabrackey under 16 side are expected to graduate to the junior side in the more immediate future. This team had a great year, qualifying for the semi-finals of the Division 3 league where they lost to Longwood. Two members of that team - David Rowley and Aidan Lacey - were part of the Meath panel which played in the Gerry Reilly tournament. While 2001 will be regarded as a disappointing year, Clonard and Declan Twomey are hopeful of an improved showing next season. "If we can get a few of the lads back that were missing this year, I think we'll go close to winning either the championship or league. We haven't won a Junior 'B' Championship title since 1971 and if we could end that drought next year, it would give everyone a huge lift," he concludes. Tweet

Most Read Stories