Magheracloone pay the penalty
December 30, 2010For much of the 2010, the season had the makings of a very memorable one for Magheracloone but the cruel hand of fate conspired against them and they ended up empty handed and reflecting on a disappointing campaign.
Not only did they suffer the heartache of losing out in both Championship and League finals, but according to club chairman, Bernard Freeman, it was the manner of the defeats that really compounded the misery.
Defeat in the County Final came only after a replay in which Magheracloone had a late penalty saved when they looked certain to snatch victory. As if that wasn't bad enough the league decider also saw the Mitchells cruelly denied when another late penalty came crashing back off the crossbar.
"Unfortunately, it really was 'one of those years' for us. To lose two finals was dreadful and particularly the way we lost them," said Bernard.
"We had a great run in the league and were on top for most of the season, and also had a very good run in the championship. Our only real blip in the championship was against Scotstown in the drawn semi-final when we played very poorly. However, we played much better in the second half and came through to reach the final.
"We were optimistic going into the final against Clontibret in what turned out to be a very close game. Looking back, we should have put that match to bed and it is very disappointing that we didn't finish it off when we had the chance.
"The game was level with seven or eight minutes to go and we were pushing forward for most of that time. We had three or four chances to score that we normally would have taken and any one of them probably would have won the game, but unfortunately we didn't take them," explained Bernard.
The only consolation was that after the 1-10 apiece draw the team got a second bite at the cherry and not surprisingly, the replay also proved to be a very close affair, and again Magheracloone had the chance to win it.
"In the end it came down to one kick of the ball and the luck just didn't go our way. We were two points down in injury time when we got a penalty only for their keeper to save it, so it was a very disappointing way to lose the game," added the chairman who saw his side lose out by 1-11 to 0-12.
Despite the heartache of that defeat, the Mitchels had a chance to gain some consolation for their efforts as they made it through to the league play-offs by finishing on top of the table.
After seeing off Castleblayney in the semi-final, Magheracloone faced a strong Latton side in the league decider, where the two most consistent teams played out a well-contested and dramatic game. However, as Bernard reflects, his side's bad luck continued as they were narrowly pipped for the title.
"The League final was disappointing from the perspective that we only really played for about a half an hour and didn't perform for the rest of the game which ultimately proved to be our downfall. Having said that we were well in the game and with three minutes left got a chance to get right back into contention with a penalty. Once again we didn't get the rub of the green and the effort came back off the crossbar.
"We did manage to get a goal in the dying moments but at that stage it was too late and we ended up losing the match," added Bernard.
While many other clubs may look on with envy at what Magheracloone achieved this year, the chairman, although keen to look at the positives, finds it difficult to swallow losing the two most important games of the season.
"I suppose if you were looking at the club from the outside, people might say it was a very good year in reaching the League final and taking the Championship decider to a replay.
"However, I think you are as well off losing in the first round as in the final because you still end the season in the same situation - with no silverware. It is very disappointing because it could have been a historic season given that we were so close to a double. However, we ended up with zero and nobody is going to remember who finished second."
However, Bernard believes that the club must take some encouragement from the year after it had been suggested that they were a team in decline. Now he is hoping that the players can build on what they have done this year and go one step further in 2011.
"We hadn't been in the Championship final since 2006 and I think some people were suggesting that this team was finished. However, we knew we had the talent to challenge and we proved that this year.
"At the start of the year we believed that we would be there or thereabouts when it came to the major honours and after losing to Clontibret in last year's semi-final. That was disappointing as we didn't perform in the second half after going into half time two points ahead.
"As a result, we really put our shoulders to the wheel and performed very well in both league and Championship. However, it is a different thing to get across the line and we just didn't manage to do that," added Bernard who feels the players have the ability to bounce back from this season's setback.
"It is hard to know how we will react next year as morale was low after losing the finals as lads reflected on 'what could have been'. It was a long season and players will take a deserved break before we regroup in January and see where we go from there.
"Some of our players are now in their 30s but in some ways that can be a good thing because the teams who rely on younger players are more in danger of losing them to emigration.
"We have already lost the likes of Paul Lambe, Brian Morris and Peter Lambe who went to America before the season was over, and that was on top of losing James Hand to injury early in the Championship Final replay.
"We are a small rural club who can't afford to be without anybody so with a bit of luck we won't lose anybody else and thankfully there is no talk of retirements, so hopefully we can give it another go next year," added Bernard. Tweet
