Ringtown performed something of a Houdini act last August when they ended a seven-match losing streak in the senior hurling championship with victory over Brownstown in a relegation play-off. Not surprisingly, they don't want a repeat situation this year as new chairman Colin Murphy explains. Despite losing all seven of their matches in the league stages of the senior hurling championship, Ringtown pulled out all the stops to preserve their top flight status with a relegation play-off victory over Brownstown last August. While Ringtown were full value for their 0-10 to 0-7 win, one would have to feel some sympathy for Brownstown who had chalked up two wins in the league stages and were only narrowly beaten by Delvin in a play-off to determine who would face the Whitehall men in the relegation battle. "We were very lucky to stay up," concedes Ringtown corner forward and new club chairman Colin Murphy. "We had a terrible run of results in the league stages of the championship and we probably deserved to be relegated after failing to win any of our matches. But the relegation play-off offered us one last chance and we managed to raise our game sufficiently to beat Brownstown. "It was hard lines on Brownstown because they had got a couple of wins under their belt, but that's the way the championship works. They had put us down in 2000 so I suppose it was revenge of sorts," he adds. The 29-year-old, who has succeeded Anthony Nea as chairman, believes Ringtown would have been relegated but for the promptings of team trainer Michael John Corrigan. "Michael John is the reason why we're still a senior club," he says. "A lot of fellas had become disheartened by our run of losses, but he never lost hope. He made us believe that we could avoid relegation and thankfully things worked out that way." Ironically, Brownstown had beaten Ringtown in their opening game of the championship back in May. The Archerstown side were well on top in the first half, but a goal from veteran Tommy Cunningham deep in injury-time left Ringtown just three points adrift at the interval. It should have been the tonic Ringtown needed but despite a second goal from Aaron Corrigan in the 36th minute, they failed to score again as Brownstown ran out 1-9 to 2-1 winners. Against Raharney in the second outing, Ringtown were on the back-foot after John Shaw scored an early goal for the Deelsiders. Raharney went on to lead by 1-9 to 0-5 at the interval and while points from Corrigan, Adrian Moran and Donal Meehan kept Ringtown in touch in the third quarter, a late goal from Brian Smyth saw the blue and whites prevail on a 2-17 to 0-13 scoreline. Ringtown looked capable of causing an upset when trailing Clonkill by just a point, 0-4 to 1-2, at the half-way stage of their third round clash at a wet and miserable Cusack Park. But their hopes faded when Fergal Fagan scored Clonkill's second goal five minutes after the restart and such was Ringtown's lack of scoring power that they went through the entire half without scoring. After suffering a 0-9 to 4-9 defeat to Lough Lene Gaels, the Whitehall-based club's relegation worries increased when they were on the receiving end of a 1-6 to 2-18 drubbing from Castletown-Geoghegan on July 4. Ringtown competed well in the first half and were just three points in arrears at the break. But as was the case in most of their earlier games, Ringtown were over-run in the second half with only a Matty Murphy goal to show for their efforts. Ringtown had high hopes of securing their first win at Delvin's expense, but once again they were forced to give second best as the Valleymen powered to a 4-10 to 2-11 victory. A seventh straight defeat was inflicted by neighbours Castlepollard on July 25. The result was never in doubt with 'Pollard having established an unassailable 3-11 to 0-1 lead by half-time. A Keith Melia goal gave Ringtown followers something to cheer about in the second half, but it had no bearing on the outcome as 'Pollard cruised to a 4-14 to 1-7 victory. The green and golds were now leading contenders for relegation, but against all the odds they secured their only win of the campaign to condemn Brownstown to the dreaded drop. Ringtown began the relegation play-off at Cusack Park in business-like fashion with Christy Fanning, Martin Burke and Aaron Corrigan notching early points. But Brownstown eventually settled and had restored parity (0-5 each) at half-time. After Johnny McGuinness and Alan McDonnell had traded points, Tommy Cunningham and Corrigan both found the target to give Ringtown a 0-8 to 0-6 lead. Dara Brady quickly reduced the deficit to the minimum, but Ringtown were not to be denied with late points from Fanning and Corrigan ensuring them of top flight hurling in 2005. While it was all about survival at senior level, Ringtown enjoyed another successful year in the underage ranks with the highlight being the under 16 team's capture of the 'B' championship title for the second year in succession. Derravaragh Gaels, which is an amalgamation of Ringtown and Castlepollard, also reached the minor 'premier' championship final where they were beaten by Castletown-Geoghegan on a 1-9 to 1-20 scoreline. After qualifying from a group which consisted of Southern Gaels/Fr Dalton's, St. Brigid's, Cullion, Lough Lene Gaels, Raharney, Castlepollard and Delvin, Ringtown renewed acquaintances with 'Pollard in the under 16 'B' final at Whitehall. Ringtown started nervously and had to wait until the 18th minute for their first score - a goal from team captain Niall Kilcoyne. But they never looked back thereafter with further points from Darren and Niall Kilcoyne helping them to a 1-3 to 0-4 at the interval. Castlepollard drew level shortly after the restart but with Niall Kilcoyne producing a virtuoso display, Ringtown had opened up a 1-6 to 0-6 lead before the captain added his second goal. Three more points from Kilcoyne had settled the issue before Shane Egan managed a late consolation goal for 'Pollard which left the score 2-9 to 1-7. "I would take a lot of encouragement from the number of good young players we are producing. The likes of Niall Kilcoyne, Eanna Doolin and Shane Brophy are exciting prospects and I'm sure they'll be featuring for the senior team before too long. "I think David Kilcoyne, in particular, deserves great credit for the work that has been done with the young players in the club," Murphy says. Murphy is confident that Ringtown will show a big improvement on last year in the coming season, citing the return of Noel Boyce as team trainer as a major boost. "Noel won the intermediate championship with us in 2002 and I would expect him to bring about an improvement in our fortunes. "Last year was much too close for comfort and we'll be doing everything in our power to stay out of the danger zone this year. I think it would be a good achievement to reach the quarter-finals but it won't be easy. "Most people would look upon the 'big four' of Castletown, Castlepollard, Lough Lene Gaels and Clonkill as certainties for the knock-out stages. That leaves ourselves, Raharney, Plunkett's and Delvin to battle it out for the last two quarter-final places. "We're good enough to get into a quarter-final, but the players must be prepared to put in the effort. If they don't, we'll have another year like last year," he concludes on a cautious note. The Ringtown team which captured the under 16 'B' championship (13-a-side) was: Colm Murtagh; Shane Brophy, Damien Moran; Jason Coffey, Eanna Doolin, Feidlim Burke; Shane Boyce, John Boyhan; Darren Kilcoyne, Ronan Geoghegan, PJ Barrett; Jeffrey Nea, Niall Kilcoyne. Tweet

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