Just when it looked as if it would be 'third time lucky' for Dunsany in the Junior Football Championship, Ratoath spoiled the party when proving too good for the side in red and white in the title decider. After losing to Ballinabrackey in their first appearance in the final in 1972, Dunsany had a wait of 30 years before getting that far again. Defeat was their lot again in 2002 as Nobber lifted the Matthew Ginnity Cup with five points to spare and after filling second place last October they are still among a select band of Meath clubs without a championship triumph. Cricket was the main field game in Dunsany before the Gaelic football club was formed in January 1963. Jimmy Flynn was elected as the first chairman with Dessie Collier the vice-chairman, Pat Cummins was the first secretary with Dickie Donohoe getting the position of treasurer and Peadar Donohoe the initial team captain. Dunsany's first official colours were green with gold collars and they finished their first junior B championship campaign without a win. Notable progress was made in 1965 with the semi-final stage of the Junior B FC being reached only to lose to Boardsmill. In 1966 the switch to the present day red and white jerseys, the colours of the old Killeen team, was made. In 1970 Mickey Costello was on the Meath panel which won the Leinster SFC and went all the way to the All-Ireland final which Kerry won by seven points. Over the years Dunsany have not had a great deal of inter county players but they picked up a few more than championship successes. Dunsany reached the JFC final in 1972 but the team captained by Brendan Cummins failed to sparkle on the day and Ballinabrackey took the honours on a 0-11 to 2-2 scoreline. Peter Moore, one of the heroes of Meath's All-Ireland triumph in 1967, was the winning captain and Seamus Brennan, who was on that year's successful minor team, sent over seven points. Brendan Cummins has proven himself as a man of many parts over the years and in 1984 he compiled a very informative 21 years history of Dunsany GFC which proved very helpful in enabling this writer to present snippets of information about the early years of the club. Such as the piece about the junior league success in 1973, at the expense of Ballinabrackey, when there was no cup presented after the game and a cup was borrowed to enhance the celebrations! Dunsany's celebrations over the last 40 years and a bit have been mainly after league successes and the occasional underage victory. Although never gaining JFC honours, they played in the IFC for a number of years, being promoted after getting to the junior final in 1972. Despite lack of championship success, the club has been noted for other activities. Tournaments were very popular in the '70s (and in decades before that) and Dunsany launched their own competition in 1976 and Skryne were the first winners with a final victory over Walterstown. However, that game is remembered more for the knee injury suffered by Colm O'Rourke, which threatened to end the playing career of the rising star. O'Rourke's distinguished career had ended by the time Páirc na nGaeil, Dunsany had become one of the most popular grounds in Meath for hosting club games towards the end of the last century. In fairness to the Dunsany club, they have developed fine facilities and they must be disappointed that the players have not been sufficiently inspired by them to rectify the long standing omission. They did have cause for celebrations in 1996 when Jimmy McGuinness played a big part in Meath's All-Ireland senior football triumph. Sean Stephens was on the Royal County minor side which lost to Derry in the national decider in 2002 and the following year Nicky Horan captained Meath to their All-Ireland junior football success and, although better known as a hurler, he has been more of a regular with Dunsany than McGuinness over the last few years. However, McGuinness came out of retirement for his club's latest JFC attempt but after making an impact in the quarter-final and semi-final ties, like many of his team mates he struggled to make an impact in the decider. Mark Brennan had scored a total of 8-38 on the way to the title tie but missed the clash with Ratoath after being sent off while assisting Kilmessan in the SHC final. Dunsany had beaten Ratoath by 2-11 to 1-11 earlier in the campaign and Gerry Reynolds' charges suffering just one defeat in their first eight games. That was the 1-5 to 1-13 loss to Ballinabrackey in the third round. As well as the former SFC winner with Walterstown, they again had the services of Tommy Dowd along the sideline and at training sessions. "Dunsany will have to find a dramatic turn of form if they are to have any say in the destination of the title" suggested one of the local papers after the loss to Ballinabrackey in what was described as "an abysmal showing at Longwood." But they did improve and a 1-6 to 0-6 win over previously unbeaten Navan O'Mahonys gave their hopes a boost. Mark Brennan scored 1-2 in that midweek clash at Bective and the goal in the last quarter proved the difference between the sides. That was followed by a 3-6 to 1-7 victory over neighbours Moynalvey at Dunshaughlin with two goals by Brennan and one from Brendan O'Brien proving crucial. Brennan continued to get on the mark with high frequency; scoring 1-5 in the 2-11 to 1-11 sixth round win over Moynalty at Martry in which Sean Stephens also found the net. Then in their seventh round outing Dunsany were leading Drumbaragh by 2-5 to 0-6 when the game was abandoned midway through the second half because of a serious injury to a Dunsany player. The game was not re-fixed as the result was immaterial. Dunsany amassed their biggest score of the campaign when trouncing Meath Hill by 4-6 to 0-9 in the quarter-final clash at Kilberry. Another Mark Brennan goal gave them a 1-3 to 0-5 interval lead and Diarmuid O'Donoghue, Joe Keena and Jimmy McGuinness, who made his return as a substitute, found the net in the second half. With Brennan sidelined, Ger O'Neill and McGuinness took over the scoring mantle in the hard earned 2-9 to 0-10 penultimate round success over Dunboyne, contributing 1-5 and 1-2 respectively. McGuinness had the sides level in the closing stages before Joe Keena fired over clinching points. Dunsany pulled Conor Power, better known as a rugby player, out of the hat to line out at midfield in the final but overall the team performed moderately when losing by 0-6 to 1-8. Power actually sent over the point which gave his side the lead for the only time after 15 minutes. But they trailed by 0-3 to 1 -3 at the break and continued to play catch up in the second half. When Ger O'Neill (free) and brother Anton, who had just joined the action, shot points Dunsany appeared to be on a roll, having reduced the deficit to the minimum with ten minutes to go. But they did not score again after that short burst with the opposition adding four points. The absence of Mark Brennan was sorely felt and when goalkeeper Conor Brennan, who had figured outfield earlier in the championship, was switched the game was as good as over. Some expressed surprise as to why the move was not made sooner. Earlier the number one moved upfield to take a few long range frees but failed to get on target with any of them. Conor Power was the only Dunsany player to score from play with Ger O'Neill sending over three frees and Nicky Horan converting one. The team which represented Dunsany in the 2004 JFC final was: Conor Brennan; Paddy McGovern, Kieran Lawlor, Martin Horan; Stephen Clynch, Sean Stephens, Donal Clynch; Brian Faherty, Conor Power; Joey Keena, Nicky Horan, Charlie Keena; Ger O'Neill, Jimmy McGuinness, Diarmuid O'Donoghue. Subs - Emmet Ferguson for J Keena, Brendan O'Brien for O'Donoghue, Anton O'Neill for C Keena, Andrew Keena for Power, Paul Faherty for B Faherty. Dunsany also held hopes of gaining outright honours in the Junior D FC but the club's second string lost out at the semi-final stage when Dunderry, who went on to claim outright honours in the new grade, beat them by 1-12 to 2-7 at Bective. In his introduction to the centenary year booklet in 1984, Brendan Cummins wrote " it is our wish that in the second hundred years of the GAA and in the second 21 years of Dunsany GFC, the problems will be faced with the same determination, courage and resilience as they have been in the past and that our games will continue to provide us with as much enjoyment." When those words were penned, the author hardly visualised Dunsany being still without an adult championship title 20 years later. But they have been furiously knocking at the door over the last few years and if justice is to be done, the latch will be lifted soon. U13 win for Dunsany Goals were vital as Dunsany brought the U13 Division 4B FL crown back to the parish in October. Boardsmill were the opposition in Dunshaughlin and although Danny Maguire put the eventual winners ahead with a quick point, Boardsmill responded with four scores without reply over the next 20 minutes. Niall Flynn and Niall Cleary kept Dunsany in the match during that lean spell with some heroic defending and they were rewarded when half back Christopher Smyth surged up the field to level the match with a fantastic goal. Boardsmill hit back with a point and led by 0-5 to 1-1 at the interval. The first ten minutes of the second half saw Dunsany hit a purple patch which ultimately earned them the honours. Niall O'Donoghue and Robbie Maguire bagged goals and Mikey Gorman fired over two points to leave their side 3-3 to 0-9 ahead. Amazingly there were to be the winners last scores and they had to rely on the heroics of goalkeeper Mark Farrell as they survived four minutes of added time. Dunsany - M Farrell, N Flynn, N Cleary, C Smyth 1-0, B Meehan, E Marsh, M Doyle, M Gorman 0-2, K Smith, R Dillon, D Brennan, D Maguire 0-1, N O'Donoghue 1-0. Subs - R Maguire 0-1 for Smith, S Power for Brennan, O Cahill for Power. Tweet

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