Mickey Reilly has been a driving force behind Kilskyre since the club was revived nearly 40 years ago. Here, he talks to us about his lifelong involvement in Kilskyre and the club's unlucky defeat in the recent intermediate hurling decider. For almost half a century now, Mickey Reilly has been a dedicated member of Kilskyre. An individual who served as club secretary prior to Kilskrye's disbandment in 1955, Reilly was a central figure in the club's revival five years later and has been a real driving force ever since. Mickey's family is steeped in hurling tradition. His father James, the team captain, played in the senior hurling championship final of 1916, a game which Kilskyre lost to Trim. In 1945, his brother Peadar captained Kilskyre to their first junior championship success. Given his background, it was inevitable that Mickey would become involved in hurling in some capacity or another. That '45 winning team read: John Reilly, John Smith, Pat Farrell, Jim Kearney, Phil Gilsenan, Patrick Gogarty, Hughie Reilly, Mick Cahill, Peadar Reilly (capt.); Jack Olohan, Tommy Gerrard, Eugene Renehan; Austin Brady, Joe Lear, Mick Feeney. Incidentally, the corner back Jim Kearney was the same Jim of 1949 fame while centre back Paddy Gogarty, a great servant of the club on and off the field for countless years, was an uncle of Pat Gogarty, a Dublin All-Ireland medal winner of the mid '70s. Reilly was a regular on the Kilskyre team when he was elected club secretary in 1950. In 1951 the club again reached the final stage of the championship but were defeated by Longwood, after a marathon series of games. Kilskyre was already a club in terminal decline at that stage and not even the best efforts of Mickey and others could save it from going out of existence five years later. He continued his hurling career with Wilkinstown, however, before helping to reform Kilskyre in 1960. Kilskyre made an immediate impact on their return to competitive hurling with the junior and intermediate championship titles being captured in 1961 and '65 respectively. The intermediate league crown was also annexed in 1964 and Reilly featured in all three successes. The '65 side which overcame Baconstown in the decider lined out as follows: Patrick O'Higgins, Tommy Geraghty, Peter Reilly, Tom McDonnell, Tommy Fitzgerald, Hughie Tully, Mattie Corcoran, Georgie Baugh, Peter Byrne, Vincent O'Shea, Michael Reilly, Jimmy Fagan, Tom Muldoon, Mick Cahill, Christy Kelly. Des 'Snitchy' Ferguson was team trainer and ten years later, the men in black and amber came within a whisker of beating the great Athboy team of that era, following a replay at the semi final stages of the senior championship. However, Kilskyre soon found themselves back in the intermediate grade. When the north Meath outfit won the intermediate championship again in 1969, Mickey was a substitute and team trainer. He remained as trainer throughout the 1970s and 1980s, overseeing the junior championship triumph of 1978 and the intermediate championship success of 1981. He was still a team selector when Kilskyre regained the junior and intermediate crowns in 1992 and '94 respectively. One of Mickey's (then Club Chairman) proudest moments came in 1974 when Kilskyre's GAA grounds - Brian O'Higgins Park - was officially opened. He had played a major part in the fundraising which made the ground become reality and is pleased to note that it has been expertly maintained in the intervening years. "The Brian O'Higgins Park is a credit to everyone involved with Kilskyre. Money was scarce when the idea to develop the pitch was first mentioned but thanks to the hard work and sheer determination of a lot of dedicated people, the dream was realised. The Park still looks as well as the day it was opened," he says. Currently club president, Reilly was Meath Hurling Board chairman from 1970 to 1972 and also held the position of vice-chairman for a number of years. He was a senior county selector, was a well known club and inter county referee and also managed and played with Ballinlough. 1970 was a particularly memorable year. Not alone was Mickey Chairman of the Meath Hurling Board but the Royal County also captured the All-Ireland junior crown at a time when the junior event was much more competitive and fought over. And there to lift the John Devoy trophy was another Kilskyre representative, the late, great George Baugh. His sons James and Gerard lined out for Kilskyre in recent years with James being a former assistant secretary of the County Board, Secretary of the Hurling Board and current Leinster Council delegate. These past few years people in the county will identify him as one of Sean Boylan's trusted back room team. Mickey considers 1999 to be a good year for the black and amber, despite the fact that they were defeated by St. Peter's, Dunboyne in the intermediate final. "While it would have been great to see them win the championship, I think the team played quite well throughout the year and were a little unlucky to lose the final," he remarks. "We have a nice blend of players at the moment and I'm hopeful that some of the older lads will be around to give it another go next year. This club is definitely capable of getting up into the senior ranks." Under the management of former Meath star Martin Smith, Kilskyre won five of their six games in qualifying for the final. They overcame Drumree and Athboy in the opening games before suffering their first defeat at the hands of St. Peter's, Dunboyne. Further victories over Donaghmore/Ashbourne, Kilmessan and Gaeil Colmcille copperfastened their place in the showpiece game against Dunboyne. Played at Boardsmill on October 31, the final proved to be a hugely entertaining contest with the outcome remaining in doubt until the final whistle. A late goal gave Dunboyne a 1-11 to 2-6 victory, although the story could have been so much different had Kilskyre not had lost both the unrelated Tony Lynch (red-carded) and Frank Lynch (injured) before half-time. Dunboyne opened the scoring but it was the men from north Meath who went on to dominate the first half. Points from Colm Lynch (two), Tommy Fox, Peadar Byrne and Jody Devine gave Kilskyre a 0-5 to 0-1 lead before Byrne scored the opening goal. By the interval, the amber and blacks had established a 1-6 to 0-2 lead but with Dunboyne having a numerical advantage, a comeback seemed inevitable. Wind assisted Dunboyne reeled off seven points in the opening 17 minutes of the second half to level proceedings but Fergus O'Higgins restored Kilskyre's lead with a well-taken goal. Dunboyne weren't finished, however, and when David Moran found the net two minutes from full time, it edged them a point in front. Dara Smith fired over an insurance point moments later and there was to be no way back for Kilskyre. Although disappointed with the result, Mickey Reilly believes Kilskyre gave an excellent account of themselves. "Kilskyre had certainly nothing to be ashamed of. They contributed handsomely to what was a great game of hurling played in very testing conditions. With a bit of luck, they could have won it but unfortunately they didn't get much of this on the day." Can Mickey envisage Kilskyre making amends next year? "I think they have a great chance. As I said already, the team has a nice blend and if the players put their minds to it, they'll succeed. Football is the number one game for most of them but if they could give more time to the hurling, they would have the makings of a very good team." Tweet

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