Crookedwood intermediate hurlers are attracting the unwanted tag of always being the bridesmaid and never the bride as they once again narrowly failed to make the senior grade. However, the club did not finish the year empty handed as Maroon and White reflects on their progress in 2004. Defeat in two of the last three finals is a hard knock for any team to take but Crookedwood have proven to be a very resilient side over the last few years and they have made massive progress at both underage and adult level. The days of being the whipping boys have long gone and the club has become one of the strongest in the county both on and off the field. The green, white and golds boast one of the finest pitches and dressing rooms in the county that is the result of a lot of hard work by members of the club. Their grounds are now worthy of staging any championship match and there is no doubt that Crookedwood will be a venue for a high profile game this year. Towards the end of last June saw Crookedwood begin their intermediate campaign with a tough clash against championship favourites St Oliver Plunkett's. The Mullingar side were unlucky to lose their senior status the previous year and were hotly tipped to make an immediate return to the top grade. But a shock was in store for the town team in their opening match as the 'Wood' proved to be more than a match for Plunkett's. The first half was evenly matched as the sides traded scores in the opening minutes. Crookedwood should have had more points on the board but their forwards hit a number of wides, however they still managed to be ahead at half time by 1-4 to 0-4. The pattern of the match continued to be tight but it was the wood who got on top in the final ten minutes. Points from Johnny Orme gave them a two point advantage and although Oliver Plunkett's did reply with a point it was to be Crookedwood's day and the perfect start to the campaign for them. The win over Plunkett's sent out a clear message to the other teams in the intermediate championship that the rural club were the ones to watch. In their next outing St Brigid's were the opponents and another close contest was on the cards. Despite not playing to their to true potential, the green, white and golds recorded their second win of the championship by 1-8 to 2-3. A three point win over Southern Gaels followed to leave Crookedwood with maximum points after three matches, although they faced fellow contenders and neighbours Cullion in what was expected to be another tough match for the 'wood. Both sides were guaranteed a place in the semi finals but pride and local rivalry were always going to have a major say in this one. Crookedwood recorded their best performance of the championship against their neighbours as they ran out winners by six points. Victory was a boost to moral in the camp as they qualified to meet Turin in the semi final of the championship. The semi-final was fixed for Clonkill where neighbours Crookedwood and Turin, would battle it out for a place in the final. The wood entered the match as slight favourites following their unbeaten run in the group stages but once again local rivalry would make it an even playing field. Turin were first to score when Ray Aughey pointed a free and they then missed a golden opportunity to score a goal, before Johnny Orme equalised after five minutes. The 'Wood then hit three wides in succession before Ger Brennan added another point. Turin were then denied another goal chance after good defending by Finian Newman. Orme added a point before Turin replied with a point of their own. Scores were scarce for the remainder of the half as defences on both sides stood firm, each registering just 0-1 each. An Orme free five minutes into the second half stretched Crookedwood's lead to two points but the gap was narrowed to just one when Aughey pointed a '65m free. Enda Murray fired over an inspirational point from wing back in the 12th minute and this score seemed to give the 'wood a huge lift. Further points from Stephen Leavy and Orme gave them a four point lead before Noel Yourell scrambled the ball to the net for their first goal of the evening. It was Yourell's last act of the evening as the corner forward was forced off the field through injury but his replacement Frank Brennan wasted little time in getting on the score sheet when he scored the second goal to effectively end the match as a contest. Turin's response was a point with eight remaining but this was to be their last score of the match as Orme registered 1-1 in the closing minutes to send the 'wood through to their second final appearance in three years, much to the delight of their large following. In the final, Crookedwood would meet St Oliver Plunkett's as was expected. The town team had a narrow one point win over Cullion in the semi final and despite losing to the 'wood in their opening match of the campaign they were tipped to win this duel. It looked as if Plunkett's would march straight back up to the senior ranks as midway through the second half they lead comfortably but Crookedwood are an experienced side in these situations and forced their way back into the match. Two minutes into the second half the Robinstown outfit led by seven points but they then seemed to lose their way as their opponents slowly got to grip with the game. Growing with confidence, Crookedwood kept plugging away and two minutes into injury time they drew level and forced a deserved replay. Once again it was Johnny Orme, Stephen Leavy, Colin Murray, Kevin Tormey and goalkeeper Antoine Savage who were most impressive for the team from the shores of Lough Derravaragh. As many replays go, this contest failed to live up to expectations as Plunkett's were on top right from the start. Crookedwood never reached their true potential during the course of this match and they were left to rue their missed opportunities from the drawn game. Plunketts were not about to let another championship slip from their grasp and the ruthlessly disposed of their opponents. The first half was a tight affair but two goals for Plunkett's at critical stages in the opening 30 minutes helped the town team to a three point lead at half time. Crookedwood's scores coming from Stephen Leavy, Johnny Orme (4) and Colin Murray. However their failure to register a single score in the second half was to prove critical as Plunkett's added 1-3 to their tally. So it was further heartbreak for the tricolours as they once again failed in their attempts to make the senior grade. But their year was not a total disaster as success in the Intermediate Cup was achieved with a win over Cullion. On their way to the final, Crookedwood received a walkover from Longford Slashers in the first round before defeating Turin by a point in the semi final. Despite conceding home advantage for the final, Crookedwood were not going to let the year be a total disaster but they left it late before eventually seeing off the challenge of Cullion. The match was played at a cracking pace throughout with Cullion just shading the first half by 1-03 to 0-05. The maroons scored the opening two points of the match before Johnny Orme opened his account and the same player brought the sides level with a fine score from the wing. Cullion wasted a number of opportunities before the interval and should have been more than a point in front but they did manage to find the net with a well taken goal by Mark Keane after good work by Derek Kerrigan. Cullion could have had a second goal only for Antoine Savage to save well and in the following attack Enda Murray fired over the final score of the half. Cullion stretched their lead after the break with two points as they looked to stamp their authority on the game. Orme was keeping the wood in the match as he pointed another free from close range. The sides exchanged points as the half wore on and the scoring took a back seat as defences got on top. It was that man Orme who registered next to leave a point between the sides. In the last minute of normal playing time Crookedwood levelled matters with a point from Kevin Orme. The tricolours edged in front when Orme pointed another free. The same player put two points between the teams with an excellently taken score. Cullion poured forward in search of that elusive score to calm nerves but it was Crookedwood who could taste victory and when substitute Colin Murray drove the ball low into the net with only seconds remaining, it was delight for the championship runner's up at long last. Following the win in the minor B championship, 2004 was a reason for mixed emotions for the Crookedwood club, however they have proven that determination and dedication does reap the rewards and there is no one in the county who would deny this side an intermediate title and a crack at the senior grade. Tweet

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