The pattern of juvenile dominance witnessed at Toome G.F.C. over the past few years was, once again repeated in the 2001 season with a much deserved under-15 success, writes Donna Quinn. The new season kicked off with the election of Gene Comiskey to the role of chairperson at the Annual General Meeting in early December. Adjacent to this change was the hosting of the Toome G.F.C. annual dinner dance, held on the 1st December, in the Riverdale Hotel. Paddy Mc Ardle was awarded the Hall of Fame award and flew over from New York with his wife, Florrie, especially for the occasion. The 1975 Intermediate team was invited along and were awarded with plaques as a reminder of the victories in that year. Needless to say an enjoyable night was had by all as old memories were rekindled and old stories were retold. The 2001 season was a mixture of joy and disappointment for the club, thankfully the good memories outweigh the bad. In late November, St. Victor's Park, Toome, received a Millennium Parks Awards from Danny Murphy, President of the Ulster Council, in recognition of the high standard of the facilities available. On Sunday, 5th August, Toome hosted the New York Celtics under-10 and under-12 teams as they travelled around Ireland as part of their 2001 tour. Each New York team played their Toome counterparts as part of an enjoyable afternoon's fun. Senior struggle: Despite an optimistic and enthusiastic start to the training season, the Toome senior team can not match the success held by the juvenile teams. Training began in early January and the team manager, Enda Quinn, was pleased with an almost perfect attendance and dedication shown by the players. Brendan McArdle generously sponsored a new set of jerseys and a windsheeter jacket for each member of the team. Noel Marron and Brendan Quigley assisted training. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond the clubs control, namely the Foot and Mouth threat, training had to be postponed, despite other clubs continuing with their training. Such an unexpected and unappreciated break may be a main factor in a lost of momentum, and when training resumed in late February, the previous eagerness was somewhat diminished. This, regrettably, was reflected in their league and championship performances. The first round of the Championship witnessed defeat by Eire Og. A few positional changes in the second half proved to be advantageous, but in spite of a Toome comeback, it was a case of too little too late. The new Championship format gave a glimpse of hope when Toome were drawn against Blackhill. A week before the match Cormac Quinn, an influential player, was suspended in a league match in Aughnamullen. This blow contributed to the low morale and Toome were beaten by Blackhill. In face of this defeat Toome convincingly beat Blackhill a week later in their league campaign, a victory that came too late. We have to wait another year before we can hope for senior success. Under-15 triumph: Toome's under-15 squad reigned supreme over their division three counterparts, as they remain undefeated in their league to become worthy champions. Regrettably such a seemingly flawless campaign did not pass without an occasional hiccup. The end of the league was fraught with frustration initiated by the absence of the referee for the Toome versus Doohamlet match, which was due to held on Thursday, 19th April. After a brief discussion between the mentors, it was determined that a coin toss should determine the outcome of the game, a toss in which Toome won. However, the county board overruled this result and a replay was scheduled. In the end the Doohamlet team did not wish to travel and, so, gave the points to Toome. As a result of the mix-up the final date was delayed until the 1st of June. As it turned out Toome once again met Doohamlet, this time with the assistance of a referee, in the final. Toome's superiority reigned as they conclusively beat their opposition. The final score was Toome: 2-9, Doohamlet: 0-6. This winning formula was coached by Seamus Mc Bride and Brendan Lambe and consist of Pauric Kelly, Stephen Lambe, Gary Wilson, Gerard Cunningham, Tony McMahon, Alan Lambe, Gavin Flanagan, Keith Casey, Paul Lambe, Niall McGrath, Cian McGovern, Patrick Hanratty, Cian McGovern, Barry Murphy and Shane Moore. Minor miracle: For the first time in several years, Toome were able to field its own minor squad, coached by Eugene Quinn, and fulfilled all fixtures. This is the most noticeable result of the numerous upcoming underage players and despite a limited success everyone remains optimistic for the next season as players mature and acquire confidence in their league. Under-13 hope The under-13's, managed by Patsy Moore, are a fantastic bunch. On Saturday, 22nd September, the team defeated Doohamlet in the semi-final with a convincing scoreline, Toome: 5-10, Doohamlet: 1-5. This particular team consists of a few of the U-15 stars as well as U-13 stars in their own right, and are as follows: Stephen Murphy, Gary Wilson, Kevin Mc Manus, John McManus, Mathew O'Reilly, Shane Moore, Niall Cannon, Cian Mc Govern, Justin Burns, PJ Daly, Darren Conlon, Rayfield Mc Caughey, Stephen McCooey and Kieran Mc Ginn. Each lad deserves full credit for their dedication. It cannot be said that it was all plain sailing at Toome this year, but as always, those complaints will rarely be audible due to the enormous dedication and hard work put in by the uncomplaining few. The good fortune off the football pitch is an incentive to continue with the much-envied presentation of St. Victor's Park. It is with a little bit of luck and wishing that this success is carried on to the pitch and, that, all of those involved, from the under-10's right through to the senior panel can raise their heads in glee and feel proud to be a part of Toome G.F.C. Good luck in the coming year lads. Tweet

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