Colm Doyle - captain of the O'Connells side that rounded off a near-perfect McGahon Cup (Division 2B) winning campaign with an emphatic 22-point drubbing of Sean McDermotts - speaks to Gerry Robinson about the club's beautiful year. O'Connell's have enjoyed some good years recently (remember that 20-game winning sequence in 1999?), but 2001 was one of their best . . . bar none. Playing at a higher level than they were when they forced the entire Wee County to sit up and take notice two seasons ago, the Castlebellingham outfit put together a tremendous intermediate championship campaign which peaked with the defeat of competition favourites Geraldines after a quarter-final replay before running out of steam in the semi-final against Naomh Fionnbarra. Meanwhile, in the league, they managed to go through the entire year unbeaten, recording nine wins and three draws from their twelve Division 2B outings to clinch promotion in the most impressive fashion imaginable. By the time of their final outing of the season - against Sean McDermotts (who had just qualified for the intermediate championship final) - they had already gained promotion to 2A but were nonetheless determined to achieve victory so as to ensure that they went up in style, with an unblemished record. They duly defeated the Mountrush men . . . emphatically, 2-17 to 0-1. Advancing to the higher level of the intermediate grade represents a significant achievement for the Castlebellingham club and means that 2001 will be remembered in the clubhouse as having been a very worthwhile season indeed. The victory also provided a degree of compensation for the disappointment of intermediate championship semi-final defeat and O'Connells have every reason to look forward with renewed optimism. Both their league and championship campaigns will stand them in good stead for the coming season: the former in that they developed a crucial non-losing habit; the latter because they have garnered invaluable experience of what intermediate championship football is all about. And remember also that they'll be playing consistently at a higher level next year, against better teams, and this is certain to bring them on even further. All in all, things are moving in the right direction. After the final league match, county Secretary Pat Toner presented the McGahon Cup to a delighted winning captain Colm Doyle. Speaking to 'Wee County' shortly afterwards, the midfielder was in understandably high spirits: "We played really well this year," he enthuses. "Everything just clicked into place for us and when that happens it's a great feeling. We had a similar sort of year in 1999 when we were undefeated in all competitions up until the championship final. I think it's all about getting a good start really and once the confidence starts to build we can prove that we're a good team. We only lost one match all year - the championship semi-final against the Finbarrs - so we can't complain." That defeat took some wind from the sails and threatened to derail O'Connells' up-until-then sensational season but they soon got their act together once more to finish out their programme in style. "After the championship defeat the heads went down a bit and we were quite fortunate to draw our next two games," notes Colm. "We had begun to believe we could go further in the championship but it just didn't work out that way. "We beat John Mitchells in the first round and then beat Geraldines after a replay. Suddenly, we were feeling confident and we thought we could go well. Our aim at the start of the year had been to move up a division in the league and we said that anything we got in the championship would be a bonus. "We hadn't really got our eyes on the championship because we're such a young team that we didn't think we'd be strong enough for senior football. However, once we beat the Geraldines we suddenly found ourselves looking at senior football. We felt we could go all the way but, in hindsight, I think we're better off where we are for the time being - senior football might have been too much of a step for this team at the moment and there's no point going up until you're ready." Colm Doyle has been on the O'Connells first team for five years. He came up through the ranks as part of a strong St Michaels side that won U14 and two U21 county championships. The 1999 Macardle Cup was his first success with O'Connells; the 2001 McGahon Cup was his second. Is there more where that came from? "Hopefully we can now consolidate our Division 2A status. We're still a very young team and I feel that if we could hold it for a year then we'd be in a strong position. To be honest, I don't really know if we're strong enough physically for senior football just yet. "It would do us more harm than good if we went up too soon and took some beatings and then came straight back down again. I think our best strategy is to try to do well in the league next year and get that little bit stronger and then take a look at where we're at." Certainly, with the likes of Mark Stanfield, Stuart Reynolds and Paul McKeever at their disposal, O'Connells have no shortage of talent to call upon. And Colm is quite a prospect himself, having played for three years as a county under 21 as well as spending six months on the Louth senior panel under Paddy Clarke. He points out: "The really encouraging thing is that we have a core of good young players coming through and that has to augur well for the club's future. The aim of the club is to go senior one day, but we have to time it properly. There's no point getting impatient or trying to jump the gun. With the age profile of this team, time is on our side. "Actually, I think it would be better if we could gain promotion through the league because that gives you a stronger basis to build upon. By winning a championship - which is just a few games - you are liable to go up and then come straight back down again, which might disillusion the younger lads on the team and set them back." Joined on the team by brothers TJ and David, Colm is a young man with his heart set on senior football. But he seems to know only too well that good things are worth waiting for and it is this attitude that will carry the day for O'Connells. Slowly but surely is the safest of strategies and I have no doubt O'Connells will get there. And - on an even more positive note - when they do bring senior football to The Grove, they'll be ready for it. Tweet

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