The gaels of Doohamlet are doers. They are also a breed who are making an ever-increasing impression in Gaelic football circles in Monaghan - despite some tragic final results as 2003 showcased. When one considers that only some four years ago, Division Four football was Doohamlet's domain and beating other clubs' reserve teams was sometimes reckoned to be an achievement, it's easy to understand just how far the club has come in recent times. So in reviewing a year in which the word 'bridesmaid' rang out loud, it is as well to keep things in context. The club very nearly made history but Doohamlet's day will surely come. In reflecting on Doohamlet's rollercoaster league and championship campaigns in 2003, perhaps a notice of what was to come during the course of the year were signposted from very early on in the year. After all, Doohamlet's loyal fans had their nerves tested to the last in the club's opening salvo in the intermediate championship against Emyvale back in early July. The game ended up in a heart-stopping 1-8 to 0-10 victory for Doohamlet with a point by Niall Connolly at the start of added-on time separating the sides. It was a game which, for a long time, didn't at all look to be heading for a draw as for the first 20 minutes, Doohamlet controlled matters in virtually every sector and were hardly flattered by their eventual 0-6 to 0-4 interval lead. In fact after Shane McManus had extended the team's lead to three points inside 20 seconds of the restart, it looked as if the O'Neills were going to stroll to victory. But when Emyvale had a let-off in the 4th minute when Ollie Hughes saw his goal-bound effort deflected for an abortive '45, the tide began to slowly but surely change. In the end, it took one last great effort to decide the issue with McManus setting up the over-lapping Connolly for the winning point. Next time out for Doohamlet saw them suffer a reversal of fortunes in much the same tense, dramatic style. The would-be championship finalists conceded three points in the final two minutes of extra-time to lose out by 1-7 to 1-10 to Corduff in Carrickmacross in late August. Forced to field without the service of the suspended Shane McManus, Doohamlet failed to make the optimum use of their chances in the business end of the field over the hour and duly paid the price. However when Greg Duffy banged in a great goal four minutes from the end of normal time to square the issue at 1-7 apiece, it did appear that the momentum was with Doohamlet. Indeed Doohamlet's supporters had every reason to be optimistic at that juncture given the undoubted spirit which the team had shown in coming back from a six points deficit at the end of the third quarter. It wasn't to be for Doohamlet though and the team was left to rue the plethora of chances which were spurned with their eleven wides tally saying it all. Doohamlet's failure to keep Corduff's 1-4 to 0-4 interval lead to manageable proportions in that crucial third-quarter proved fatal. Yet the realisation that a win in their next game against Rockcorry would catapult them back into the running for the title was more than enough to lift heads and concentrate minds in the following two weeks. But with the team improving with each passing week, the feeling locally was that Doohamlet could roll Rock over at Aughnamullen. The game turned out to be a real see-saw affair with Doohamlet making the better start only for Rock to crack home a goal which gave them a 1-6 to 0-7 lead at the interval. Doohamlet worked very hard thereafter and within ten minutes of the restart had drawn level. Then a brilliant goal by Ollie Hughes in the 7th minute of the second half seemed to propel Doohamlet into the driving seat. Doohamlet failed to take full advantage of the leg-up provided by Hughes' goal though and while a Greg Duffy point in the 29th minute served to give Doohamlet a two point lead, it wasn't enough of a cushion to secure outright victory. However in a dramatic finale to the game Rockcorry's Pauric Carroll fired over two points in added-on time to leave the sides tied at 1-13 apiece at the death. The replay the following week (September 14th) saw revitalised Doohamlet romp to a decisive 0-17 to 0-4 victory to thus secure their place in the semi-finals of the competition. With the return of Shane McManus, the O'Neills were a much more potent outfit and after skipping to a 0-8 to 0-1 interval lead, there was never any real doubt but that Rock were going to be crushed. In that respect, it is important to make note of goalkeeper James Casey's fine penalty save in the 25th minute which seemed to demoralise the Rockcorry lads. Either way, as things panned out, the issue was all but done and dusted at the three-quarter hour mark as Doohamlet sat pretty on a 14 points lead, thanks in part to seven fine scores in double-quick time between the throw-in and the 14th minute. In the end the whole affair turned out to be a comfortable stroll for Doohamlet and a huge morale-boosting exercise ahead of their semi-final meeting with erstwhile conquerors Corduff. If the win over Rock was a great fillip for Doohamlet, then Corduff's success in winning the Under 21 league must have been equally as inspiring as the sides prepared to square up to each other in Aughnamullen at the end of September. In what was an exciting and frenetic encounter, Doohamlet edged home by 2-10 to 0-9 with two goals inside a three minute period just before the end of the third quarter doing most to unhinge Corduff's plans. Doohamlet led at half-time by 0-7 to 0-5 but faced the breeze for the second half. It took a good save by James Casey to keep his goal intact in the 6th minute as Corduff strove to get on level terms. However a fine goal by Greg Duffy in the 12th minute and an inspirational major by Niall Connolly two minutes later plus a converted free by Ollie Hughes in the 18th minute suddenly catapulted Doohamlet into a nine point lead. And while Corduff tried their damnedest thereafter to pull the fat out of the fire, it was all to no avail as Doohamlet held good to book their berth in the final. Sadly there was to be no historic end to Doohamlet's championship odyssey as Aghabog proceeded to triumph by 1-12 to 1-11 in what was the proverbial thriller at Clontibret. Doohamlet's dynamos tried their utmost to secure their club's first ever intermediate championship title and actually dominated the first half exchanges with Shane McManus and Ollie Hughes combining to set up Ted Duffy for a great goal in the 8th minute. Duffy's goal helped set up Doohamlet for a well-deserved 1-6 to 0-4 interval lead but the subsequent forced retirement of Shane McManus nine minutes into the second half was ominous. And even though the ace attacker recovered well enough to re-join the fray some 12 minutes later, his fitness wasn't what was required. An early Aghabog goal seemed to indicate that Doohamlet were about to lose their way. However by the 11th minute of the second half, things still looked fairly rosy for Doohamlet as they led by two points, following a point by Trevor Duffy. That lead was added to by a Ted Duffy point in the 16th minute but then the drama started to unfold with Aghabog storming back to hit over six points without reply in the next eight minutes. From there to the finish, it was an archetypal nip and tuck affair but Aghabog's achievement in establishing a three point lead with just five minutes left to play proved more than adequate. Doohamlet pushed forward to the very end but despite late points by Ted Duffy and Ollie Hughes, the team just couldn't bridge the gap and so a brave championship campaign concluded with great disappointment. And that grave sense of disappointment was subsequently compounded with defeat in the intermediate league final. Once again the team looked to be on course for a significant milestone title win after quite an impressive run during the course of the year even if their 0-12 to 1-17 defeat to Emyvale way back in March didn't augur too well for their hopes of gaining silverware. By late April, the team's form had improved substantially and a 0-10 to 0-2 win over Inniskeen left everyone in the camp in much more optimistic mood. Early May and a 2-11 to 0-4 win over Eire Og enhanced morale even further and when the team overcame would-be championship co-finalists Aghabog by 1-12 to 1-7 in mid-June, league title prospects soared. Those title hopes remained very much alive with another important win in late June when Corduff were defeated by 1-10 to 0-9. A subsequent 3-8 to 1-7 win over Drumhowan added to the feel-good factor among the players. However a hugely disappointing two point tally (Shane McManus and Greg Duffy - the point scorers) amassed in a defeat to Tyholland in late July served as a timely wake-up call for all concerned. Fears of a mid-season slump were added to though with back to back defeats to Oram and Aghabog in August. But the team's ten point victory over Oram in late September served to suggest that the mini-crisis had been overcome. A two point win over Corduff thereafter helped cement a place for the team in the semi-final where they met Drumhowan. Putting their championship woes behind them, Doohamlet - without Shane McManus and Trevor Duffy - led from pillar to post to lead by 0-9 to 0-1 at the interval before going on to consolidate their advantage to chisel out a none-too flattering 0-12 to 0-5 victory. Tragically promotion was to elude Doohamlet though as they subsequently lost out by 2-7 to 1-13 to Inniskeen in mid-November in Aughnamullen. The concession of a penalty in the opening four minutes got Doohamlet off to a nightmarish start and despite gritting their teeth, the O'Neills were still six points adrift entering the last ten minutes of the game. Doohamlet managed to reduce their deficit to just a single point but Inniskeen held out to fashion a vital victory. The gallant and tenacious O'Neills were devastated but with a young, skilful and ambitious squad all set to consolidate the club's magical progress over the last four years, it's certain that Doohamlet will figure in major finals again in the coming years . . with hopefully better end-results though! Tweet

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