The future of Tara Mines in the popular inter-firms competition is in doubt after the Navan-based company failed to field a team in this year's Leinster championship. However, long-time team mentor Gerry Heaney remains hopeful that 'The Mines' will be back in football action before too long.Tara Mines' no-show in this year's inter-firms competition has placed a huge question mark over the company's future in a competition they have contributed handsomely to down the years. As recently as 2004, Tara Mines won the Leinster inter-firms senior football title, while in the late 1980s they reached the All-Ireland final, only to lose to Cork Garda. "It would be a shame if we couldn't continue because we have a proud inter-firms tradition and have always looked forward to the competition coming around every year," says Gerry Heaney, who was part of the Tara Mines team management for many years. "It's a great competition and a great way for lads to get to know one another. We have lads working shifts here who don't know the fellas who come on after them. They'd hardly recognise one another. But the inter-firms team was able to bring some of those lads together. "However, there is definitely a danger that our involvement in the inter-firms could be coming to an end after we didn't enter a team this year. We had struggled to field a team last year and this year we just weren't able to get lads together," the Simonstown Gaels clubman adds. So why were Tara Mines unable to field this year? Gerry explains: "The main reason was that a number of the lads who had been part of the successful 2004 team, including Jimmy McGuinness and Jim Gallagher, had retired from football or were very close to it. On top of that, the scheduling of the inter-firms doesn't suit a lot of fellas. It's clashing with important club games in September and October and when it comes down to it, they will always give their clubs first priority. "I think a big drawback for us in recent years has been the fact that we've had no competition in Meath. Prior to this year, we won four county championships in-a-row without playing a game. It did us no favours when we went on to play in Leinster against teams who had played two or three games in their county championship. "When I was younger, I played for Navan Carpets and it was a big competition then. But the same interest doesn't seem to be there any more." Nevertheless, Gerry - who was joined by former Meath star Mattie McCabe, this year's Meath minor football selector Richie Cahill and Walterstown referee Jack Gordon on last year's management set-up - remains hopeful that Tara Mines will return to inter-firms competition next year. "I wouldn't rule out the possibility of us entering a team next year. If we can get a few students in who are football-minded you'd never know. If we go again, we would build the team around the likes of Ciaran McLoughlin (Wolfe Tones), Thomas Coyne (St. Ultan's), Ciaran Kenny (Simonstown), James Connolly (Drumbaragh), Ian Curran (Syddan) and Rory Russell (Bective). Those guys would give it another go if it was organised properly." Gerry remembers Tara Mines having a 'star-studded' team at the height of their footballing powers in the 1980s. "We had the likes of Ollie O'Brien, Ken Rennicks, Liam Smyth and Mattie McCabe who were all on the Meath senior team at the time. Mattie was still involved as a selector up until last year, as was Jack Gordon, who was involved with that team as a goalkeeper," he says. 2004 saw Tara Mines return to winning ways when they captured the Leinster inter-firms senior football title with a 12-point victory over Van Nelle of Mullingar. "It was our first year back in the competition for a long time and to win a Leinster title was a great achievement for the lads," Gerry explains. Arguably the best known player on that team was former Meath midfielder Jimmy McGuinness while a number of others, including Sylvie Skelton, Owen Dunne, Jim Gallagher, Larry McCormack and Ronan Conaty, had also represented the Royal County at different levels. As in other years, Tara Mines qualified for the Leinster quarter-final without ever kicking a ball. They opened their campaign with a 1-12 to 1-6 victory over Kildare champions Intel at Walterstown, laying the foundations for their success in the opening half when Davy Carolan's goal helped them to a 1-5 to 0-1 interval advantage. And while a wind-assisted Intel staged a revival in the second period, points from Jimmy McGuinness, James Connolly and Ronan Conaty saw the Meath side prevail. In the semi-final against Microsoft from Dublin, Davy Carolan and Alan Shankey both found the net as 'The Mines' emerged victors on a 2-6 to 0-5 scoreline. Conaty also made a valuable contribution to the win with 0-3. Westmeath champions Van Nelle provided the opposition for Tara Mines in the Leinster final which was played under lights at Simonstown. Van Nelle were appearing in their second final in three years and fancied their chances of victory. But without their star player Martin Flanagan, who missed the game through injury, they struggled to compete against a very trim and eager looking Tara Mines team who would have won by an even bigger margin but for the concession of two late goals. The visitors opened the scoring through Stephen Devine, but it proved to be a false dawn as Tara Mines went on to dominate the game. Jimmy McGuinness orchestrated proceedings from full forward and scored the point of the game midway through the first half. When James Connolly scored the first of his two goals in the 22nd minute, the Navan men were in total control and went on to enjoy a commanding 1-7 to 0-1 lead at the interval. Roving wing back Thomas Coyne extended the Tara lead minutes after the restart and when he placed Connolly for the Meath side's second goal 10 minutes into the half, the contest was well and truly over. As both sides opted to make changes, Paul Shanley registered Van Nelle's second point before the Mullingar outfit staged a late rally. Paul Shanley pointed before accepting a pass from his brother Keith to smash home a goal. Moments later, Tara substitute Eoin Harrington scored his side's third goal but it was Keith Shanley who provided the final act of the hour when he angled a close-in free across the Tara defensive line for Van Nelle's second major. However, it mattered little as Tara ran out comfortable 3-12 to 2-3 winners. Apart from McGuinness and goalscoring hero Connolly, Tara had many fine performers. Thomas Coyne and Ian Curran were impressive in the wing back positions, while Ronan Conaty caught the eye at wing forward. The midfield partnership of Eoin Dunne and Jim Gallagher also showed up well, with both working hard to ensure a plentiful supply of possession to the forwards. Tara Mines reached the Leinster final again in 2005, only to be dethroned by Intel. In 2006, they beat Wright Window Systems of Westmeath before losing again to Intel. And it a case of déjà vu last year when the Leixlip-based computer firm defeated them again. Gerry would encourage other medium-to-large companies in Meath to enter an inter-firms team. Who knows, they could yet be joined by Tara Mines in 2009! "There has to be other companies in the county who would be in the position to field an inter-firms team. "It's great craic and does wonders for staff morale. And if you win a game or two, it really gets the interest going among the rest of the staff and management. We'd love to be playing other companies from Meath - you can't beat a bit of rivalry to get people interested," he concludes. Tweet

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