As the Longwood club reflects on 2008, they will harbour some regrets after falling at the penultimate hurdle in both the IHC and JFC with a good number of players giving service to both teams. In the first half of their semi-final against Dunderry, Longwood's main hurling team were looking strong contenders for a possible return to the top grade. However, they lost their way in the second half and finished up five points in arrears. Six days earlier Longwood were also in Pairc Tailteann for the JFC semi-final against Moynalvey and for the third time in four years they failed to clear the barrier leading to the Matthew Ginnity Cup decider as the side spearheaded by former Meath and Kildare county player Cathal Sheridan edged them out in extra-time. After winning the Junior B FC title with a final victory over Walterstown in 2004, Longwood got to the last four in the higher grade's championship in each of the next two years, eventually losing out to Navan O'Mahonys and St Ultan's. In the next two campaigns they bowed out after just one defeat. In the 2007 JFC they fell short in their attempt to get out of their group after drawing with St Mary's in the opening outing and losing to Moylagh in the last round. This year following six successive wins, the two points loss to Moynalvey again meant the end of the road. The six-team Group D did not pose any major problems for Longwood as they won against all the other five sides in the section to claim the number one spot and then they accounted for 2006 beaten finalists Kilmainham to get back into the last four. The men in the white and black jerseys were not over impressive in the opening JFC outing against Skryne at Kilmessan but they still scraped out the necessary result. After leading by 1-5 to 0-6 at the break, they increased the difference by just one point in the second half to hold a 1-11 to 0-11 advantage at the final whistle. Then Kiltale was the venue for the second round test in which Drumree were defeated by 3-9 to 2-7. It was close in the first half and, boosted by a goal from dual star Michael Burke, the sides were on level terms (1-4 each) at the break before further green flag efforts from Wayne Leonard and Rory Maguire helped the 'Wood win by 3-9 to 2-7. There was a local derby clash in Ballivor for round three and Longwood accounted for Boardsmill on a 3-11 to 1-5 scoreline. Early goals from Karl Ennis and Brendan Hannah proved a boost to the eventual winners who led by 2-5 to 0-2 at the interval. Gerry Ennis netted their third goal. They winning run was continued as Gaeil Colmcille were outpointed on a 0-13 to 0-5 scoreline and then the top two in the group met at Kiltale where Longwood put on an impressive display of shooting to run up a total of 0-17 to 2-8 for Ratoath. There was a very tight quarter-final tie at Bective where Longwood edged out Kilmainham by 0-13 to 0-12 with Karl Ennis proving to be a hero for the south county side, kicking the winning score on 56 minutes. Kilmainham just had their noses in front at the break when leading by 0-9 to 0-8 and although county minor Michael Newman put over seven points for the side in red and black, the scoring contribution of Michael Burke and Rory Maguire was also crucial as they struck 0-5 and 0-3 respectively. After the total of 13 points had been enough to give Longwood the spoils in two of their previous championship outings, it was an unlucky number for them in the semi-final against Moynalvey which was transferred from Dunderry to Pairc Tailteann with the men in maroon and white edging their way through by 0- 15 to 0-13 after extra-time. That game turned out to be a shooting duel between Cathal Sheridan and Michael Burke with the former just winning that one by 10 points to nine. In a well contested game played in rainy conditions they were level at the first break on 0-5 each and it was 0-10 apiece after an hour before Longwood began to lose a little ground during the additional 20 minutes. The fact that it took Longwood 19 minutes to get their blank off the board was not a major handicap to them as points from play from their two best known team members, Burke and Maguire, got them right into contention. Both players finished up with three points from play. Two Burke points, from play and a free, shortly after the first break gave Longwood a 0-7 to 0-5 advantage and their opponents led by the minimum margin three times in the fourth quarter before Aaron Ennis was fouled and Burke converted for their side's tenth point. A similar score by the latter briefly regained the advantage for the men in white and black but Moynalvey put over the next three scores to lead by 0-13 to 0-11 at the final break and that was the winning of the tight tussle for them. With their conquerors at the penultimate hurdle then going on to claim outright honours, Longwood should realise that they may not be too far from finding the right key for entry through the door to intermediate ranks. They will be one of the most fancied sides in the JFC betting lists for 2009. Although there were just six sides in the latest renewal of the IHC, Longwood were again thwarted in their efforts to make it through to the final two. Semi-final defeats are being a bit of a habit for the club's team and the hurlers were keen get further than in 2007 when Clann na nGael knocked them out on the way to taking the title. Six days after the footballers' promotion hopes were dashed, six of the team were back in action at Pairc Tailteann as Dunderry provided the opposition. Both of those opponents reached the closing stages of the senior championship at the start of the decade. Longwood got to the last four in 2000 when they lost out to Kilmessan and the following year Dunderry went one step further and held one of the other 'Big Two' of Meath hurling, Trim, to a draw before being defeated in the replay. Long-serving county star and SHC winner with Rathmolyon, Mickey Cole, was coaching Longwood this year and his charges looked to well on course to go one better than in the football when running rings around Dunderry in the first half of the second IHC semi-final before there was an unexpected turn around after the sides reappeared. Longwood served up a stylish display in the first half of that game and looked to be well on the way to the final when leading by 1-8 to 0-2 at the halfway stage. Aaron Ennis was in brilliant form in that period with the lively wing forward putting over five points in the opening half hour. Anthony Healy, Michael Burke and Noel Ennis also raised the white flag and they appeared be in a strong position when 0-7 to 0-2 to the good after 22 minutes. It would get even better for them as, aided by a fortunate goal, they had a cushion of nine points at the halfway stage. Their goal arrived after 27 minutes with a shot from around midfield by Burke deceiving opposing 'keeper Michael Horan and going under the bar. Longwood finished the half with a point from Aaron Ennis and the picture looked pretty for them. However, Dunderry spilt some ink on it after the switching of ends when there was a turn around of some 14 points with the leaders only managing to add three points. It took them a dozen minutes to get on target in the second period but when Aaron Ennis (free) and Burke got on target they were still five to the good. But after that they could only add one more score, put over by Aaron Ennis near the finish, compared to 1-8 by their rampant opponents. So a game which had looked so promising for them a little while earlier ended up on a very disappointing note as Longwood again fell short in their attempt to reach the title decider. But after going so close on two fronts, Longwood will go back to the training pitches with renewed optimism for the 2009 season and the odds would not be high about them taking either the IHC or JFC. The best known of their dual performers is Michael Burke who has represented Meath in both senior football and hurling over the last couple of years and had a very busy couple of the last weekend of June last. On the Saturday he wore the green and gold in the Ring Cup against Mayo at Pairc Tailteann before assisting Meath in the Leinster junior football final against Dublin at Croke Park the following day. Tweet

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