New kids on the block
December 31, 2000
Na Fianna were the new kids on the block in 2000 and their performances in both the football and hurling championships proves that the decision of the Enfield and Baconstown clubs to join forces was an inspired one. The south Meath club has the potential to become a major power in Royal County GAA circles in the coming years.
Sometime in the future, some member of the Na Fianna club, with plenty of spare time on his or her hands, will sit down and attempt to compile a history of the club.
The events of late 1999 and early 2000, when negotiations between officials of the Enfield and Baconstown clubs resulted in the two clubs joining forces, will be the contents of the opening chapters.
The amalgamation came about after weeks of discussions between both clubs, a consensus was comprehensively reached at separate extraordinary general meetings which were held simultaneously and the new club was officially registered with the Meath Co Board on Monday, January 10th.
The committee elected to guide the newly formed club through its inaugural year was: Tom Curran, John McCloskey, Tony Healy, Marie Healy, Martin Flynn, Martin Hanley, Paul Hanley, Diarmuid Fagan, Peter Coleman, Mervyn Heffernan, Ollie Greville, Damien Griffin, Charlie Flattery, Jim Barrett, Pat McMahon, Declan McCormack, Jim Queeney, James McNally, Bernard O'Rafferty, Joe Murphy.
Often, in situations like this when clubs come together you hear stories of internal rivalry between members of the respective clubs, but certainly, from an outsiders perspective, the coming together of these two clubs appears to have been a smooth one. Na Fianna's performances on the playing fields during 2000 fully justified the amalgamation and proved any doubters that existed wrong.
Johnstownbridge in Kildare was the unlikely setting for the club's first competitive game, an ACFL Division 4 clash against St Mary's. The game was originally fixed for Rathmolyon, but was switched to the Kildare venue on the morning of the game.
Na Fianna 0-12, St Mary's 1-9 was how it finished up but the newly formed club were left kicking themselves after squandering a five point lead they held with just four minutes remaining and really should have held on.
Ronan McMahon, who finished with a personal tally of 0-8, Gene Greville, Martin Flynn, Jason Hendrick and Paul Hanley impressed for the team in yellow and black.
The Na Fianna team was on duty that day was: V Devane; F Foran, G Greville, T Healy; T Cosgrave, M Flynn, H Dorgan; J Hendrick, M Heffernan; A Clinton (0-2), D Griffin (0-1), R McMahon (0-8); B Hyland (0-1), P Hanley, G Cole.
Subs - M Dixon for Cosgrave, F Fagan for Dorgan, C Loughlin for Cole.
The club's first competitive win arrived a couple of weeks later in the ACFL 'B' FL Division 3 competition against Ballinlough. 1-9 to 1-4 was how that game finished up.
That team was: N Slattery; A Hosey, F Fagan, T Healy; C McMahon, M Dixon, H Dargan; S Martin (0-2), F Clinton; B O'Connell, M Hendrick, T Cosgrave (0-1); R Fitzgerald (0-5), C Loughlin (0-1), G Cole (1-0).
Subs - D Ryan for F Clinton, A Doherty for O'Connell, B Dunne for Hosey.
With a good start in the league under their belt - they drew their first two and won their third - the Na Fianna players, management and supporters switched their attention to the IFC and confidence was high as they approached their first round encounter with Rathkenny.
The confidence proved to be well placed but not even the most optimistic of Na Fianna gaels could have predicted what was to unfold at Dunderry on Sunday April 2nd. The scoreboard read 5-12 to 0-10 - in Na Fianna's favour of course! - as the newly formed amalgamation announced their arrival on the Meath GAA scene with a loud bang.
The paper headlines read: 'Na Fianna turn on style in IFC debut' and 'Great opening for Na Fianna'.
Full-forward Paul Hanley was the hero of the hour as he hit a personal tally of 2-6. His first half goal and a second from Charlie Loughlin helped establish a 2-5 to 0-4 interval lead.
Early second half goals from Hanley and Ronan McMahon killed off the game as a contest. The fifth goal was an OG with a Rathkenny defender fisting the ball into his own net.
Apart from Hanley, Damien Griffin, Gene Greville, Jason Hendrick, Martin Flynn and McMahon caught the eye for the winners.
A 2-11 to 1-9 second round victory over 1999 Meath JFC champions St Paul's proved that the first round win was no fluke but Slane brought Na Fianna's winning sequence to an end in the next game when getting the better of them by 2-10 to 2-8 at Dunsany.
Na Fianna bounced back when grabbing maximum points against Bective but their Intermediate ambitions came to an end with subsequent defeats at the hands of St Colmcille's and eventual champions St Patrick's.
While obviously disappointed at failing to qualify for the knock-out stages, members of the newly-formed club can derive much satisfaction from their debut season in the IFC and there was plenty of encouraging signs to suggest that they can land the Mattie McDonnell Cup in the not too distant future.
On the hurling front, Na Fianna also made a big impression in their first championship game against Athboy. Longwood was the venue as they overcame Athboy by 0-7 to 0-2 in the IHC after leading by 0-4 to 0-2 at the break.
The Na Fianna hurling team which was on duty against Athboy was; A Kirby; D Heffernan, D Flynn, T Healy; C Flynn, F Fagan (0-1), A Doherty; M Flynn, G Flynn; A Clinton, F Hennessy (0-3), S Kirby; O Reilly, M Dixon (0-2), D Doherty.
Subs - D Gorman (0-1) for Reilly, D Boggan for Kirby.
Unfortunately, the wheels of Na Fianna's bid for IHC honours came undone at the semi-final stage when they lost out to Drumree on a scoreline of 1-8 to 1-5 at Longwood in October.
There's always next year though . . .
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