When Duleek eventually managed to shake off their semi-final jinx they must surely have started to really believe that 2004 was going to be their year and that they were on the verge of a return to the senior ranks. Barney Rock's side deserve to win the Intermediate Football Championship - nobody can argue against that - but that much sought after title, which they last won in 1978, is proving very elusive and when they were edged out by Wolfe Tones in a thrilling final on the first Sunday of October it was a bitter disappointment. Surely their luck has to change some time in the very near future and the most important thing for Duleek is to continue to believe that they are good enough to make a return to the premier grade. The contrast between the clubs after the final was vast. Wolfe Tones had achieved the remarkable feat of winning the intermediate title a year after making the breakthrough at junior level and were elated, but Duleek were understandably shattered after enduring another bitter disappointment at Pairc Tailteann. It was of no consolation to them that they had played a huge role in a thoroughly entertaining final played in difficult conditions, but when the pain eases and the dark winter months are replaced by the hope that comes with spring, they will be ready to give it another real go. Due to their consistency during the previous few years, when they lost three successive semi-finals in 2001, 2002 and 2003, Duleek were one of the big fancies to lift the Mattie McDonnell Cup this year and they opened their Group B campaign in anticipated fashion when they earned a double-scores (0-12 to 0-6) victory over Rathkenny at Donore. They led by 0-8 to 0-4 at half-time after playing with the aid of the wind and had held a 0-5 to 0-0 advantage at one stage in the opening period as Meath under-21 panellist Conall McGinley impressed. Duleek dominated the second-half, but they struggled to add to their tally and allowed Rathkenny to stay in touch. However, they still did enough to be six points clear at the final whistle. Bryan Cudden's 19th minute goal proved to be the decisive score as Duleek maintained their winning start to the championship by recording a narrow 1-8 to 0-8 victory over St. Colmcille's in a thrilling east Meath derby at Stamullen. The seasiders opened brightly, but that goal helped Duleek to lead by 1-4 to 0-5 at the break. They added a further four points in the second period when playing against the wind and that proved sufficient. Something of a shock lay in wait for Duleek in the third round when they were held to a draw (0-11 each) by Slane at Donore. Declan Kearns was the star of the show for Slane, scoring 10 points, but Duleek looked to have a third successive victory in safe hands when they led by five points at the three-quarter stage. However, to their credit, Slane rallied and earned a draw with a late Kearns free. Oldcastle looked capable of causing more troubles for Duleek when they raced into a 0-5 to 0-0 lead in their fourth round meeting at Kilberry, but Rock's men hit back with a brace of points and a goal from James Devereux, before Oldcastle pushed ahead again to lead by 0-8 to 1-2 at the interval. They increased the advantage to four points early in the second-half, but Duleek restricted them to one further point and the final quarter was all one-way traffic as they shaded the verdict by 1-9 to 0-10. Duleek suffered only one defeat in the group stages and it came next time out against Castletown at Rathkenny. It took an injury time goal from an Alan Smith penalty to earn Castletown a 2-5 to 0-9 victory. The winners held a slender 1-2 to 0-4 half-time advantage, but Duleek recovered to lead by 0-9 to 1-5 in the closing stages. However, they were caught by that late, late winner and the loss meant they had dropped three points from their first five outings. A dominant second-half performance proved decisive as Duleek bounced back to winning ways with a 0-13 to 0-4 victory over Donaghmore/Ashbourne at Ratoath. They led by only 0-5 to 0-4 at the break, but held the losers scoreless in the second period and added eight points themselves to win comfortably. Top position in Group B was secured when Duleek concluded the qualification stages with an impressive 1-15 to 1-8 win over Syddan at Donore. They were devastating while assisted by the wind in the first-half and raced into a 0-6 to 0-0 lead, before holding a 0-10 to 0-3 advantage at the interval. Syddan had closed the gap to five points within eight minutes of the restart, but a goal from Michael Johnson killed the game off as a contest. Duleek's first big goal had been comfortably achieved and they were through to the knock-out stages. Their opponents in the quarter-finals were Ballivor, who had been relegated the previous September after just one year in the senior ranks. And it proved to be a very comfortable assignment for a physically stronger Duleek side as they triumphed by 1-12 to 0-7 at Dunsany. They were never headed, led by 0-5 to 0-3 at half-time and a goal from substitute Tony Andrews eight minutes from the end put the issue beyond doubt. Carnaross had inflicted more semi-final heartbreak on Duleek in 2003 when beating them by six points, so the desire for revenge was surely immense when they clashed at the same stage again this year. This time it was Duleek who triumphed by seven points on a 0-16 to 0-9 score line and they were back in the intermediate final for the first time since losing to Dunshaughlin in 1997. Unfortunately, Duleek's dream of becoming a senior club again met with disappointment on the day that matters most as Wolfe Tones won an enthralling final by 2-10 to 1-12. It was a match Duleek will feel they might well have won, even though they got off to a dreadful start while playing with the wind and trailed by 0-2 to 2-3 after only 11 minutes. However, the accuracy of top marksman Peter Curran was vitally important as Duleek demonstrated great resolve to battle back and they were ahead by 1-8 to 2-4 at the interval after Curran had scored a tremendous 24th minute goal, as well as a string of points from frees. The second period was absorbing and there appeared to be a distinct possibility that a replay would be required, but Duleek looked capable of taking the title when they held a two-point lead with four minutes of normal time remaining. However, tenacious Tones battled their way to victory as a superbly struck '45' from Cian Ward proved decisive. So did a tremendous save from Tones' goalkeeper Derek Meehan in the last minute when he denied Kenny McDonnell a goal that would surely have made all the difference. It was a bitter disappointment for all involved with Duleek and their supporters. "I was very disappointed for the lads, far more so than for myself," Barney Rock said as he looked back on the campaign. "I know the effort they have put into it for the last four or five years. It's been huge; a lot of commitment. "And that effort will continue to be given by a great bunch of players. They managed to get over their semi-final jinx and now, after losing the final, it's a matter of getting over the final jinx. Duleek have a lot of young players coming through and the future certainly looks bright." Was he confident going into the intermediate decider, once Duleek finally got there? "I saw it as a 50/50 game really," the former ace Dublin attacker added. "We had a game plan going into the final and we thought we could take Wolfe Tones. But, unfortunately, we gave away two goals and those scores meant we were forced to chase the game after that. Those goals were essentially the difference between the two teams in the end. "But you keep going and I always tell the players that they have to keep at it for the full 60 minutes. They really showed great spirit to battle back in the final and spirit is one thing they certainly have a lot of. They have proved that in the past too. "I believe without doubt that the Duleek players will raise their heads again after the defeat. As I said to them in the dressing room after the final, the club will have to put a team in the Intermediate Championship again next year and I am very confident that they can make the breakthrough. "They will keep going at it, no doubt about that. It's a progression thing and even the older players are learning all the time. Every game, you learn more," concluded Rock who said he would "hope to be there" still coaching this great bunch of lads next year. Tweet

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