For Bunbrosna, last year was all about consolidating their position in the intermediate ranks. Having achieved that, they will be in a slightly more ambitious frame of mind this season according to goalkeeper Damien McCormack. Junior champions after a 32-year lapse in 2001, Bunbrosna achieved what they set out to achieve last year by consolidating their position in the intermediate ranks. Given the team's low age profile, it would have been a major setback had they failed to hold their own in the 'middle' grade. Despite giving a good account of themselves in the group stages, they were sucked into a relegation play-off against Mullingar Shamrocks and had to battle hard to emerge victorious. "Even though we were threatened by relegation, it wasn't a bad year for us," says goalkeeper Damien McCormack. "It would have been a travesty had we gone down because we were competitive in most of our games. The only team that beat us well was Killucan, but as far as the other games were concerned, there wasn't any more than a kick of the ball in them." McCormack, who at 29 is considered a veteran of the team, cannot emphasis enough the importance of Bunbrosna preserving their intermediate status. With intermediate football to look forward to again this year, he is confident that the club can build on last year's achievement. "There's always a lot of pressure on a team coming up from junior to survive the first year," he claims. "It was a big step-up for us because it had been over 30 years since we last played at intermediate level. Having held our own last year, the pressure is off us to a certain extent and we'll be raising our expectations another notch this year. "On paper, the draw is a bit more favourable than last year and I definitely think we should be aiming for a place in the knock-out stages." Bunbrosna's hopes of marking their return to the intermediate championship with a victory were dashed by a vastly experienced Rosemount side. In a controversial game played at Ballynacargy, the superb finishing of Cathal Keane was the difference between the sides. Keane kicked 10 points in a 1-14 to 2-6 win for Rosemount. The black and ambers laid the foundations for their success in the first half when they outscored Bunbrosna by 1-8 to 1-1. The Bunbrosna goal came via the fist of midfielder Padraig Walsh in the 27th minute. When John McCormack scored a second Bunbrosna goal 12 minutes after the restart, the margin between the teams was reduced to four points. But that was as close as Bunbrosna came to springing a surprise. Three weeks later, Bunbrosna secured their first win when they overcame Mullingar Shamrocks by 1-10 to 1-8. The sides were level on 0-2 each after 17 minutes, but Shamrocks dominated the second quarter to lead by 0-7 to 0-3 at the interval. When Shamrocks converted a penalty early in the second half, Bun' found themselves 0-4 to 1-7 in arrears. However, they gradually reduced the deficit before Aidan Finnan slotted home a penalty to level proceedings. Shamrocks quickly regained the lead, but unanswered points from Padraig Tighe (two) and Finnan in the closing stages gave Bun' a dramatic victory. Bunbrosna suffered their second defeat on June 23 when they were pipped by Milltownpass on a 0-8 to 1-6 scoreline. Further disappointment followed when Killucan inflicted a crushing 0-3 to 2-10 defeat on them. Bun' had been on level terms at half-time, but fell away badly following the change of ends. The blue and whites showed a vast improvement to beat Shandonagh by 1-9 to 1-8 in their fifth outing at Ballinagore. But another one-point defeat to Kilbeggan Shamrocks, 0-7 to 1-5, condemned them to a four-way relegation play-off. Mullingar Shamrocks provided the opposition once again for Bunbrosna who duly repeated their earlier victory, this time on a 2-8 to 2-6 scoreline. Shamrocks had stormed into a 1-3 to 0-1 lead after 10 minutes, but goals from Peter Tormey and John McCormack just before the interval enabled Bun' to take control and they battled manfully to maintain their advantage in the second half. As far as the league was concerned, it was a case of so near yet so far away for Bunbrosna. A win over Tyrrellspass in their final outing would have secured promotion from Division 4, but it wasn't to be and it was their opponents who made the ascent instead. "We were very disappointed with not getting promoted," admits McCormack, who is still remembered for his penalty save for Westmeath against Meath in the 1992 Leinster minor final. "We had been unbeaten in the league up until then and it was frustrating to miss out on promotion on the last day of the season. We had dropped a point in an earlier game against Kilbeggan, but promotion was still in our own hands going into the final game against Tyrrellspass." For the third year running, the Inny Gaels amalgamation - of which Bunbrosna is an integral part - reached the minor 'premier' championship final, but their hopes of completing a hat-trick of successes were ended by a superior Mullingar Shamrocks outfit. Despite the defeat, McCormack believes that Bunbrosna has benefited enormously from Inny Gaels' achievements. "There is little doubt that Inny Gaels has been a big help to the club. The experience and confidence our young players have gained from playing against and beating the best teams in the county has brought them on an awful lot as footballers." Bunbrosna are under new management this year with Edgeworthstown native John Smith having taken over the reins from John Mulligan, who is now in charge of the Mullingar Shamrocks senior team. Smith will have to plan without Cormac McCormack, whose work has taken him to Germany and last year's county minor Peter Tormey, who sustained a broken leg while playing colleges football. "Cormac and Peter are two major losses to us, but hopefully we'll be able to get by without them. We are fortunate to have an outstanding crop of young players at the moment, many of whom are just out of the minor grade. "Realistically, it could be another three or four years before we are fit to win an intermediate championship. But a place in the knock-out stages is definitely something we are capable of achieving this year," concludes the Granard-based garda. Tweet

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