Football people in the Bohermeen/Martry area are united as one happy family following the Junior Football Championship triumph by St. Ultan's last September. The success was achieved 12 months after the club was relegated from intermediate ranks and for older supporters, revived memories of the outright victories in the same competition by Martry and Bohermeen in 1964 and '65 respectively. For many years there was a very keen rivalry between the wearers of the black and amber and the green and red. That reached a pinnacle when they met at the semi-final stage of the 1972 IFC, a game which Martry won narrowly at Kells before losing to an emerging Summerhill in the title decider. The following year Bohermeen captured the intermediate honours with a thrilling final victory over Moylagh and in 1974 they reached the SFC decider but lost by two points to Summerhill, who were lifting the Keegan Cup for the first of four years, in succession. Shortly after that Bohermeen and Martry amalgamated with the Harps suffix being added and they reached the SFC semi-final stage in 1975 only to lose narrowly to Navan O'Mahonys. With footballers of the calibre of Ken and Dermie Rennicks, Dessie Murtagh, Liam Brady, Jim Kavanagh, Sean Bennett and John Daly, it was disappointing that the Keegan Cup was not feted in the Silver Tankard and McHugh's. With the Bohermeen and Martry clubs being revived, the Harps marriage was less than happy by times and failed to last as the present St. Ultan's club was formed in 1991 with Peter Marley the first chairman, Liam Brady the vice-chairman and Dessie Rogers the secretary. The first team in the green and black jerseys have been playing in the intermediate grade for nine of the last ten years. The first ever title came to the St. Ultan's club in April 1994 when they defeated Summerhill by 2-10 to 2-9 in the '93 Special Under 21 final at Kilmessan. The St. Ultan's team in that final was : D Ball, J Bennett, P Travers, P Monaghan, C Murray, M Sweeney, J Brennan, A Donaghy, S Martin, S Yore, S Kavanagh, D Brady, J Travers. Subs: A Coffey for Donaghy, D Fay for Monaghan, A Doherty for Brennan. Justin Travers scored 1-8 in that game with his eighth point proving a winning score. In 1998 St.Ultan's reached the Junior C FC final only to lose to parish rivals Cortown by the minimum margin, 0-8 to 1-6 at Kells. Four of that side, Thomas Coyne, Gary Rogers, Gerry Brennan and Conor Martin, figured against Dunboyne last autumn. Although Ultan's struggled in the intermediate grade in latter years, chairman Liam Brady felt they were unlucky with the draw and some narrow defeats in 1999 and were not among the two worst teams in the grade - St. Brigid's were also relegated with them. They had given a good account of themselves against sides like eventual winners Syddan, Ballivor and Drumconrath. That was Colm Coyle's first year at the helm and the fact that the former county star was still a player with Seneschalstown meant that he was unable to give as much a commitment as in 2000 when he was on both sides of the touchline for St. Ultan's. "I brought you down and I'll bring you back up" were Coyle's words about the predicament while Brady remarked that one step backward was taken before two forward ones were made. "Maybe it was the type of jolt that the players needed and it helped them to develop a more positive attitude" the Chairman added. "Nobody in the club blamed Colm for being relegated. He has given the club a big lift, being a great asset both on and off the pitch. Being in junior ranks helped the lads to get back the winning feeling and there was a more positive attitude last year with better attendances at training" Liam said. The St. Ultan's club has two playing pitches, Coogan Park, Martry and Newman Park, Bohermeen. The facilities at the latter ground have been improved considerably with a modern, new building including dressing rooms and showers. With a number of under age and women's teams to cater for, the two pitches are in constant use for games and training. Sean Newman Park, named in honour of a famous Bohermeen and Meath captain in the early years of the century and County Board chairman in the '20s and '30s, was the training venue for the local club's junior footballers from January well into the autumn. Trim provided the first round opposition in Athboy as St. Ultan's kicked off their JFC bid on May 14th. Coyle made his championship debut with his new club at centre half forward and scored a point. It was a comfortable start to the campaign with a 3-5 to 1-3 interval lead being held at the break and Alan Ball helping himself to 2-3 over the hour. As well as the second sides of senior clubs Trim and Syddan, Ultan's had 1999 beaten finalists Moylagh, St. Mary's who had been there or thereabouts in the competition over the last few years, and neighbours Wolfe Tones in their division. St. Mary's provided the opposition in the second round at Kilberry on the evening before Meath's Leinster championship crash to Offaly and Coyle's charges turned on the style in an impressive 0-19 to 1-10 victory. The championship challenge was gaining momentum and a 2-14 to 1-8 success was gained over Wolfe Tones in Athboy despite the fact that Coyle was unable to play because of an injury. Alan Ball again took the scoring plaudits with 2-6 while Gary Rogers sent over five points. The sides were level with ten minutes to go before Ultan's finished strongly with 1-7 to a point. 'Ultan's Maintain Winning Streak' read one newspaper headline after the 2-8 to 2-4 victory over Moylagh in Kells. With Syddan later giving them a walk over, that victory put the men in green and black safely through to the last eight of the JFC. All the goals came in the second half after the north county outfit had trailed by 0-3 to 0-4 at the break and Thomas Coyne and Eddie Ball netted the winners' goals. Ratoath provided the quarter-final opposition and Alan Ball scored 2-3 as his side progressed with a decisive 2-8 to 0-6 victory at Walterstown. The first goal came after 15 minutes with Coyle providing the pass for the corner forward, who soloed in before unleashing a shot to the roof of the net. It was 1-4 to 0-2 at the break and then points from Coyle, Thomas Coyne and Ball soon after the restart put Ultan's well in control. Then Ball put the icing on the cake with his second goal. Ballinabrackey gave St. Ultan's their closest call in the semi-final at Trim which finished with the scoreboard reading 0-10 to 0-9. With seven minutes remaining the team from the Offaly border led by 0-9 to 0-5 before their opponents staged a strong late recovery. "St. Ultan's Perform The Great Escape' proclaimed another heading after points from Gary Rogers, Tommy Allen, Alan Ball, Rogers again and a late winner from substitute Conor Martin enabled them to squeeze through to meet Dunboyne in the final. After a whirlwind start which yielded four points in the opening four minutes, Ultan's only managed one more score until coming to life again as that late flourish stunned their opponents. Before the 2000 Meath JFC final much was made of the fact that former Meath colleagues Colm Coyle and Brendan Reilly would be in opposite 'corners'. Reilly scored 3-30 on the way to the decider but only managed to add a single point and was dismissed in the second half. Coyle did not start but joined the fray after 24 minutes and made his presence felt around the midfield and half forward areas, winning a lot of valuable possession and spraying out a number of well placed passes as his side went on to record a decisive 1-11 to 0-6 victory. While the game was disappointing for neutrals and Dunboyne, it was a great day for St. Ultan's with a first championship title for one of the county's youngest clubs being annexed in style. One of the main talking points afterwards was a cheeky goal scored by Alan Ball after 20 minutes. The score revived memories of Mikey Sheehy's famous goal at the expense of Paddy Cullen in the late '70s. After Gerry Brennan was fouled most expected the number 13 to take a point but instead he blasted the ball to the bottom right corner of the net. That put Ultan's 1-3 to 0-3 to the good and after the deficit was brought down to the minimum, three well struck frees by Gary Rogers left the board reading 1-6 to 0-5 at the interval. County under 21 player Colm Travers captained the team and led by example with an inspiring display. That included some spectacular catches, a number of effective passes and one admirably brave block. Another to catch the eye was full back Eddie Casserly, who snuffed out danger man Reilly to a large extent. Early in the second half Brian Mulroe, who was dismissed with opposing 'keeper Ian Hughes at the end, and Tommy Allen shot points as the advantage was built on. Full forward Thomas Coyne kicked the best point of the game and at the opposite end David Ball brought off a brilliant double save. The team which won the Matthew Ginnity Cup for St. Ultan's was: David Ball, Paudie Travers, Eddie Casserly, John Bennett, Seamus Martin, Shea McLoughlin, Barry Clarke, Colm Travers, Brian Mulroe, Tommy Allen, Gerry Brennan, Gary Rogers, Alan Ball, Thomas Coyne, Eddie Ball. Subs: Colm Coyle for Bennett, Conor Martin for Allen. Selectors were Peter Marley, Vincent Rennicks and Pat English plus Coyle. As well as gaining outright honours in the JFC, St. Ultan's also reached the last four in the Junior C FC where they lost to Navan O'Mahonys. That side included David Fay, Ciaran Timmons, Martin Gorman, Gavin Geraghty and David Brady all of whom were members of the successful junior squad. With two teams still in championship into the Autumn, the Newman Park pitch was well populated at training sessions. Those going through their paces included long serving C players, goalkeeper Patrick Kavanagh and full forward Paul Murray. The latter had a son of the same name on the winning squad and the pair figured in attack in some games during the year. After ousting Dunsany and Dunboyne in knock out games, O'Mahonys proved too good for Ultan's on a 0-14 to 0-8 scoreline. Midfielder Neil Burke sent over five of the losers points in that outing as hopes of a double success were dashed. Chairman Liam Brady remarked that the run by the junior C team was very pleasing, adding that there were some good young lads coming through. Players like Eugene Geraghty, Gavin Geraghty, Paul Murray and Alan Martin were part of an under 15 success just two years earlier. The St. Ultan's junior C team which bowed out at the semi-final stage was: Patrick Kavanagh, Padraig Coyne, David Fay, Ciaran Timmons, Shane Kavanagh, Martin Gorman, Gavin Geraghty, Alan Rogers, Neil Burke, Richie Farnan, David Brady, Kevin Rogers, Cian Rennicks, Paul Murray senior, Alan Martin. Sub - Robert Ball for Coyne. Not surprisingly, Liam Brady described 2000 as the best year since the St. Ultan's club was founded. But he does not expect the players to rest on their laurels, remarking "we won't be thinking in terms of just competing in the intermediate, we will be going all out to win it." While Colm Coyle will be missed as a coach following his 'promotion' to the role of a Meath senior selector, he could continue playing with his adopted club. The junior triumph should give the footballers in green and black the confidence to mount a stronger challenge in the IFC in the coming months. Tweet

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