After gaining outright honours in the Meath Senior Hurling Championship for the third time in 2007, the task of retaining the title proved beyond Kiltale as Paddy Kelly's men fell to the sword of Kildalkey at the penultimate hurdle The holders had displayed some impressive form in the earlier rounds, finishing up as winners in all of their five starts in Group B and having a points plus of 48 as Dunboyne took second place and Navan O'Mahonys were the third qualifiers from the section. When Kiltale gained possession of the Jubilee Cup for the first time in 1982 they went on to win the title again the following year. The current crop began the attempt for another double success with an opening round outing against Boardsmill at Longwood which they won with 10 points to spare on a 2-17 to 1-10 scoreline. Peter Durnin continued where he had left off the previous autumn when striking over a total of 11 points, including eight frees and a 65. Veteran Cathal Sheridan contributed 1-4 and minor Mark O'Sullivan netted the first goal to leave his side ahead by 1-7 to 1-4 after 19 minutes. Sheridan's goal soon followed and it was 2-8 to 1-7 at the break. Kiltale were well on top in the second half and six successive points in the first 12 minutes after the restart put them well on the way to a winning start. Neighbours Drumree, who would eventually be relegated, provided the second round opposition for Kiltale who increased their winning margin to 13 points as they finished up victors by 2-14 to 0-7. However, Drumree kept close to the champions for much of the encounter before Kiltale cut loose to score 2-4 without reply in the last 11 minutes. It was 0-6 each at the break and but the eventual losers completed their total five minutes into the second period. Peter Durnin netted both goals and finished up with a total of 2-5, 2-1 from play. It took Kiltale a long time to break the resolute opposing rearguard. The first goal came following a long delivery by Padraig Donoghue and a pass from T. J. Lynch and the second was netted from close-range after a defender was dispossessed. The winning run was extended to three from three when Na Fianna were well whipped, 0-20 to 0-5 in a Saturday evening clash at Kilmessan. After that win Kiltale looked assured of a place in the last six of the 12 starters. Paddy Kelly's men had to work a good bit in their fourth round outing, also at Kilmessan, as they saw off the challenge of Navan O'Mahonys by just two points on a 1-7 to 0-8 scoreline on a rainy and windy night. Kiltale could have lost the unbeaten record had the town team made better use of their scoring chances but 10 wides in the first half let the holders off the hook. It took the defending title holders 19 minutes to get their first score, a point from Philip Garvey, and they trailed by 0-2 to 0-6 at the break. In a difficult evening for hurling it took the men in red and green 24 minutes to score from play in the second half. That was a goal netted by Paul Garvey following a pass from Cathal Sheridan to get them on level terms, 1-5 to 0-8. With their opponents being held scoreless for the last 23 minutes, Kiltale finished strongly as Paul Rispin and Sheridan put over points. It was five wins from five outings for Kiltale when they scored a comprehensive 4-14 to 1-15 win over Dunboyne in a Sunday evening clash in Ashbourne to ensure a semi-final place. After being held to four points in the previous round, Peter Durnin scored an impressive 3-5 with all bar a point coming from play. Mark O'Sullivan also contributed well with 1-5 and with a total of 34 scores being registered the umpires as well as reporters at the game were kept busy. Durnin netted his three goals in the first half and his side led by 3-6 to 1-9 at the halfway stage. The goal by O'Sullivan, son of former Walterstown and Meath footballer Frank, was a brilliant effort with the young corner forward catching a long delivery from Shane Reilly and going on a 25 metre solo run before firing to the net to leave the scores 4-14 to 1-14. The title holders had looked very impressive in that outing but they were hijacked by a very determined Kildalkey side in the semi-final clash as the result of the previous year's quarter-final tussle was reversed with the board reading 1-14 to 1-8 as the losers failed to register in the last 11 minutes. Hit by the concession of a goal and a point in the opening six minutes, Kiltale did not manage to get their snouts in front in this outing and they were in arrears by 1-4 to 1-8 at the break. Just after Cathal Sheridan was denied by a fine save by Kildalkey's outstanding 'keeper Gary McNally, Peter Durnin fired a shot to the left corner of the net with 20 minutes gone. That was one of just two points from play by the holders in the first half, a Mark O'Sullivan effort in the early stages being the other. After going five points behind immediately after the restart, Kiltale had their best spell of the match as four consecutive points, shot over by Durnin (play and free), Paul Garvey and captain John Donoghue left the smallest possible margin between the sides. At that stage Kiltale supporters must have been thinking of terms of meeting neighbours Kilmessan in another final. But it was not to be as the custodians of the Jubilee Cup did not score any more and 1-8 was a disappointing return after they scored so freely in some of the earlier rounds. A total of 1-7 sufficed against O'Mahonys but another low total was not enough in their semi-final. They had a number of players in action who had been on Moynalvey's JFC winning side seven days earlier and that game and the celebrations seemed to have affected Kiltale in the closing stages as Kildalkey fired over five points in the last seven minutes after a repeat of the extra-time between the sides the previous year looked a real possibility. Kiltale's fine record in the underage grades of the last few years was maintained with outright successes in the Under 16 HC and the Under 13 HC as well as being beaten finalists in the Under 15 A competition. The Under 16 title was won with a 2-12 to 0-11 final victory over Trim at Boardsmill. Even though they without top forward Killian O'Sullivan, Kiltale were boosted by the fine efforts of William Harnan, son of Meath All-Ireland winner Liam, and James Kelly. The Kiltale team and scorers in the Under 16 HC final : J. Regan; S. Browne, T. Forde, C. McCabe; T. Regan, C. Garvey, S. Burke; T. Mahady (0-2), W. Harnan (0-2); J. Kelly (0-4); M. Hennessy (1-2), D. Brennan; S. Dunleavy, N. Madden (1-1), A. Forde (0-1). Kiltale won the Under 13 HC title with a 4-7 to 2-6 final victory over Kilmessan at Ratoath with goals from substitutes Hugh O'Sullivan and Iarla Hughes in the closing stages proving decisive. Most of the scores came after the switching of ends after Kiltale had trailed by 0-2 to 0-4 at the break. Jack Regan, who shot five points, was very impressive and Jack Molloy, Sean McNally and Kevin Ryan also showed up well for the winners. The Kiltale team and scorers in the Under 13 HC final : R. Ryan; M. Foy, J. Regan (0-5), J. Molloy; S. McNally, K. Ryan, D. Brannigan; E. Walsh, D. Shilders (0-1); D. McLoughlin, R. Hennessy, J. F. Martin (1-0); F. McCabe (1-1), C. Sheerin, R. Ryan. Subs - H. O'Sullivan (1-0) for McLoughlin, I. Hughes (1-0) for R. Ryan, C. Ryan for Sheerin. There was disappointment for Kiltale's female caman swingers as they lost out in the county intermediate camogie championship final for the second successive year as Navan O'Mahonys got the better of them by the minimum margin, 1-5 to 1-4, in a closely contested decider in Ashbourne. Kiltale had got off to a bright start with Sinead McGroder pointing twice and Louise Byrne also getting on target before their opponents raised their first flag. The south county side dominated the exchanges in the first half but still found themselves in arrears, 0-4 to 1-3, at the break. They had cause to regret hitting a total; of 11 wides and their only score in the second period was a goal, netted by substitute Helen Lawless. Despite fine efforts from Sheila Courtney and Louise Byrne, their day again ended in disappointment. Last year they lost to Blackhall Gaels in the same final. The Kiltale team which just lost out in the junior camogie championship final was : J. Walsh; L. Weldon, D. Dixon, B. Weldon; S. Dixon, D. Madden, M. Reilly; L. Donoghue, A. Pearle; S. Courtney, L. Byrne (0-1), S. McGroder (0-2); J. Rispin (0-1), S. Smith, D. Wigglesworth. Subs - A. Madden for Reilly, E. Brennan for B. Weldon, H. Lawless (1-0) for McGroder, S. Whelan for Smith. Tweet

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