A morale-boosting hat-trick
December 30, 2010Last October when sub. Sean Sheridan's last minute goal slammed shut the relegation trapdoor, a sigh or relief washed across the bows of Aughnamullen one league game (versus Eire Og) shy of the conclusion of the IFL.
Retaining intermediate status was an almighty boon and served to add to the club's lustre in a year in which success rather than failure ruled.
The springboard lent by the JFC title success in '07 remains intact but nothing is ever taken for granted by Aughnamullen gaels as they look ahead.
In that regard, it's not only the roof of the house that is being monitored. Instead, the foundations are constantly being bolstered with a steely resolve.
For instance, Aughnamullen's under 12s gave a pointer to the future by winning the Division 3 title with the sort of talent that augurs well for the future.
Not that the Sarsfields had it all their own way. Indeed, the omens weren't good early on as they slumped to defeat against Eire Og and Toome.
And even though shorn of the services of two influential first-teamers, victory over Latton did boost morale and allow the team find their feet.
By the advent of the 4th round series of matches, the Sarsfields were up to full strength with the strengthening of the midfield and full-forward lines.
Steered forward by the backroom team of Paddy Markey, Sean Geoghegan and Martin McGinn, the would-be winners soon began to impress.
"We switched a couple of the forwards into the backs and had good attendances at training on Tuesday nights," the aforementioned Markey explains.
"Getting a better balance to the side was important and it helped that we played a lot of challenge games in trying to get a settled side.
"During the campaign we tried to make the minimum of changes with the 16 man squad that we were working with and it slowly came together for us.
"Early on, the lads seemed to lack self-belief and the first couple of defeats to Eire Og and Toome didn't help but thankfully it all ended up well."
With nine of the team surviving from the Class of 2009, Sarsfields demonstrated enough experience and skill to make it to the semi-finals.
There a return with Toome awaited. As things panned out, the outcome contrasted sharply with the teams' initial meeting.
"We finished up winning well," Paddy explains. "It was our best performance of the year. We earmarked a couple of their lads as the dangermen.
"To counter those fellas, we switched around some of our players and gave them a man-for-man role and they done very well."
The final in Clontibret thereafter against match favourites Eire Og saw the Sarsfields romp into a ten point lead in the opening quarter.
"Getting a couple of goals early on gave us a great base and our goalkeeper went onto make a couple of great saves too to help keep us in front.
"In fairness to them (Eire Og), I would have been concerned had the game gone on much longer because they finished very strongly.
"I was delighted for the lads that they held on. They put in a great effort all year and came back from a shaky start to take the title. Fair play to them."
The club's U14 Division 3 championship success was no less hard-earned but deserving as team mentor Johnny Sheridan is at pains to point out.
In conjunction with Owen Bannigan and Joe Gillen, Sheridan delighted in helping make it a double underage success for the club.
It wasn't all plain sailing for the would-be champions in 2010. In fact, the squad learned a salutary lesson en route to its championship success.
That lesson came in the squad's league campaign. A few injuries didn't help as the Sarsfields lost out to Killeevan in the league semi-final.
"We had only ourselves to blame," Johnny recalls. "We had a lot of possession but too many wides, especially in the third quarter, cost us dear.
"We were disappointed but not totally disheartened 'cause we believed that if we had a full-strength team out we would be a match for anyone."
Losing out in the league wasn't the ideal preparation for a championship challenge but according to Johnny, "it made the team more determined."
Regrets about not doing themselves justice lingered for a while among the Sarsfields' youngsters but then minds switched to focus on Corduff.
A comfortable win over the Farneysiders in the championship opener was soon followed by a similar outing against Inniskeen Grattans.
"The fact that a few of the lads were on teams beaten in two county finals made them all the more determined when the championship came around.
"I don't think they were going to allow themselves to be beaten in three county finals. You could see that in the way they trained and their chat."
A huge challenge in the championship final was presented in front of them in the shape of a Cremartin side who were overwhelming favourites.
Boasting an unbeaten run stretching 24 games in league and championship, Cremartin's starlets were shoo-ins for the title, it appeared.
"The final couldn't have went better for us," Johnny explains. "It went better than planned 'cause we took an early lead and were able to hold onto it.
"With about four minutes to go, we were nine points in front but then they got two goals and then they got within two points and things looked shaky.
"The lads dug deep though and with the experience some of them had winning at under 12 level, we were able to hold out and edge home."
And what of the future for these under 14s?
"I'd be hopeful that they will go on to even better things," Johnny declares. "They're a very skilful bunch, good listeners and very committed."
The management pair of Seamus Markey and Ciaran Mulligan enjoyed Crawley Cup success with victory in the county final over Castleblayney.
The first-named talks of the "good mix of youth and experience" in the Aughnamullen squad as one of the secrets behind the club's success.
Enthusiasm, will-to-win and team-spirit were also valuable components," Seamus adds. "We also had a good run in the league which carried us into the championship and the confidence from putting a few wins under our belts gave the lads a lot of belief that they could finish up with silverware."
Losing out in the semi-final of the league to Clontibret might have knocked the heart out of many another team but not Aughnamullen's finest.
"I think from the very start of the year, the lads were up for it. There was great turnouts for training with good sessions involving the seniors as well.
"We felt that if we weren't going to end up with some silverware, then it wasn't going to be for want of training or fitness," Seamus declares.
Reflecting on the championship, Seamus says it was always on the cards that 1st round opponents Ballybay would represent a formidable challenge.
"We played them (Ballybay) at home in the league and they beat us in what was a tight game; I thought Ballybay were very good.
"When we drew them in the championship, I felt we were going to be playing the best team in the competition and one capable of winning it.
"Ballybay were the only team to beat us in the league and then we had a lot of injuries later on in the league with the likes of Marty Burke being out."
The Markey/Mulligan think-tank did their very best to motivate their charges. Ironically they were helped in that regard by the team's own deficiencies.
"We weren't good in the semi-final against Truagh", Seamus testifies. "It was probably our worst performance of the year and hard to watch at times.
"I think that game was a bit of a wake-up call for the lads. It shook them up and we were lucky enough to get out of Truagh still in the competition.
"We told them at half-time that no one remembers who lost out in a semi-final. Luckily, they played a lot better in the second half to win it out."
Unusually, Aughnamullen went into a big game with Castleblayney Faughs as favourites to win the subsequent Crawley Cup final.
Aughnamullen's greater resources against the Faughs' reserves (operating in a division below the Sarsfields) counted in a big way.
The Sarsfields' men who filled the gap left by those injured or otherwise unavailable rose to the challenge and performed extremely well.
"It was a close match all the way through and we had some very nervous moments towards the end of the game.
"I remember we were just a point ahead and we were fighting it difficult to kill them off. It took a great save from Gary Mulligan to keep us in front.
"Overall, we deserved to win the match. It was a great team performance and I think we were the best team.
"Winning the Crawley Cup was great for the club and keeping spirits high." Tweet
