It is said hunger is the best sauce of all. In this respect, Aghabog showed one hell of an appetite last November in cantering to a long-awaited IFC title win. Rollercoaster is one of the most abused words in the sporting lexicon. However in the case of Aghabog's odyssey to the 2003 Monaghan IFC, such a word is truly appropriate and exact. In times past, losing out to Corduff by two points in the first round would have spelt curtains for Aghabog's championship aspirations. However the introduction of the ubiquitous back-door system made it less than a bitter end to the summer for the men who would be kings of Monaghan's intermediate championship competition. Indeed Aghabog's subsequent entry into the second-chance saloon couldn't have been more appetising as it pitted them against near-neighbours Eire Og (smarting from defeat to Rockcorry) in a match to be played at the tail end of July in Scotshouse. As things panned out, it wasn't the tight derby affair that many punters had predicted, pre-match. Instead, Aghabog were full value for their 1-11 to 0-6 victory, having raced from the blocks with a brace of points from Declan Smyth in the opening couple of minutes. The pattern of the game was clearly set and when Shane Mulligan rattled the Eire Og crossbar in the 5th minute, it became patently obvious that Aghabog meant business. By the 20th minute, Eire Og were trailing by five points and in some trouble. Before half-time, Aghabog's dominance became multiplied thanks, in part, to converted penalty by Gary McBride, after colleague Francis Dolan had been brought down. Leading by 1-7 to 0-2 on the restart, Aghabog proceeded to comfortably consolidate their cushioned lead, matching their opponents point for point with top-scorer Declan Smyth very much to the fore in that respect as his side eased home by 1-11 to 0-6. And so to the latter stages of the qualifiers and a clash with Tyholland. It turned out to be a match which fairly highlighted Aghabog's unquenchable spirit and will-to-win. Played in Scotstown at the end of August, the game was a real see-saw affair with Aghabog having to produce a grandstand finish to emerge 1-11 to 2-6 victors. In a first half which saw the teams level on four different occasions, a goal from Lorcan Kelly two minutes before the interval helped the winners-elect slip into a useful 1-4 to 0-4 half-time lead. Thereafter it was only Tyholland's capacity to nick goals that kept them in touch. The losers' first major arrived in the 9th minute after Aghabog had extended their lead to four points and then a second goal for the Armagh-border side left Aghabog chasing a one point deficit with just under ten minutes remaining in the game. But cometh the hour, cometh the men! With a tremendous gutsy fightback, Aghabog rallied strongly to fire over four points with points by Gary McBride, Sean O'Brien, Shane Mulligan and Declan Smith doing the necessary. In what was effectively a quarter-final tie, Aghabog proceeded to hand out a 2-11 to 1-7 defeat to Drumhowan with a five-star display by attacker Sean O'Brien one of the highlights of Aghabog's determined victory. O'Brien contributed 1-4 in total with his goal in the 20th minute of the first half edging his side back into the lead after Drumhowan had eased in front. Thanks, in part, to O'Brien's major, Aghabog led at the interval by 1-6 to 1-5. However just as crucially, Aghabog found themselves a 'man extra' after former county star Stephen McGinnity of Drumhowan was red-carded. Either way that lead was quickly extended on the resumption with a brace of points from Declan Smith and one from Sean O'Brien putting some vital clear water between the sides. Drumhowan tried to rally but a point from Donal McAdam ten minutes from time was to be their last score of the game. In contrast, Aghabog raced through the tape with Francis Dolan finished off some good work by Brendan O'Brien and Lorcan Kelly to find the Drumhowan net in classy style to put the seal on an impressive seven point win. It was another sleeves-rolled-up display by Aghabog which kept them in the hunt for championship honours when they met Inniskeen at Clontibret in a rip-roaring semi-final clash which saw Inniskeen bag the only goal of the game to tie the match at 0-12 to 1-9. In what was an archetypal game of two halves, Inniskeen were rampant in the first half and leaped into a 1-8 to 0-2 lead at the interval with only Declan Smith (free) and Seanie McPhillips finding the target for Aghabog at that juncture. It was a wholly different story on the restart though as Inniskeen were restricted to just a single point whereas Aghabog were transformed team and despite going down to 14 men showed excellent resolve to nick the draw with two late points by Sean O'Brien (36th) and Mark McBride, eight minutes into stoppage time. Stalemate was the name of the game in the replay too the following week with an Inniskeen goal in the dying seconds of extra-time denying Aghabog. Declan Smith's first half goal (and nine points over the hour)seemed destined to propel Aghabog into the decider. Instead the sides ended up level at 1-16 to 3-10, thus ensuring yet another meeting. In truth though with Aghabog enjoying just a 1-7 to 2-2 lead at the break, a draw always looked on the cards. Thereafter the sides were level at 1-11 to 2-8 at normal time. But something had to give the following week and, in the end, it was a case of heartbreak for the Grattans on a scoreline of 0-11 to 0-5. Even though it wasn't the prettiest of games and Aghabog had to field without inspirational 'keeper Derek McCarville, a seven point tally from Declan Smith and the icing on the cake from Barry McCarville meant a case of smiles all-round for Aghabog - and, of course, a place in the county decider. Aghabog now faced a Doohamlet side the final for whom the word hunger was truly stitched into their psyche. Doohamlet were on the cusp of perhaps securing their club's one and only intermediate championship title success. But would the Emmets rise to the challenge and act out the part of party-poopers in textbook style? Aghabog, after all, had plenty of incentive too. The club hadn't figured in an intermediate championship decider since 1930 so there was never going to be any questions surrounding the Emmets' appetite for cup glory either. Doohamlet went into the decider as slight favourites among the punters after having surprised a vaunted Corduff side in their semi-final? The final was fixed for November 2nd at the well-appointed Clontibret venue. And, predictably, there was a massive crowd on hand to witness a real thriller. Not so predictable though was the destination of the spoils and those pundits who reckoned that the very minimum would separate the sides at the death actually got it spot-on. Would-be man-of-the-match Barry McCarville was also spot-on with his effort after good work by Sean O'Brien and Lorcan Kelly set up the Aghabog attacker to equalise with a point after a Shane McManus converted free had announced the scoring after just 40 seconds. Thus the tone of the game had been quickly established. The game proceeded to be a fine advertisement for the intermediate grade and a credit to both teams with some fine flowing combination play being interchanged with excellent blocking and top-notch shooting in front of goal. As the first half panned out, the winners-elect found themselves chasing the game and really having to dig deep to hold onto the short-tails of their adventurous and lively opponents. In particular, the Aghabog men found the period between the 5th and 14th minutes particularly testing as Doohamlet played some delightful football to notch a 1-4 tally without reply. It was truly backs-to-the wall stuff for Aghabog at that juncture. Facing into a seven points deficit by the end of the first quarter, Aghabog needed some relief, some inspiration and the proverbial morale-booster in double-quick time. Cue top-scorer Declan Smith. A converted free by the seasoned corner-forward in the 18th minute steadied the Aghabog ship only for the storm to brew up again moments later. Thankfully for the Emmets though Derek McCarville pulled off a tremendous save to keep Doohamlet at bay. Minutes later at the other end, Sean O'Brien was very unlucky as his shot ricocheted to safety off the crossbar in the 29th minute but the same player had better luck moments later to help cut Doohamlet's lead to 1-6 to 0-4 at the interval. And with a great point by Brendan O'Brien getting Aghabog off to a turbo-charged start to the second half, it was most definitely a case of 'game on'. But despite losing talisman Shane McManus to injury, Doohamlet still held onto a three point lead midway through the second half. However in the following eight minutes, the match was turned upside down with Aghabog notching six unanswered points - including a brace by Declan Smith - in a veritable purple patch. They were now ahead by three points with just over five minutes left to play. From there to the finish it was all hands to the pump for Aghabog but the famine was on its death bed and the underdogs were to have their day with the sounding of Damian Helferty's final whistle with the score standing at 1-12 to 1-11 in Aghabog's favour. The Aghabog team, sub, and scorers that figured in the IFC final against Doohamlet was as follows; Derek McCarville; Paddy O'Brien, Eunan Croarkin, Kevin Quigley; Paul Greenan, Gary McBride, Mark McBride (0-1); Aidan Brady, Seanie McPhillips; Shane Mulligan (0-1), Lorcan Kelly, Barry McCarville (0-1); Declan Smith (1-6), Sean O'Brien (0-2), Brendan O'Brien (0-1). Sub used; Francis Dolan. Tweet

Most Read Stories