Westerns' seconds stole the show in 2008 with a wonderful run to the semi-final stage of the Division 4C league. Their hunt for silverware was ended by Annaghminnon Rovers at the penultimate hurdle but hopes are high that the first team was taking note and that they can improve dramatically in the coming season. Westerns are also making good progress in developing their facilities, so it's certainly not all doom and gloom around Reaghstown these days. Okay, let's call a shovel a shovel: Westerns were a complete disappointment in the 2008 Louth JFC and in Division Three of the all-county league. Their performances in the bread and butter competitions did little to raise morale in the clubhouse and the Reaghstown men looked as far away as ever from intermediate football. But the seconds were a different story altogether, producing some excellent efforts to storm through to the semi-final stage of Division 4C. It was a thoroughly-impressive campaign, raising spirits at the end of the season Annaghminnon provided the opposition in the 4C semi-final on Sunday November 23 and it was the Rovers who sneaked out on the right side of a 2-8 to 1-7 scoreline. Westerns had beaten Annaghminnon in an earlier round and also got the better of John Mitchells, St Nicholas, Cooley Kickhams B, Dowdallshill, Lannleire, St Fechins, St Kevins, Cuchulainn Gaels, Stabannon and St Patricks B en route to the knockout stage. Reflecting on the brave quest for silverware, club chairman Peter Conroy says: "The Junior 2s did well and had a great year. They went eleven games unbeaten to get to the semi-final of Division 4C and they were unlucky not to get through to the final. Willie Martin and Hughie Brennan did a great job with that team and they did us all proud. They had it won against Annaghminnon as well but lost it in the last few minutes" The first team made an encouraging start to the season with victories over St Nicholas and Naomh Fionnbarra in the Kevin Mullen Shield but things gradually unravelled and their season descended into a non-event. They finished mid-table in Division Three, the highlight being victory over JFC finalists Lannleire. In the junior championship, Westerns failed to get off the mark. In Group Two of the JFC, they lost to Dowdallshill by a point on June 12; Annaghminnon by 2-10 to 0-7 at Tallanstown two weeks later; St Kevins in Ardee in mid-July; and John Mitchells by 0-14 to 1-7 at Tallanstown in the last round on August 14. A week before that, they conceded to the Nicks. All in all, a poor innings. "Football-wise, it probably wasn't a good year," Peter concedes. "The Junior 1s weren't very successful in league or championship. They didn't perform up to the mark, but the second team did well and it was a good year in that respect." What's at the root of the problems? A lack of numbers, perhaps? "Every rural club is looking for more players and we're no different. This is a small rural community and there are three or four other clubs bordering us, so it's not easy. Tallanstown had a great year at senior level and they're right beside us here" Is there much young blood coming through? "We have a fair few lads, but some of them are still a bit too young and not quite strong enough just yet, so it could take a couple of years for them to come through fully. We have a very good underage structure going in the club under Frank Scriben, Jimmy Drumgoole, Martin Duffy, Anthony Durnin and Brendan McMahon, who are doing wonderful work with the young lads from U11, U12 and U13 levels up. They are doing a great job looking after the youth, so we're hoping to reap the benefits of that in the future." Peter is optimistic that things will take a turn in the right direction in 2009. "They can only improve," he quips. "I'm hopeful that we'll see better performances next year. We're going to hold back and have the AGM early in the new year and hopefully we'll be able to get the players motivated and firing on all cylinders." The club is making good strides on other fronts, especially with their facilities. The chairman takes the story up: "We are in the process of developing a training pitch and that's going to be a major asset to the Westerns and to the community in general. We hoped to have it finished by the end of the year but unfortunately the weather got in the way. We have it levelled and ready to go but the weather beat us to it and we didn't manage to get it re-seeded. However, we're hoping to get back to that in the Spring and we should have the new training pitch up and running by the end of 2009 at the very latest. "We also have full-size tennis courts here and the ladies are out playing at night time and that's going well and serving the people of the community. We have received planning permission to install floodlighting on the football pitch as well and the lights will be another big asset to the club. At the end of the day, Westerns GAA club is here to provide for the community and we are continuing to do that to the best of our ability. "It's going really well in terms of development and facilities. The football itself can only get better and I fully expect Westerns to fare a lot better in the junior championship next year. A lot of the same players were involved with the Division 4C team this year, so they have it in them. "Willie and Hughie did great work with that team and it's important to acknowledge their efforts. Willie is also our main sponsor as the director of V&W Recycling in Dundalk and Drogheda, and we really appreciate his support as well." Tweet

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