Mac Malone and Pauric Loughran, joint-managers of the victorious Blackhill Minor Division Three winning side, reflect on the club's history making triumph in 2005 As joint-team managers of Blackhill's mushrooming minor team at the outset of 2005, Mac Malone and Pauric Loughran knew they had potential winners on their hands. Both reckoned that given proper guidance and leadership, Blackhill's finest under 18 players had the ability to go the distance in division three, without a shadow of a doubt. Too long in the tooth though to take anything in Gaelic football for granted though, the management duo at least knew they had some very good material to work with. "We knew from working with them over the years that they were an honest bunch of lads, talented but also willing to work and learn," Mac Malone explains. Joint commander-in-chief Loughran was no less optimistic in setting out on the campaign trail. He too rated Blackhill's young guns very highly. "There were a lot of talented players in the panel; a lot of good ball players; maybe six or seven of them with all the skills and all the players were committed," says Pauric. And in going through the campaign unbeaten and defeating Doohamlet and Rockcorry in the semi-final and final respectively, the managers' ratings proved spot-on. To outsiders looking in, Blackhill fulfilled their destiny in beating the best of the rest in division three in '05. The bookies had them down as favourites too, one imagines. Having won under 12, 13, 14 and under 15 titles over the years, the Blackhill starlets were tipped as the team to beat in the race for a first ever minor triumph for the club. The players were the stars of the year, both Pauric and Mac are at pains to point out but, in truth, it was a thoroughly superb collective achievement, on and off the pitch. Indeed, the addition of the excellent Paul West as team trainer later in the season served to underpin the team's excellent preparation and readiness for the run for home. "The training started at the start of the summer holidays and was mostly about ball work and concentrating on working on the skills. "The players were all very keen and the turnouts were good too which helped us in getting them as fit as possible," Pauric explains For his part, Mac believes that the trio behind the team couldn't have had a more pliable bunch of players. "It wasn't hard to get them to do what we asked of them," he says. "They're an ambitious bunch but they know their own limitations and the areas they need to work on and they did improve as the year went on. "The fact though that they've a fair amount of belief in their own ability and they're not overawed by any team they meet helps when you're aiming for a title," Mac adds. Working with basically the same squad that failed to reach the penultimate stages of the minor competition in 2004, Blackhill's management team were upbeat from the off. "We joined up with Oram in 2004 for the 15-aside but the team lacked strength and the likes of Ballybay and Drumhowan were that bit too good for us," Pauric explains. "This squad is the best group of players that have come together at underage level in Blackhill ever and they showed in 2005 the kind of potential that we knew was there. "There's been great work done with them since under 10 level and the fact that they've won a string of titles up the ranks shows what they were made of," Pauric adds. Interestingly while Pauric says he firmly fancied Blackhill to beat Rock' and make history at minor level in 2005, his comrade in arms wasn't quite so confident or assured. "I thought Rockcorry would be a difficult team to beat because they were physically very strong and more experienced with a few of them playing at intermediate level. "Even though we beat them fairly comfortably during the run to the final, we weren't fooled by their performance because they were definitely holding back," Mac reckons. Doohamlet native Mac believes the willingness of the Blackhill players to work hard for each other and to do what was asked of them individually and collectively was ace. In the absence of "glory hunters", the Blackhill way saw a great division of labour exist within the squad and the spirit and camaraderie exhibited reflected that. "There were no egos to massage in the squad and the players all got on well with each other which is a big thing for young fellas," Mac adds. Blackhill's plan of campaign worked to a tee and after coasting their way through the qualifying rounds, the challenge of Doohamlet awaited in the penultimate round. It was in that match that the tactical nous of the Blackhill think-tank gelled beautifully with the football skills of their charges. By putting two markers on Doohamlet's county minor pairing of Paul McArdle and Lorcan Duffy, Blackhill pulled off a master stroke which paved the way for an easy win. Pauric says the minors' success in 2005 came as a great boost to gaels in Blackhill and is something that augurs well for the future well-being of the success-starved club. "This latest win might have surprised some people in the area but anyone who has followed their progress over the years wouldn't have been too surprised. "Winning the minor this year is the fruits of a lot of work done with them over the years and I'll be surprised if a few of them aren't in line for places on the junior team now. "They'll defintely move up through the ranks and put pressure on the fellas who played Junior in the past year which can only be good for the club," Pauric avers. Joint-manager Mac agrees concerning both the significance to the club of the minor title win and the potential inherent in the squad. "I've seen these fellas progressing from under eight upwards and I don't think they'll rest on their laurels. "Winning the minor is important for the club because it wasn't done before and it shows that there's some good stuff coming up to help out at Junior level in the next while. "If the players are well looked after, I'd say maybe seven or eight of them will be pressing hard for places on the Junior team over the next couple of years. "They've good potential but we're just talking about potential. The players have got to go on and fulfill that potential at adult level and time will tell on that score," Mac says. It's obvious that both managers are anxious to dampen down any hint of unrealistic expectations which Blackhill's starlets might nurture. But it's equally obvious that both men highly rate their erstwhile minor charges and believe that the players can shape their own destiny if their attitude is right. "The club has never had such a strong panel of players from minor age upwards as it does now and definitely the future looks fairly rosy. "There's a 25 strong pool of players around 18 now whereas before the last year there would have just 17 or 18 which speaks for itself," Pauric enthuses. "Fair play to the lads, they hit the target, spot-on and they deserved it because of the effort they put in all year," Mac confirms. Was there one stand-out moment for him, either during the whole campaign or in the final itself perhaps? "I suppose my biggest memory is of seeing the faces of the lads at half-time in the final against Rockcorry. "We were five points in front but you'd think by the look on their faces that we were five points down. "They were happy enough about being in the lead but they had played flat-out and were looking really drained. "But they're a determined bunch; they had led from start to finish and there was no way they were going to let their lead slip so they stuck it out to the last," Mac replies. And, for good measure, Pauric believes that the same set of players will 'stick it out' and are there for Blackhill for the long haul. "I expect the Junior team to be all the better for the progress of these minors. "The club was very disappointed to lose out to Cremartin in the 2004 junior championship final, especially having beaten Currin in the semi-final. "But I think the panel will be stronger in the next couple of years and there'll be a lot more competition for places. "The club, as a whole, should benefit a lot from these young fellas coming through," Pauric concludes. Killanny (Minor Division Three final v Rockcorry); Colm Borden; Paul Murphy, Gerard McArdle; Ryan Craig, Shane Courtney, Anthony McDermott, Niall Loughran, Darryl Craig, Michael Shevlin, Pauric Murphy, Dermot Malone, Aidan Little, Peter Daly. Subs; Jimmy Brady, Niall Donnelly, Dermot McMahon. Our Year Reaching the Junior Championship final in 2004 gave everyone at the club a great lift as they took stock and looking forward to the new year with anticipation and what it might bring. The question on everyone's lips, could the Emeralds go one better in 2005. When the Junior Championship draws were made in Monaghan early in the new year we were pitted against near neighbours and arch rivals Oram in the first round, a tough opener indeed against one of the strongest sides in Junior football. As we headed down the road to O'Neill Park in Clontibret on Saturday the 7th May without Darren Woods, one of our best players out injured since the Junior final in 2004, our supporters were not hopeful of a successful outcome. As the encounter enfolded they could only marvel at the display given by the Blackhill side as they gave as good as they got against their neighbours and at the end of an enthralling hours play the boys from the hill were through to the next round on a final score line, Blackhill 1-8, Corduff 0-9. Aughnamullen were out next opponents and the match took place in Castleblayney on the 9th July. Unfortunately the team could not raise their game and were beaten in a very close encounter on a scoreline, Aughnamullen 0-10, Blackhill 1-4. The backdoor beckoned. The last chance to stay in the race for Junior honours. Blackhill were drawn against Corduff and the match was once again to take place in Castleblayney on 21st August. The team struggled from the start and were unable to cope with a more mobile Corduff side who eventually ran out winners on a final scoreline, Corduff 1-12, Blackhill 0-6. In the Dr Ward Cup the team once again struggled and remained in the lower half of the league throughout the season and never made any impact in a very disappointing campaign. The Junior B were knocked out of the championship at the first hurdle by Rockcorry and like their senior counterparts made no inroads in their league campaign. During the August Bank holiday weekend the club ran a very successful tournament in memory of the late Philip Courtney, a former player and chairman of the club. Four clubs were invited to attend, Blackhill, Cremartin, Doohamlet and Drumhowan. Blackhill defeated Cremartin in the first semi-final while Doohamlet overcame Drumhowan to set a very interesting final on August Bank Holiday Monday. A large attendance turned up for the inaugural tournament final in which Doohamlet were winners for the first time of the Philip Courtney Memorial Tournament. All proceeds from the tournament went towards Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin. The club intends to make this tournament an annual event to honour a great clubman, player and committee member. The club took part in Scor na nOg and Senior Scor. We congratulate the Blackhill Set Dancing team who won the county final in Emyvale. Michelle Costello, Martina Daly, Bridie McEneaney, Fiona Dooley, Magie McDermott, Ann Duffy, Ann Connolly, Catriona Craig. The quiz team of Frankie Gorman, PJ Harkin, Pauric Craig on reaching the county final and Ciaran Costello who also reached the county final of Scor na Nog with his recitation. Supplied by Blackhill GAC Tweet

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