Not content with winning one cup at underage level, the cream of the underage crop at Aughnamullen Sarsfields boldly collected four pieces of silverware in 2003."I've never known it to be any better at underage level in the club. The amount of young talent that's coming through at the club right now is just unbelievable." Brian McArdle doesn't begin to try and mask his utter delight at the quality of footballers currently being 'churned' out on the cusp of Farney territory. The long-time juvenile football mentor is agog at the way things panned out for Aughnamullen at underage level in 2003. And taking into account the bevy of silverware which meandered its way to the Sarsfields, it's not hard to understand why! Superlatives trip off Brian's tongue like never before in assessing the past year's on-the-field activities at his beloved, proud club. While he doesn't dare to imagine that another such glorious year is just around the corner, Brian is optimistic that the club can build on the underage successes that have been garnered in 2003. "Our aim would be to take it on from here and add to our trophy haul in the coming years. "The talent is definitely there to keep the winning run going and I've no doubt that the work that has gone into coaching these youngsters will continue too. Once you see the rewards that flow from putting in the work, the hours spent on the training field seem all the more worthwhile," Brian enthuses. In winning four underage competitions over the past 12 months, Aughnamullen Sarsfields GAA certainly posted notice of its intention to make an almighty impression on Monaghan's premier football stage in the not-so-distant future. And as Brian readily acknowledges, yesterday's juvenile will become tomorrow's senior all too quickly: "It'll be no time before our under 15s are ready to be challenging for their places on the club's first team. Hopefully by the time they're big enough and good enough, we'll be back in senior ranks though." Along with the outgoing crop of Under 15s who scooped the Lee Brothers Cup, Aughnamullen also enjoyed success over the past year at Under 14 (Farney Cup), Under 13 (McArdle Cup) and Under 12 (Conlon Cup) levels. In what was a long, drawn-out but ultimately hugely-successful season for Aughnamullen, the club's under 12 division three troupe were first out of the traps as the search for the glittering prizes got underway back in mid-March. In a tough tussle, Aughnamullen's youngsters showed real grit and determination to overcome a battling Cremartin side by 4-7 to 3-5. The Sarsfields were up and running and already the disappointment of losing out at the death in the corresponding tie in 2002 began to dissipate. It was a similarly dogged yet dynamic Aughnamullen under 12 team that proceeded to overcome Scotstown by 6-10 to 2-6 at the end of March. Yet again, it was the quality of the team's overall performance which characterised their victory over the fancied blues. Winning titles is seldom easy and a trip to Latton in early April saw Aughnamullen duly trip up. Pitted against a strong and forceful home side, the Sarsfields suffered a 3-6 to 2-15 defeat. But like all great champions, the squad would learn and ultimately profit from the setback. In what was to be a hectic April, the would-be champions then played Drumhowan and on home territory made no mistake in picking up another two points. In what was one of the team's most resolute displays of the year, Aughnamullen edged home 3-4 to 2-6 victors after a tremendously competitive tussle. The games flowed thick and fast thereafter with ties against Feargal O'Hanlons, Eire Og and Monaghan Harps all testing the team's ambition and fitness as the month of May gathered pace. By mid-May, a semi-final place had been secured with a 16 points victory over O'Hanlons setting them up in confident, self-assured mood for the penultimate round of the competition. The final itself was played on Saturday, May 31 against Latton, a team which had proven too strong for Aughnamullen when the sides met approximately one month earlier. This time around, it was Latton who got the lesson. Playing a level of football well beyond their years, the Sarsfields stormed their way to a 3-10 to 1-11 win to clinch the club's first Under 12 title since 1982. The triumph was not only a milestone achievement for the players concerned but also for their mentors, Paddy Murtagh, Noel Callan and Sean Ward. Simultaneously, the club's under 15s had added to the sense of joy in Aughnamullen by securing a place in the division two (Lee Brothers) decider after producing an outstanding display away from home to defeat Inniskeen by 3-8 to 2-9. It was no less than the team deserved having consistently impressed all season en route to booking their place in the final where Donaghmoyne awaited. Right from the time the would-be champions chiselled out a point away to Clontibret in mid-April and rebounded from a three point defeat thereafter to Inniskeen to draw with Magheracloone, the Sarsfields gradually got the bit between their teeth. Indeed the character shown by the side in coming back from eight points down with five minutes to go to snatch a draw against Magheracloone spoke volumes for their commitment and desire. And a win in the next match against Emyvale set them up nicely for their final league game, at home to Clones which proved just the run-up the team required ahead of their semi-final meeting, and subsequent two point win over Inniskeen. Now to the the final with Donaghmoyne in Drumhowan on June 23rd. As things panned out, the dream year for the Sarsfields continued unabated. In what turned out to be a tremendous advertisement for the promotion of underage football in both finalists, Aughnamullen proved that bit more resilient and efficient over the hour as they triumphed by 1-13 to 3-5. Once again, the young Sarsfields were a credit to their club and to their mentors, Martin Shevlin and Martin McGinn. Just to prove that not everything goes swimmingly right from the off, the club's under 14s began their season in rather inauspicious style by losing decisively to Shercock in a pre-season challenge game at the end of May. But, my, how the players and mentors would combine to turn things around in such a concerted manner to the point that a county title would be theirs before season's end. Less than one month after the Shercock setback, Aughnamullen under 14s hinted at their inherent talent by travelling to nearby Latton and beating the host side by four points, 2-15 to 2-11, in a cracking division four game. Next up for the Mickey Keenan-captained crew were the trio of Killeevan, Aghabog and Toome with a dramatic and tense 5-6 to 2-12 victory over the first-named the pick of the three ties. That said, the wins over Toome (7-19 to 1-7) and Aghabog (4-10 to 3-7) at the tail-end of June were equally well-merited and more than useful in morale-building terms. Thereafter a walkover against Currin who failed to field was followed by a clash with Tyholland in the final game of the league. As if scripted, the young Aughnamullen players got just the reminder they needed about the sleeves-rolled-up mentality that is needed to win county titles by dint of a decisive defeat. Revenge was sweet though next time out against the self-same Tyholland outfit in a brilliant semi-final contest. From start to finish, Aughnamullen imposed their will on their erstwhile conquerors to book a place in the final against unbeaten Killanny. And yet again, the Sarsfields faithful had another title triumph to acclaim in 2003 with their under 14 favourites excelling themselves to achieve a 0-23 to 4-7 win. The team's superbly positive performance which was reflective in their almost unprecedented tally of points, left no-one in doubt as to the merit of their win - a win which amply reflected the players' potential and the behind the scenes work of the team-management of Gerry Swinburne, John Sheridan, Peter Dooney and, of course, the aforementioned Brian. "Like all the rest of the lads who did so well in 2003, the Under 14s showed tremendous commitment all year and their success gave the club a great boost and really pulled everyone in the club together," Brian McArdle comments. And so to the club's sparklingly talented Under 13s who started their campaign with a walkover against Emyvale and then a comfortable win against Monaghan Harps in late August. In the week that followed, two more valuable wins were clocked up against, first, neighbours Drumhowan, and then Eire Og. Meanwhile Inniskeen and Latton challenges loomed on the horizon. Needless to say, the champions-elect showed their class and talent to the full in securing maximum points in their aforementioned duo of matches. Mid-September heralded a hard-earned victory over a good Oram side by 3-11 to 4-7 which put the team on a firm footing ahead of their home tie with Scotstown. Alas, the north-Monaghan side conceded the game, leaving Aughnamullen with no competitive tie in the run-up to what was always going to be a difficult visit to Currin at the end of September. In the event, the Sarsfields under 13s showed their mettle to come good with a late rally and so edge home by 3-12 to 1-13. A semi-final tie against Oram beckoned as October got up and running. Once again, the would-be title-winners had to pull out all the stops to beat the best of the rest. Trailing by three points at the interval, Aughnamullen really dug deep in the second half to emerge victorious by 0-14 to 1-6. And the prize? A meeting in the final in Ballybay with near-neighbours Drumhowan. Mid-October it may have been but Pearse Park was like a sunny Summer's day for all Aughnamullen supporters as their favourites romped to a 2-9 to 0-6 victory. After what was - by their standards - a fairly tentative start, the young Sarsfields gradually produced some really quality play to pull safely away from their co-finalists with some dash. For the team-management of John Sheridan and our man McArdle and the players under their aegis, it was one hell of a way to end the year for the underage section of the club: "Considering that the club had waited for about ten years to get our hands on one cup at underage level and then to win four was just unreal. "All the players deserve great credit. They all worked together at all the levels like a great team - there were no outstanding individuals on any of the teams, just great displays of teamwork. "We're a fairly small parish but the lads stuck together at all levels and worked really well as a unit and while each of the teams got their share of luck, they were all worthy winners. "The club didn't do so well at adult level in 2003 but the boost we got at underage level helped compensate for that. "The work that has gone into the underage in Aughnamullen since the juvenile section was set up by P.J. Forde is now resulting in an amazing amount of talent coming through and hopefully we'll see more of the same in 2004," Brian concludes. Tweet

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