After struggling to make an impression in the intermediate football championship in the last couple of years, Drumconrath came within a whisker of making the last eight in 2004. This was Drumconrath's eighth consecutive year operating at this level since beating their north county rivals Meath Hill in the 1996 JFC decider. Pitched in what proved to be an ultra competitive Group A of the College Proteins IFC, Drumconrath tied with three other teams vying for the last two places in the knockout stages. Despite finishing level on points with Ballivor and Carnaross, they missed out on a quarter final place along with Na Fianna. Club secretary Peter O'Halloran feels that the current system whereby the result between the teams who finish level on points or failing that scoring differences, decides who advances is alright for deciding final placings in a group, but should not be used to eliminate teams from the championship. Of the teams they tied with, Drumconrath lost to Ballivor but beat Carnaross and Na Fianna. That 0-12 to 1-7 win over the Baconstown/Enfield in their last group outing wasn't enough to see them through as Carnaross beat Ballivor by 2-12 to 0-10 on the same day. "For a few minutes after the Na Fianna game, we thought we were through, but once I heard that Carnaross had won I knew we were banjaxed," recalls O'Halloran. To compound their frustration they saw a team they beat, Carnaross advance to the knockout stages and almost make the final for the second year running. With results between the four sides who finished on eight points canceling each other out, score difference came into play and Drumconrath's was inferior to their rivals. In retrospect the 14-point defeat by Nobber in the opening round was the main reason for this. The return of Wayne Reilly, Austin Hickey (who played with Cork club Bishopstown while based in the Rebel County) and Ronan McGahon, after a spell with St Joseph's in Louth boosted Drumconrath, who undermined their chances of making the knockout stages with a slow start to the championship. George Clarke was in charge for a second year and was assisted by Pat Dunne and Phillip Tighe and their campaign began with a heavy defeat by one of the title favourites Nobber by 0-5 to 2-13 on Sunday, April 18 at Meath Hill. Brian Flanagan and Thomas Carolan were their best performers but midfielder Wayne Reilly was sent off on receipt of his second yellow card near the end. O'Halloran conceded things didn't look too promising when they headed to Kilmainhamwood to face Carnaross on Saturday, April 24. Late points from Pete McMahon, David McDonnell and Wayne Reilly boosted them to a surprise 0-11 to 0-8 success. Pete McMahon also did well to limit the threat of Ollie Murphy, who had the misfortune to see a late goal attempt come back off a post and after the county star was fouled his brother Gavin sent the resultant penalty wide. Wayne Reilly landed seven points and Padraig McMahon and Paul Tighe netted as Drumconrath chalked up their second IFC win in three starts with a 2-12 to 0-8 over struggling Curraha, who were later relegated, at Rathkenny on May 29. Their good run was maintained with a 1-10 to 1-6 win over lowly Drumree at Walterstown on Sunday, June 27. Trailing 0-1 to 1-2 early on a Jamie Myles' goal lifted Drumconrath and they went on to lead 1-6 to 1-4 at the break and would have won by a wider margin only that goal bound efforts from Leighton Irwin and Paul Tighe rebounded off the post and crossbar respectively. The failure to clock up a bigger total against their struggling opponents was to cost Drumconrath dearly later on. Wayne Reilly managed four points and in the same week scored half that as Meath junior footballers surrendered their Leinster and All-Ireland crowns to Kildare on a 1-9 to 1-11 scoreline at Newbridge. The good run came to an end with a fifth round defeat by Ballivor at Simonstown on Saturday, July 10. Drumconrath were very unhappy with some of the decisions given against them but their cause wasn't helped by missing a penalty and having Wayne Reilly sent-off before going down by 0-7 to 1-12. Reilly was suspended for the meeting with high-flying Wolfe Tones at Castletown in the penultimate round on Friday, August 6. After conceding 1-2 early on things looked bleak for Drumconrath. However, with Austin Hickey and Pete McMahon coming to the fore at midfield they rallied to be within two points of their fancied opponents at the break, 0-5 to 1-4. Second-half goals from Padraig McMahon and Hickey couldn't prevent Drumconrath losing out by 2-6 to 1-12. So the scene was set for final round of matches on the evening of Saturday, August 21. At Bective, a late scoring burst that yielded points for Wayne Reilly and Alan Byrne was the difference as Drumconrath saw off Na Fianna by 0-12 to 1-7. Joy turned to despair with the news that Carnaross had easily beaten Ballivor, thus pushing both Na Fianna and Drumconrath out of the frame while the other two sides advanced to the quarter-finals. Drumconrath went even closer in the Division 3 FL, finishing in third place behind Ballivor and Gaeil Colmcille having won seven and lost four of their eleven league outings. They were denied a final place when Ballivor easily beat JFC runners-up Dunsany in the final round. Shane Byrne's second-half goal earned Drumconrath a 1-11 to 1-8 winning start against Longwood in the opening round and their winning ways continued with an emphatic 1-13 to 0-4 at Slane on February 22 after leading 0-5 to 0-2 at the break. Wayne Reilly marked his first appearance in the competition by clocking up nine points, while Leighton Irwin scored 1-1. Drumconrath's home game with Moynalvey on Sunday, March 14 was abandoned when Cathal Byrne suffered a serious leg break that put him out of work for several months and looks set to end his playing career. It was refixed for Saturday, April 3. In between a weakened Drumconrath suffered their first setback by losing to St Michael's by 0-14 to 1-8 at Carlanstown on March 27. The north county side bounced back making it three wins from as four starts in the refixed game against Moynalvey on a 1-11 to 1-8 scoreline. Wayne Reilly topscored with 0-5 while substitute Gary Tighe netted for the hosts. An understrength visiting Drumree side were easily disposed off in round five on Thursday, May 5 with Drumconrath prevailing by 2-20 to 1-4 when seven different players got on the scoresheet for the home side who led 1-10 to 0-2 at the halfway mark. Three days after scoring a decisive win over struggling Curraha in the championship, the result was reversed when a below par Drumconrath traveled to the east county venue on Tuesday, June 1 where they lost by 1-6 to 1-10. A 100-mile round trip to Ballinabrackey was rewarded with a 0-9 to 0-7 win on Thursday, July 1, a result that left Drumconrath sharing joint leadership with Gaeil Colmcille and Nobber with five wins from seven starts. A third defeat was incurred when the Drums traveled to Kells on Tuesday, August 3. The visitors led by 0-6 to 0-3 at half-time before losing out by 0-7 to 1-6. They got their promotion push back on track with a 0-13 to 0-9 win at Dunsany a week later where Wayne Reilly scored 0-7. Following their elimination from the championship, Drumconrath bounced back with a 2-12 to 2-8 home win over Nobber in round nine on Saturday, August 28. Wayne Reilly and Alan Byrne got the goals in their penultimate league outing. Hopes of promotion were left hanging on a thread when visiting Ballivor took the points on Sunday, September 12 with a minimum margin success. Drumconrath led 0-6 to 0-4 at the break but a Mairtin Doran goal shortly after the restart handed the visitors the initiative and late point from the same player sealed the home side's fate after they had Alan Byrne sent off. Drumconrath won their first Feis Cup tie in six years with a 1-7 to 0-6 win over Castletown in the opening round at Nobber on Thursday, May 13 after trailing by 1-1 to 0-5 at the break. Wayne Reilly netted from a penalty and finished with 1-3 to his credit. Goals from David McDonald and Padraig McMahon boosted them to a 2-7 to 0-11 over Slane at Rathkenny in round two before losing out to eventual SFC winners Skryne by 0-10 to 1-16 at Kilberry at the quarter-final stage. The club's second string reached the JFC D quarter-finals before losing out to Moylagh by 4-6 to 2-11 after conceding a last minute goal. In the Under 21 B football competition, having got a bye to the quarter-finals, Drumconrath were eliminated by Ballinlough and Peter O'Halloran wonders why this competition cannot be held in the summer months. There was some joy at underage level when in combination with neighbours Meath Hill they claimed the Under 16 Division 4 FL with victory over Oldcastle. Our year in review by Peter O'Halloran The 2004 season started in November 2003 with the celebration of the 1963 JFC A winning team. This was a wonderful success with the novel idea of holding it in our own Community Centre coming up a winner, with the hall decked out in Red and White. Connolly caters did a superb job, the speeches were easy on the ear and the only losers where the people who couldn't make it. Speakers included County Chairman, Fintan Ginnity; Trustee of the Club, Peter McDermott; Club Chairman, Michael Gallagher; 1963 captain, Mickey Crosby and most entertaining of all the tape made for the occasion reminiscing the year in question by LMFM's Brendan Cummins Our eighth consecutive year at IFC level was an improvement on the recent past with players such as Wayne Reilly, Austin Hickey and Ronan McGahon returning to the fold with youngsters Jamie Myles and Terry Skelly stepping up to the mark too. We get off to a bad start in the championship as Nobber demolished us in Meath Hill. Bewilderment I suppose was the reaction as we knew we couldn't be this poor. Cathal Byrne's seriously bad break to his leg just before this game (he's still out of work and its now November0 put things into perspective. Nobody was too confident we headed for Kilmainhamwood for round 2 but we beat Carnaross to rekindle our hopes and this was followed by a nine point win over Curraha and a four point win over Drumree. That meant that our fifth round match with Ballivor would see the winner probably securing a quarter final spot. We were well prepared for the game but a few calls went against us and missed a penalty just before half time, as defeat was out lot. No doubt this was a blow but we faced up to eventual winners Tones with nothing to lose. With just 16 players to pick from with injuries to David McDonald, Paul and Garry Tighe, and Wayne Reilly suspended, we rattled them and only lost out by three points with Austin Hickey, showing he is county material, notching 1-3 from midfield. There was the huge boost of having Paddy Reilly back on the panel for the final round showdown with Na Fianna and his interduction for the last quarter swung the match our way as Kevin Flanagan, Terry Skelly, Wayne Reilly, Hickey and Alan Byrne starred. Delight was the reaction coming off the pitch but soon the result from Kells that Carnaross had beaten Ballivor meant a three way tie and so score difference came into to play. The defeats to Nobber and Ballivor and only a four point win over struggling Drumree meant we were out. Surely this is an unfair way to go out as the present system to me seems okay for deciding placing but not to knock a team out of the Championship. Rules are rules and out we went as O'Mahonys suffered the same faith in senior. Drumconrath GFC will have a look at this system before the County Convention. Strangely we had tabled a motion two years back that score difference wouldn't put a team out but withdrew it to ensure Simonstown's version got through as we wanted IFC to change to bring in quarter finals. Hind sight is great thing! Team that evening in Bective was: Sean Kane, Brian Flanagan, Kevin Flanagan, Terry Skelly; Thomas Carolan, Pete McMahon, Paul Carey; Wayne Reilly, Austin Hickey; Ronan McGahon, Leighton Irwin, Sean Reilly; Alan Byrne, Padraig McMahon, Jamie Myles. Subs - Peter Tighe, Paul Tighe and Paddy Reilly. We had a decent run in the league but early losses to St Michaels and Curraha were our downfall. Kells beat us too and our last match against Ballivor was lost by a point when a draw would have got us to the final following a great win over Nobber in the second last game. We had our chance ourselves but didn't take it and when you are looking for other results to go our way the same interest just isn't there. Our Junior D made the quarter final but lost to Moylagh on a wet day in Kells, 4-6 to 2-11. Probably we should have won that day but again it was not to be. The team on duty in Kells was: Peter O'Halloran; Patrick McDermott, Wesley Byrne, John Lynch; Gerard Duff, Eoin Sherlock, Stephan Crosby; Rory McMahon, Kevin Farrelly; Christopher Tighe, David McMahon, Paul McMahon; Derek Duff Brendan Carolan and Alan Dunne. Subs Thomas Dardis, Leo Reilly, Dermot Lyons and Steve Elbert. The U21's put up a good show but without Paul Tighe, David McDonald and Thomas Carolan, all intermediate players, we lost another quarter final to Ballinlough. It was felt we could have gone the whole way but the fixture came just at the wrong time. What's wrong with the summer evenings? At minor level our combination teams had a mixed year. The minors lost the shield final to Ballinabrackey/ Clonard while the U17s couldn't field and withdrew. The U16s won the Division 4 title with a good win over Oldcastle but only played about three games in total. We had a good around team in this 13 aside competition with Stephan Crosby and Cian Matthews at midfield, capable defenders in Hugh Sullivan and Garry Duff and a couple of deadly forwards in Ronan Carolan and Meath U14 Timmy Reilly. As throughout the competition our lads came on top when they applied the pressure in the second half of the final. Although backed by the wind in the first half, we trailed by a point at the break and it could have been more but for wayward Oldcastle shooting. We did well to be so close as nerves seem to effect our lads but points from Alan Marry and two from Ronan Carolan, who caused consternation whenever he got the ball, left us within touching distance at the break as switches made both in defense and attack where to prove vital. An Oldcastle goal early in the second half really put it up to our boys and maybe was the shake up they needed. Carolan pointed again, when a goal was on, and a great solo goal from Stephan Crosby brought the confidence back. Alan Marry put substitute Mark Tully in for another well taken goal and when Johnny Byrne broke clear for two points, things looked a lot better at 2-6 to 1-4. Oldcastle struck back with three points on the trot but super defending from all our five backs kept the score down and gave great protection to our sound keeper Sean McMahon with Hugh O'Sullivan and Ronan Tully really prominent. Our midfielders Crosby and Cian Matthews had got the better of their top class Oldcastle opponents at this stage and roared on by a very big band of enthusiast supporters the red and blue pressed for home. Points from Crosby and live wire Timmy Reilly, now at half forward and picking up all the breaks, topped off a fine performance with a Reilly scrambled goal ensuring victory as Oldcastle responded with a pointed free. Cian Matthews received the trophy amid great cheers and thanked all involved especially selectors Jimmy McMahon, Paddy Marry, Michael Gallagher and Tom Matthews, who was out of hospital for a few hours to lend his considerable experience to ensure victory, as the big Drumconrath/Meath Hill contingent headed home happy. The team from the final was: Sean McMahon; Aodhan Matthews, Hugh OSullivan; Ronan Tully, Garry Duff, Terry Halpenny; Stephan Crosby (1-1), Cian Matthews; Johnny Byrne (0-2), Alan Marry (0-1), Gavin McEvoy; Ronan Carolan (0-3), Timmy Reilly (1-1) Subs - Mark Tully (1-0), Michael Gallagher, Michael Kiernan, Alvin Myles, Paul McMahon , Peter McEvoy and Danny Shields Under Age The U15s found it hard to get the players required but played four games and won two before withdrawing At juvenile level a good under 14 team got to two semi-finals only to lose to Walterstown in the league and Na Fianna in the championship, both by two points late in the games. It was bitter disappointment as we really felt a competition could have been won. Our U13 team also made the final of their Division with wins over Oldcastle, Dunsany, Syddan, Dunderry and Rathkenny a draw with Inny Gaels and one defeat to eventual fellow finalists Castletown. A semi-final victory over a tenuous Dunderry after a replay seen them make the final played in Syddan. At half time in the final against Castletown the sides were level, 1-3 to 0-6, as we had a whirlwind start with a Brendan Lyons goal and two points. However, we where to rue missed chances during these opening minutes as we easily could have had two more goals. Gradually Castletown's bigger physical presence had a bearing on the wet pitch and by the break all we had added to our score was a Graham Tighe point Never the less we came out well in the second half and with Castletown notching the first score we missed four relatively easy chances as they notched their next three to go four points up. Two Ross McGrath point and one from Tighe left three in it, 1-6 to 0-12, and then two super saves by the Castletown keeper gave them confidence as they broke and got two quick goals to leave it double scores 2-12 to 1-6. Two more late goals put as gloss on the score line as a Lyons point ended the scoring. Best for the disappointed Red and Blue were Oran Finnegan, Martin Tully, Matthew Byrne and sub Keith McConnon. The team was: Pierse McGrath; Alan McEvoy, Emmet Matthews; Simon Martin, Oran Finnegan, Martin Tully; Graham Tighe (0-2), Matthew Byrne; Ross McGrath (0-2), Niall Tully (0-1)], Brendan Lyons (1-2); Darren Farrelly and John OHalloran. Subs - Keith McConnon, Darren Traynor, Conor McEntaggart, Fergal Shields and the rest of the panel Niall Murtagh, Dara McGrath and David OHalloran. The U12s also lost in the Division 3A semi-final but won the Ardee Credit Union blitz and our U10s got beaten in the Syddan final Division 1 and made the Farrell Cup Div 3 final which thankfully they won, as some of these kids had played in four finals in 2003 and 2004 and lost each of them Farrell Cup 2004 With the withdrawal of St Michaels at the last minute Ballinlough joined Moynalty as newcomers in the U10 competition this year. Hopes where high that the host club would go one better than they did in the Syddan final but it was not to be as Nobber retained the Cup with an extra time victory over Moynalty Finals - Division 1, Moynalty 2-3 Nobber 1-7 (aet); Division 2, Ballinlough 4-6 Syddan 0-5: Division 3, Drumconrath/Meath Hill 5-3 Rathkenny 4-3; Division 4, Castletown 0-4 Kilmainhamwood 1-4. There was plenty of excitement on All-Ireland final weekend as North Meath's U-10s had their own finals. Once again the sun shined down and Nobber retained the Farrell Cup with an extra time win over Moynalty. Moynalty dominated the first half but break away scores saw Nobber lead 1-3 to 0-1 at the break, Caroline Hayes getting the Nobber goal. Moynalty notched 2-1 in the early part of the second half to take control but the Black and Amber responded well to keep in touch with a number of points. Moynalty led by two points entering the final stages but Nobber levelled the match and we went to extra time. Only one score more, a Hayes point, won the Cup for Nobber. Player of the Match - Shane Farrelly, Moynalty. Girl Player - Aine Bennett, Moynalty. In the Division 2 fina;Ballinlough proved stronger with Jack Mulvanny (Syddan) the player of the Match and Ballinlough's Sarah O'Reilly getting Girl Player Drumconrath/Meath Hill came good in the Division 3 decider with a strong first half display to lead 4-2 to 1-0 at the break. With the introduction of all Drumconrath/Meath Hill subs in the second half, Rathkenny really gave us a scare but the final whistle stopped their charge. Andrew Crosby (Rathkenny) was player of the match and Stephanie Brettony (Drum/M Hill) the Girl of the game. The winning team was - Anthony Crosby; Daniel Myles, Jonathon Byrne, Martin Meegan; Tomas Conlon, Shane McCabe (1-0), Stephanie Brettony; Jonathon Finnegan, Enda Boylan; Ian Malone (1-2), Patrick Farrelly, Eoin Martin (1-0); Elizabeth Weldon (2-0), Ryan Owens, Conor O'Halloran. Subs - Edward Cassidy, Stephan Shields, Dylan Boyle, Colm McEvoy, Daniel Byrne and Graham Boylan. Kilmainhamwood reversed last years result in Division 4 with a narrow win as Stephan Bennet ( K'wood) and goalie Lisa McMahon (Castletown) were the players of the game. Tweet

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