St. Michaels return to the Intermediate grade this year didn't have the happy ending that supporters of the Carlanstown club had hoped for. Shane O'Brien caught up with long serving defender Tom Halpin who offered his opinions as to why St. Michaels failed to make the knockout stages of the championship. Taking Martin O'Connell out of the equation, Tom Halpin is St. Michaels' most decorated footballer. The 29 year old is the holder of three Leinster U21 souvenirs, 1989-'91, and has also donned the green and gold jersey at minor and senior level (he played in the National League). In 1989 he received the Meath 'Young Player of the Year' award. That was a particularly memorable twelve months as St. Michael's also captured the Intermediate championship at Dunderry's expense. "1989 was a great year as Meath also won their first Leinster U21 title in quite a long time." he recalls. "The Intermediate was the big one, hopefully it won't be too long before we're celebrating another championship success again." St. Michael's first year back in the Intermediate grade was a disappointing one. There were high hopes that, at the very least, they'd qualify for the knockout stages but defeats at the hands of Ballivor, Castletown, Syddan and St. Ultans put pay to their championship prospects. Tom says a combination of emigration and injuries conspired against them. "We have a very small pool of players to pick from and we suffered badly with emigration and injuries, I don't think there was a game this year in which we fielded our best fifteen. I know other clubs encounter the same problems but we've got such a small panel that we're in big trouble when we lose two or three. "In the last few years we've lost players like Nigel Regan - a former Meath minor and U21 - and Tom Moriarty to emigration. Players like that are not easily replaced in a small rural club like ours. "A lot of hard work was put in on the training field at the start of the year, we won our first four games in the League and first two in the championship but things just went wrong for us after that." St. Michaels' request to be regraded to Intermediate was granted by the Co. Board last year. The team's full back believes the club were left with little option. "Dropping down from the Senior grade was a difficult decision for the club to make but it had been on the cards for a few years up to that," the affable Halpin revealed. "We hadn't won a senior game for quite a while and were really struggling. There are a number of good young players coming up from the underage teams but it was felt that they needed another year or so. "Hopefully, the Intermediate championship will prove to be a good starting ground for them. One thing I noticed this year is that it's a very tough, physical competition, a lot similar to the senior in that respect. It's not an easily won competition, as we found out in the eighties, so a lot of work and effort has to be put in if we're to get back up senior." Results at juvenile level in recent times would appear to echo Tom's claims that the underage conveyor belt has not grinded to a halt altogether. "Some of the underage teams have won competitions and there's a lot of work being put in with them and the local school teams. It would be great if a team came along where five or six of them proved to be good enough for the intermediate team, that could well be the making of the club." While there wasn't much success to toast on the playing fields during the past twelve months, the selection of Martin O'Connell on An Post's 'Team of the Millennium' proved to be a worthy substitute. The Carlanstown man was chosen at left half back on the greatest gaelic football team ever! "Martin thoroughly deserved to be picked and it was a great boost for the entire club. Afterall, there's only fifteen clubs in the country that can say they've a player on the 'Team of the Millennium'." Tom continues: "I was delighted for him. The amount of effort he has put in with both the club and the county during his career is unbelievable. He rarely missed a league or championship match with Meath and his record speaks for itself. He's a great example for young kids." Martin (along with Christy Regan) was in charge of St. Michaels during '99; in Tom's opinion, does the three times All-Ireland medalist have a future in team management? "I think so, he possesses all the attributes a successful manager requires and with his experience, I'd go as far as to say there's not many better qualified. It would be a foolish person who wouldn't listen to anything he has to say." The former Meath minor/U21 is married to Anne, a daughter of Meath '49 All-Ireland star, the late Mattie McDonnell, and the couple have a two year old son, Matthew. In late November they were celebrating a new addition to the Halpin family with the arrival of daughter Laura. Tom first played competitive football with the black and reds in 1987, his medal collection includes the aforementioned Intermediate souvenir and two Div. 2 Leagues mementos. "A few of the current team would have played on the Intermediate winning '89 side, myself, Paul Curran, Michael and Martin O'Connell. It has been a longish haul since then. There's no doubt about it, training does take more out of you as you approach the 30 mark. That's another reason for hoping for a few younger lads to come through, us older lads can get a rest!" Between playing and coaching the Kilbeg NS there was very little opportunity for Tom to get some rest in '99. Along with Jim O'Reilly, he guided Kilbeg to their first ever National Schools final. What does the year 2000 hold in store for St. Michaels GFC? "I think the material is there to win a championship, we just need to get the rub of the green. In the likes of David Regan we have some very good players, he notches up high scores on a regular basis. Hopefully, we'll have better luck as regards emigration and injuries," Tom concludes. Tweet

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