The day was much the same weather-wise as approximately a year earlier, but this time Gaeil Colmcille were singing in the rain at the end of the 2008 Intermediate Hurling Championship final. Clann na nGael beat the Kells side by 0-6 to 0-4 in the 2007 decider on an atrocious day at Pairc Tailteann, but this time they scored with far greater consistency in difficult conditions at the Navan venue to defeat Dunderry by 2-13 to 2-10 and clinch their first title in the middle grade since 1996. Gaeil Colmcille have found it difficult to regain their senior status and also suffered disappointment at the final hurdle in the IHC in 2004 when Clann na nGael thwarted their title ambitions then too. So it was easy to understand why there was such a feeling of relief and elation when referee Martin Bartley sounded the last whistle on the first Saturday of October this year. People like Tom Shine, Conor Ferguson and Ian Callaghan, who formed the managerial team again in 2008, have worked with great drive and conviction to make this success possible. It was a lengthy time in the making, but when it did finally arrive it had clearly been well worth the wait. A victory over Trim in the Under-21 'B' Championship final late last year gave hurling in the Gaeil Colmcille club a significant boost and proved that they were producing the sort of young players who could filter through to the intermediate team and give it added strength. Of course, that team is now a senior team and will take its place alongside the likes of Kilmessan, Kildalkey, Dunboyne and Kiltale in next year's race for the Jubilee Cup. How good does that sound? This year's intermediate competition included six teams competing in one group - Gaeil Colmcille, Longwood, Kilskyre, Blackhall Gaels, Dunderry and Donaghmore/Ashbourne - with the top four sides after the divisional action going through to contest the semi-finals. It meant that only two teams would miss out on knockout action. Gaeil Colmcille opened the championship on a very good note when they defeated Longwood by 1-14 to 0-8 at Boardsmill where an early goal from Stephen Reddy helped them to a double scores (1-7 to 0-5) interval lead. Meath minor captain Brendan Murray impressed in defence and over four months later he was an attacking star when they finished the job with that final win over Dunderry. Reddy top scored with 1-5 in that opener against Longwood and he almost matched it in the second round when his tally of 1-4 helped them to another comfortable win, this time by 1-12 to 1-4 against Donaghmore/Ashbourne who, along with Kilskyre, failed to advance to the last four. Neighbours Kilskyre endured a difficult campaign due to emigration and retirements and Gaeil Colmcille had little difficult in defeating them next time out at Athboy where it finished 2-8 to 0-2. That victory ensured that the Kells team would reach the semi-finals and with that goal achieved they were probably daring to think in terms of silverware. Their only loss of the group campaign followed in the fourth round against Dunderry at Kildalkey where they led by 1-4 to 0-6 at the break, thanks largely to a goal from Robbie Flanagan. They were also ahead by five points with 10 minutes remaining, but Dunderry rallied well to secure a vital win. That left just one group assignment to play and a fourth victory was the result when Gaeil Colmcille defeated Blackhall Gaels by 3-12 to 3-9 at Ratoath. Their next championship outing was also against the Batterstown/Kilcloon outfit, but this time the stakes were much higher because it was at the semi-final stage. The performance wasn't particularly impressive as the Kells men won by 0-8 to 0-7 at Pairc Tailteann on a day when Dunderry made a sensational recovery to beat Longwood in the other semi-final. However, games at that stage of a championship are there to be won, irrespective of the standard of the display in achieving it. Points from Reddy (free), Flanagan and Murray helped Gaeil Colmcille to a 0-3 to 0-2 interval lead after a very poor opening half and they were thankful to young goalkeeper Cormac Ferguson for a couple of important saves which prevented Blackhall from taking a stranglehold on the contest. The second period was a great deal better than the first and, while Gaeil Colmcille never trailed, Blackhall did get back to level terms twice in the half. A fabulous point from a long range free by Shine was a feature of the third quarter as they edged two ahead, but the opposition regained parity (0-6 each) by the end of the quarter. Reddy's pointed free and a magnificent score by impressive centre-back Barry Smith pushed Gaeil Colmcille two clear again and they defended heroically for the remaining seven minutes as they conceded just one further point. It had been a close thing, but all that mattered was that they were back in the final and had the opportunity to make amends for the previous year's disappointment. The weather has a habit of being bad when Gaeil Colmcille contest IHC finals. Back in 2004 when they lost to Clann na nGael at Kilskyre wind was the big problem and last year it was a combination of wind and rain which made playing conditions so difficult when they went under to the same opposition. As they travelled to Navan for this year's final it was wet and miserable again. Was that a bad omen? Not a bit of it. The Gaeil Colmcille players were focused and thoroughly committed and their dominant performance in the opening period gave them a sufficient cushion to guard themselves against a spirited Dunderry revival in the second. It was a credit to both teams that they scored so well in difficult conditions and while skill and accuracy were the hallmarks of the winners' display in the first half, the second was all about courage and a will to win as they weathered a couple of storms when Dunderry threatened to spoil their party. Seventeen year-old Murray, who has all the appearances of a superb talent, operated at full-forward and enjoyed a brilliant first period when his accuracy helped them to open up a 10-point interval lead after playing with the aid of the wind. For a game that produced a combined score of 4-23 overall, it took a long time for the first point to arrive as Stephen Reddy got Gaeil Colmcille off the mark from a free after nine minutes. After that, Murray took over with a classy performance which yielded 1-3 in an eight-minute spell, including his 18th minute goal which arrived after Colin Tormay had dispossessed Darren Callaghan. His tally of 1-4 in the first half included two magnificent scores from the right flank as he oozed confidence and he also set Shine up for his side's second goal on 26 minutes which helped them to a 2-7 to 0-3 interval advantage. Goalkeeper Cormac Ferguson had come to the winners' aid in that half when he saved well from Bob Doherty's close range kicked effort and, while a 10-point cushion looked very good, it was by no means safe with Dunderry aided by the wind in the second period and given the manner in which they came back to beat Longwood in the semi-final. The danger signs were clearly there when Dunderry halved the deficit in the first five minutes after the change of ends thanks to a Paddy Gorey goal and points from Ivan McCormack and Gorey, but Gaeil Colmcille weathered that particular storm and were ahead by 2-10 to 1-5 at the three-quarter stage as they battled with tremendous conviction. They had to keep battling because Dunderry twice reduced the deficit to just a couple of points in the second half, with their second goal from substitute Kevin Bruton after 47 minutes giving their revival hopes a significant boost. But the Kells men were determined not to be second best again and they dug deep when the pressure was really on. County player Mickey Foley was a tower of strength at full-back in a hard working defence and when a couple of points were required to steady the ship again and stifle Dunderry's charge, Shine fired over two long range frees which pointed them firmly in the direction of the title. Young Murray also added two points to his tally in the second period to bring his overall haul to 1-6. There was a definite improvement demonstrated by Gaeil Colmcille in this year's championship and much of that could be attributed to training methods used last winter. An internal five-a-side hurling tournament was played on Castle Villa's astro turf pitches when the skills of the game were worked on. It was something different, but it clearly reaped rich dividends. The Gaeil Colmcille team in the final included several talented youngsters, including Murray who is eligible to play at minor level again next year, so the future for the club in hurling certainly looks very good. Now the challenge is to adapt to the demands of senior hurling, but as the players and all those concerned with the success sit down for their Christmas dinner this year they won't be thinking of what might have been, but of that wet and wonderful evening at Pairc Tailteann in October. Interestingly, when the Kells men won the IHC back in 1988 Robert Flanagan was their captain and this time it was his son Robbie who got his hands on the cup. The Gaeil Colmcille team in the final was - C Ferguson; P Tormay, M Foley, K Reilly; B Tormay, B Smith, C Keegan; D O'Neill (0-2), L Newman; T Shine (1-3), R Flanagan, C Tormay; D Tormay (0-1), B Murray (1-6), S Reddy (0-1). Subs - G McGovern for C Tormay, C Roche for D Tormay. Kells footballers inching closer There was disappointment for Gaeil Colmcille at the semi-final stage of the Intermediate Football Championship for the second successive year when St Ultan's deprived them of a place in the decider, but their consistency in recent campaigns suggests that the Kells side isn't too far away from a breakthrough in the grade. Two years ago Gaeil Colmcille were beaten by Oldcastle in a quarter-final, but last year they overcame the last eight hurdle with a win over Carnaross, before Castletown got the better of them at the penultimate obstacle. Of course the winners, in turn, were to suffer disappointment in the decider against Donaghmore/Ashbourne. Natural progression might have suggested that Gaeil Colmcille would reach the final this year, but it wasn't to be as 2006 junior champions St Ultan's continued to demonstrate that they had learned plenty in their first campaign back in the middle grade last term by recording a two point victory on a wet and miserable September day at Pairc Tailteann. Two men who were part of Gaeil Colmcille's SFC success in 1991, Benny Reddy and Eugene McGillick, formed the managerial team which was attempting to bring a first intermediate title to the town since 1986 and return them to the senior ranks from where they fell in 2004 when they lost the relegation decider to Summerhill. McGillick, who won the 'man of the match' award after a brilliant performance in that senior final victory over Walterstown in '91, assisted Cortown coach John Henry with the club's intermediate side last year, but he was back in more familiar territory for the 2008 championship. The Kells men were drawn in group C of the IFC along with Ballivor, Dunderry, Carnaross and last year's junior winners Clann na nGael. It had the appearances of a demanding enough section, but they certainly looked well capable of picking up sufficient points to prolong their campaign into the autumn. After their struggle last year when they just managed to avoid relegation thanks to a play-off win over Ratoath, Ballivor were likely to be the weakest team in the section and when the championship action got under way in late April Gaeil Colmcille defeated them by 1-8 to 0-2 at Athboy to get their campaign off to the desired winning start. A meeting with Dunderry in the second round at Martry was always going to represent a much tougher assignment and so it proved as Dunderry bounced back from their opening round loss to Carnaross with a 0-11 to 0-7 victory. Gaeil Colmcille led by 0-6 to 0-4 at the interval, but the fact that they managed to add only a point to their tally in the second period speaks for itself and they were four adrift at the end. A tussle with Carnaross at Moynalty was one of the most attractive fixtures of the third round and a highly entertaining encounter finished level (Gaeil Colmcille 1-13, Carnaross 2-10). Some 21 of the game's 26 scores came from play, but the Kells men looked to be in serious trouble at the break when they trailed by 0-6 to 2-6 after John L McGee and Gavin Murphy had goaled for the opposition. Gary Arkins netted for Gaeil Colmcille to halve the deficit and ignite a revival which was completed when highly talented marksman Brian Hanlon equalised with a brilliantly struck free near the end. Arkins top scored with 1-4 and Hanlon contributed four points. That outcome left Gaeil Colmcille with a mixed back of results in the shape of a win, a draw and a defeat after three outings, but they made it two victories when defeating Clann na nGael by 2-11 to 0-7 in the concluding round of group games at Bohermeen. They were well on their way to an easy win when leading by 1-6 to 0-4 at the interval. When all the teams in the section had played their four games, Ballivor were tailed off at the bottom with no points and would face another fight against the drop to junior football, but the battle for the qualifying places among the other four sides had been very tight. Dunderry were sitting on top of the pile with six points, followed by Gaeil Colmcille and Carnaross on five and Clann na nGael on four. Dunderry and Gaeil Colmcille went directly into the quarter-finals, while Carnaross, who had an inferior score difference to the Kells side, had to play a preliminary quarter-final against Syddan which they lost. Clann na nGael, after a promising first campaign in the intermediate ranks, were eliminated. Na Fianna provided the quarter-final opposition to Gaeil Colmcille at Athboy and this was a superbly contested game which went to extra-time, before the Kells men won by 1-12 to 1-10. Justin Carry-Lynch scored the first half goal which helped them to lead by 1-3 to 0-2 at the interval, but the Enfield/Baconstown combination went on to dominate most of the second period. A fisted goal from Harrison Silke helped them to cut the deficit to the minimum and it was the same player who later got the equalising point from a free which forced the contest to extra-time. Na Fianna edged ahead in the early stages of the additional period, but they ran out of steam and Gaeil Colmcille finished strongest to be two points clear at the finish. Three players shared in the scoring honours for the winners - Carry-Lynch with 1-1 and Brian Hanlon and Gary Arkins who notched four points each. Gaeil Colmcille scored the only goal of their semi-final against a rapidly improving St Ultan's team at Pairc Tailteann in mid September, but they found themselves on the wrong end of a 1-7 to 0-12 score line as the Bohermeen/Martry combination reached their first intermediate decider. St Ultan's looked slick and inventive from the start and opened up a 0-3 to 0-1 lead approaching the end of the first quarter. Hanlon gave Gaeil Colmcille a significant boost with a goal on 20 minutes when he finished superbly after impressive approach play from Martin Barrett and Stephen McManus. However, the Kells side failed to build on that score as they would have hoped and St Ultan's went on to lead by four points at the interval, 0-9 to 1-2. Gaeil Colmcille tagged on five points in the second period and defended stoutly to restrict the opposition to just three, but they were playing a game of catch-up which proved beyond them. Hanlon enjoyed a hugely impressive outing and accounted for 1-6 of his side's tally, including four points from frees, but the fact that Carry-Lynch was the only other player to score suggests that Gaeil Colmcille were far too reliant on one attacker. Losing so close to the final was obviously disappointing for all concerned, but this is a generally young team and is very much a work in progress. If they keep knocking on the door it will surely open to them in the near future. In late 2006 Gaeil Colmcille won the Under-21 'A' Championship with a victory over Seneschalstown in the final at Pairc Tailteann. The team that lost the intermediate semi-final to St Ultan's this year contained several members of that side and, given time, they will strengthen and mature. Significantly, Seneschalstown went on to claim the Keegan Cup less than a year after that under-21 decider and among those to win senior championship medals were a number of players who had lined out against Gaeil Colmcille, including Brian Clarke and Brian Sheridan. That should be viewed as a very positive sign for the Kells club. The Gaeil Colmcille team which lost to St Ultan's was - D Drew; S Curran, R Flanagan, M Foley; S Reddy, H Barry, B Smith; M Fox, D O'Neill; G Arkins, M Barrett, K Reilly; J Carry-Lynch (0-1), B Hanlon (1-6), S McManus. Subs - B Tormay for Barry, S Hanney for Reilly, D Tormay for McManus, P Ward for Fox. The Gaeil Colmcille second string competed in the Junior Championship and were drawn in group D which also included two of the more fancied teams in the competition, Ratoath and Longwood, as well as Drumree, Boardsmill and the second 15 from Skryne. Their only victory of the divisional campaign was by a very wide margin when they defeated Boardsmill by 14 points (3-11 to 0-6) and they also suffered a loss by the minimum margin against the Tara men who won by 1-12 to 2-8 in the concluding round. However, there were also defeats recorded against Drumree (2-3 to 3-4), last year's relegated intermediate side Ratoath (0-6 to 2-16) and Longwood (0-5 to 0-13) and that sequence of results left them well out of the reckoning for a place in the knockout stages. The Gaeil Colmcille third string did reach the business end of the Junior D competition, but Wolfe Tones, who went on to win the title, defeated them by 2-9 to 1-5 at the last eight hurdle. However, it's an indication of the player numbers in the club that they are fielding three teams in the adult football championships. Tweet

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