There could hardly have been a more popular and merited recipient of the Dunshaughlin GFC Hall of Fame Award than John O'Sullivan who has given approximately half a century of the most dedicated work on behalf of a club which has risen to tremendous heights in terms of success over more recent years. The outstanding commitment and effort which so many people give to clubs all over the country deserves to be recognised and that's the great importance of awards like these which are a special way of saying 'thank you' to somebody who does a huge amount of voluntary work behind the scenes that is so vitally important to the successful running of the club. Players, especially those with the more successful clubs that win championships on a regular basis, are rewarded and recognised consistently, but it's the unsung heroes of the Gaelic Athletic Association who should never be forgotten. Without such unstinting loyalty and effort on behalf of their clubs, which creates such a positive and rewarding impact on local society as a whole, the association's most important unit simply couldn't function properly. John O'Sullivan, who is a familiar figure at GAA grounds around Meath these days due to his role as an umpire with one of the county's leading referees, his nephew Jim Smith, received the Dunshaughlin Hall of Fame Award from secretary Cyril Creavin at the club's annual presentation night in the Ardboyne Hotel, Navan, last January. And speaking to him many months later it was still very easy to appreciate what it meant to a man whose involvement with the club began back in the early 1950s and has continued with tremendous loyalty to this day. "Getting the Hall of Fame Award at the presentation night was a really big surprise and something I didn't expect at all," he said as he reflected on what was clearly one of the great highlights of his GAA life. "I was really thrilled with it and it was a very nice thing to happen. It's nice to get a bit of appreciation and it's a very nice way for a club to say thanks. Receiving the award really meant an awful lot to me." John might have been surprised on the night by his selection for the award, but it's certain that nobody else who was present would have shared that feeling of surprise, such has been his long and very committed involvement. "I've been involved since I was going to school at about the age of 14," added John, who was born in Dublin, but moved to the Royal County with his family when he was just six years of age. His father Jer was a Kerry man from the Templenoe area and his mother Elizabeth from Maynooth in Co. Kildare. "I didn't play much under-age. But I can remember playing at the back of the old courthouse in Dunshaughlin at least 50 years ago and we didn't have two pairs of boots between us. Those were certainly different days to today. "I've been involved all along. I was nearly always on committees. The Football Club and the Parish Council used to organise the carnival in Dunshaughlin. I was very involved with that for many years and it was a really great success." Going back to the 1970s the Dunshaughlin carnival, of which John was a driving force, was a very big event on the Meath entertainment scene and attracted very big crowds from a wide area, such was its popularity. "I played football with Dunshaughlin all my life, though I was in England for a few years," he recalled. "I actually kept playing until I was close to 40 and certainly got great enjoyment out of it. I played a bit of hurling as well, but I have to admit that I wasn't much good at it. But I love the game of hurling and have a really great passion for it. It's such a wonderful game. "I was a hurling selector with Dunshaughlin back in the 1980s when we enjoyed success, winning both the Junior Championship and Intermediate Championship. I was involved with all those teams." On the playing front in football he was at midfield when Dunshaughlin lost to Slane in the 1961 Intermediate Championship semi-final, though he did later taste championship success with the club when he won a medal as a substitute. Of course, John's lengthy GAA involvement hasn't been confined to football and hurling as handball has also held a special place in his affections down through the years. "I was treasurer of the Dunshaughlin Handball Club for a good few years," he added. "And I also acted as chairman of the Meath Handball Board for a spell." It's abundantly clear from talking to the popular Dunshaughlin man that he has derived tremendous enjoyment from his years of involvement with GAA matters and that includes his time as an umpire which has seen him officiate at major matches in Croke Park. Those occasions were huge highlights for him. "When I gave up playing I started to umpire at hurling matches for referee Ollie O'Neill," he said. "One really big highlight for me was umpiring at a Leinster Minor Hurling Championship final in Croke Park. It was the curtain-raiser to the provincial senior final and that was a really big occasion. "I umpire at football matches for my nephew Jim Smith and also umpired at a big game in Croke Park for Jim. That was the Leinster Minor Football Championship final and that was another big thrill. "I have to say that it's an incredible feeling when you walk out onto that pitch in front of such a big crowd of people. But when the game starts that changes and you don't see or hear the crowd really. I suppose it's much the same for a player. When the match starts you have to concentrate fully on the action and you soon settle into it. "Of course, you are always concerned that you might make a mistake of some sort, but I have to say that I really love being an umpire and get great enjoyment out of it. There is a great bit of comaraderie between us all and it's great craic. You would be looking forward to the Sundays. It's a great way to be involved." However, he does feel that there can be too many people on the sideline during matches, with so many substitutes, and that this can create problems if things get heated on the pitch. The emergence of Dunshaughlin as a major force in Meath club football has thrilled John and, like so many of the more mature members of the club, he must often have wondered if such days would ever come. Dunshaughlin produced a very strong team to win the Intermediate Championship in 1997 and were soon to become a very accomplished senior side - so accomplished indeed that they went on to claim the Keegan Cup on three successive occasions in 2000, 2001 and 2002 and also add the Leinster Club title at the end of the latter year. "Down through the years that's the sort of thing you would pray for," he added. "We felt satisfied when we won the first Meath Senior Championship in 2000, but what happened after that was really incredible. "To win three Meath Senior Championships in succession and also win the Leinster title was just great. They have been wonderful times and we might have added an All-Ireland as well. The successes were the result of a lot of hard work by a lot of people. I have to say I have really enjoyed it all. "Of course, it has to be appreciated that a lot of people struggle with clubs and to win just a couple of game in the championship any year might be the highlight for them. What Dunshaughlin managed to achieve was just great and a really big thrill." John O'Sullivan can look back on approximately half a century of involvement in the GAA and it's obvious that he has taken a great deal of enjoyment and satisfaction out of it. Commenting that his wife Dympna has described herself as a "GAA widow," he added: "Back in my playing days I never really got time to train properly because of work commitments. We were tillage contractors and you couldn't just walk away from it. But I have to say that I have absolutely no regrets. I have had a great GAA life." And among the great moments was unquestionably that big surprise at the start of 2004 when Dunshaughlin GAA Club paid their own special tribute. It was richly deserved. Under 12 report St. Martin's policy of developing football skills at a young age once again paid dividends in 2004 when they won the under 12 division 1 crown for the second time in three years. The campaign started out somewhat less impressively as they lost their first match by 12 points to an excellent Ratoath side. This set the standard required for the remainder of the campaign and the players must be congratulated for the dedication and effort that was shown during the year. A win over Round Towers and a hard earned draw with Dunboyne followed before St. Martins finally came good and started to play to the best of their ability. Wins over Simonstown, Navan O'Mahoneys and St. Colmcille's set up a semi-final meeting with St. Cianan's of Duleek. This was a hard physical game where the ability of the St Martins side to take points came to the fore. They scored nineteen points in all, seventeen of them from play to set up a final meeting with Ratoath who defeated Dunboyne in the other semi-final. Football itself was the real winner in the final played before a large attendance in Skryne. Full credit must go to both teams who gave everything and their enthusiastic supporters in an entertaining and sporting encounter. Both teams started nervously and it was eight minutes into the match before Ratoath took the lead. Two more Ratoath points followed and the St Martins defence was under a lot of pressure in the early stages but managed to keep their goal intact. Then a long ball into the Ratoath defence was superbly finished superbly to the top corner of the net. This seemed to settle St Martins and their midfield began to get the better of the exchanges. The remainder of the first half saw end to end action with point for point scoring to leave the half time score Ratoath 0-6 St Martins 1-3. St Martins were quickly out of the blocks at the start of the second half scoring a goal within 30 seconds of the restart. Two more points quickly followed before Ratoath opened their second half account. St Martins third goal left them eight points clear but Ratoath never gave up and finally goaled after constant pressure. Ratoath continued to try to reduce St Martin's lead but they managed to stay just out of reach to leave the final score St. Martins 3-9 Ratoath 1-10 There were many fine performances all over the field and special praise must go to the defence for their efforts in trying to keep the Ratoath danger men under wraps. It was also encouraging to see seven different players get on the score sheet for St. Martins, which underlines the overall balance and commitment of the team. In the end it was St. Martins strength and the width of a cross bar that decided this final. It was a pleasure to see two teams playing quality football in a sporting and good natured manner and if this can be maintained the future looks bright for both of these teams. St Martins Represent Meath in All Ireland Football Feile 2004 There is no doubt that the All Ireland Football Feile is a special competition. St Martins under 14 footballers earned the right to represent their county and did both their Club and County proud. They eventually lost by the narrowest of margins in the semi final to the eventual winners. It was a fantastic football journey that began in August 2003 and ended in July 2004. Great games, great friends, great craic and great hosts. Those who experienced this will never forget. Qualification for the All Ireland Feile is tough and eventually it came down to do or die, nail biting away matches against both Navan O'Mahonys and Simonstown to set up a semi final against the much fancied and unbeaten St Cianans. Team spirit, guts and skill (a cocktail that would be used again in Tyrone) gave St Martins a memorable victory in a match that was not for the faint hearted. The score 1-4 to 1-2 on a beautiful November Sunday morning in Batterstown. The county final pitted the ever improving lads against a very strong Round Towers team who had earlier beaten us well in the league stages by 1-14 to 2-4. The carrot of being the 1st team to represent their county in Divison 1 of the All Ireland Football Feile proved to be a great spur and St Martins produced their best performance of the year to win by 3-8 to 0-5 at Bective. With qualification secured, the next set of preparations would begin. Jim, Eimer and Eamonn from Dunboyne, who the previous year had managed St Peters and Pauls to the All Ireland Divison 2 title, provided assistance as the saying goes 'above and beyond'. Go raibh mile maith agaibh. Off the field the preparation for a competition like this is immense and all parents and committee members immersed themselves into the task with tremendous relish. On the pitch things would be tight, with the competition being brought forward by one week, thereby giving our dual players only five days to recover from the Hurling Feile, which was hosted by Meath/Kildare/Westmeath. Fatigue, injuries and restrictions on preparations due to the Hurling Feile would be factors. The heavy schedule of club and school matches in football and hurling, not to mention other sports, would add to this. Somehow we got through all of this and also managed to squeeze in a trip to Roscommon to play (under feile rules) their representatives Clan Na Gael. The exemplary behaviour of our players augured well for the future. For the kindness of our hosts we are forever grateful. A good and very worthwhile fixture and an indication of our intentions to do both our club and county proud, both on and off the pitch. Eventually Friday 2nd July arrived and having come through bag packing, raffles, race nights, measuring/fitting, flag making, meetings, birth certs, photos, form filling, accommodation reservations, host presents, presentation night, codes of conduct etc etc the players met at 7.30am at The Village Grill in Dunshaughlin for team breakfast prior to departure. The work off the pitch was excellent, the squad looked brilliant, each member togged out in the club tracksuit, runners and tee shirt together with club gear bags. The coach was top class, resplendent with flags and banners and that all important video machine for the two and a half hour journey to Coalisland, County Tyrone. The entourage of parents and supporters followed in convey. The first game was at 3pm against our hosts Coalisland and the weather had turned wet and windy. We started poorly and trailed at half time by 0-1 to 1-3. Supporters were getting anxious and expectations were fading. Five points was a big margin to haul back in fifteen minutes. Five minutes into the second half and we still had made no headway but then the old magic kicked in and we finished with a three point victory 1-7 to 1-4. A good start to our campaign. It was after this that the warmth and kindness of our hosts Coalisland really took off. It is impossible to mention everyone, however Gerry Mc Stravick and Benny Carr were fantastic. After guiding us through many hills and roads to participate in the magnificent spectacle of the parade and back again to the clubhouse to dispatch the players to their host families (bear in mind there was a second girls team from Carlow as well as the Coalisland ladies, where friendships were established quicker than in my day) hospitality was focused on the adults. Suffice it to say a good night was had. A measure of the man (a bachelor), Gerry took our soaking jerseys at one o clock that night and the next morning at nine arrived with them washed, dried, pressed and folded. The second match was against Ardboe at 10.15am on Saturday 3rd July. Our information was that Ardboe were strong contenders. We trailed by one point at half time 2-2 to 3-0 but were playing good football. Our second half performance sent out the message that the team from Meath would be hard to beat. Final score 4-5 to 3-1. Our last game in the group was against the Armagh Champions Cullyhanna at 12.30pm. After two tough games against Tyrone opposition, our paramedic 'Dolores' was earning her stripes and getting fit in the process! It was clear that every member of the squad would have to play an active role as the injuries mounted up. The game against Cullyhanna was a cracker and at halftime the sides were level 1-2 to 0-5. The second half was end to end and that old spirit, guts and skill combined with the wearing of the county jerseys gave us a victory of 1-5 to 0-7. Having dispatched of three northern teams and in the process winning their respect with our style and commitment, we were ready for the Galway champions Corifin in the semi-final. The semi-final was at 6.15pm in Dungannon and the mood was good. As we lined up it was obvious that we were conceding height and weight in most positions. Corofin took an early lead before we levelled. St Martins then took the initiative and piled on the pressure forcing Corofin to concede a penalty. With the pressure kick superbly dispatched, Corofin began to throw everything at us and by half time realised that the path to goal didn't exist. Leading by a point at half time St. Martins were fifteen minutes away from an All-Ireland Final, 1-1 to 0-3. The second half started again with Corofin applying the pressure and after five minutes the game was level. St Martins now applied the pressure and again took the lead with a superb long range point. Five minutes left and chances were being missed at both ends. Two minutes left and the game was level for the third time. Injury time and Corofin hit the winning point, devastation followed as the final whistle blew. We came within two minutes of the final. Final score 1-2 to 0-6. The silence in the dressing room after the match was deafening. But then the cocktail used on the pitch transformed itself to off the pitch when boys matured and became men. We left the dressing room laughing.. as our captain said "cheer up lads at least we won the toss". That night was the party of all parties as we were yet again treated to a fantastic night by our wonderful hosts and friends from Coalisland. We may not have won the cup but we left on Sunday evening feeling as winners. Corofin won the final 2-4 to 0-6. These are the players and mentors who represented their club and county with pride and who would like to thank our sponsor Martin Donnelly, our many feile committees, Meath juvenile county secretary Mairead Delaney and Coalisland Football Club. TEAM: James Kelligher, Conor Devereux, Mark Coffey, Cillian Dennihey, David O'Rourke, Tadgh O'Dubshláine, Bill Reilly, Ciaran Clusker, David Fitzmaurice, Dara Devereux, Eamon Bowe, Danny Logan, Joe Boyhan, Niall Murphy, James Horgan, Barry Jordan, Shane Troy, Stephen Clusker, Eoin Hegarty, Paul Walsh, Robert Crosbie, Daniel Geraghty, Conor Ennis, Eoin Sheehey. Mentors: Des Boyhan, Donnchadh Geraghty, Tommy Clusker, Paul Logan, Brendan Murphy, Dolores Murphy. St. Martin's U/13 Football After a very successful feile in Tyrone in July the question everyone wanted answered could St. Martin's defend their title. The opening match was against old rivals and last years U12 champions Simonstown. In a tight match St. Martin's although conceding some soft goals played the better football and went on to win by the narrowest of margins. St. Martin's followed this with victories over Round Towers, O'Mahony's, Curraha, Ratoath and Trim. Entering the playoffs as group leaders, having been undefeated in all games, hopes were high that we would win the title. Along the way the team had developed into a formidable outfit, the backs led by Stephen Doyle and Joe O'Brien hunted in packs making the opposition fight for every score. The midfield duo of Conor Devereux and Eoin Hagarty worked tirelessly to link the defence to a fluid moving attack that seemed at times to score at will. Forwards like Eamon Bowe, Niall Murphy, James Rattigan and Stephen Clusker were to produce some scintillating performances. The semi-final match played against Ratoath in Skryne was to perhaps prove our best performance. Leading by three points at half time having played against the wind things looked good especially as Eoin Hagarty was in tremendous form. Ratoath, however, had different plans and 10 minutes into the second half had turned the tables and they now led by three points. Things looked ominous for St. Martin's, however, the introduction of Conor O'Brien and the switching of Emmet Staunton to attack steadied the ship and St. Martin's went on to run out comfortable winners, setting up a final against O'Mahony's who many felt had given us our toughest test earlier in the year. The final played in glorious conditions in St. Mary's, Donore, was a splendid match and the first half produced probably the best under age football of the year with O'Mahony's playing the better football. Indeed were it not for crucial goals by Daniel Geraghty and Stephen Clusker O'Mahony's would have led at the interval, instead St. Martin's led 2-4 to 0-7. In the second half, however, Conor O'Brien's introduction into the half back line and an improvement in performance all round the field held O'Mahony's to only one point while St. Martin's scored 3-4 to see them run out comfortable winners on a scoreline of 5-8 to 0-8. St. Martin's have defended their title in style and go on now to again represent Meath in next years feile to be held in Limerick. Panel of players: Michael McCarthy, Sean Joyce, Joe O'Brien, Shane Connolly, Barry Jordan, Stephen Doyle, Emmet Staunton, Eoin Hagarty, Conor Devereux, Stephen Clusker, Daniel Geraghty, Conor O'Brien, Fergus Toolan, Alan O'Brien, Luke Briody, Neil Ridgeway, Conal O'Sullivan, Gavin Byrne, Alister Doyle, James Doolan Nearly men for once "An up-and-down year!" is Chairman Paddy O'Dwyer's succinct summation of the last twelve months for Dunshaughlin GFC, by Liam O'Rourke "A lot of our better players were injured early on. That was a big disadvantage to us. Maybe all the games in recent years caught up with us," he remarked. Since taking the chair in 1998, their first year back in senior ranks, O'Dwyer has seen the club enjoy an unprecedented run of success. In the spring of the 2003, Dunshaughlin reached the All-Ireland semi-final before losing to Crossmolina. Last year they reached the SFC semi-final before losing to Blackhall Gaels. This time round the black-and-ambers came within a whisker of reaching their fifth senior football final in six years with many neutrals expressing the view that they should have been awarded a close range free in the final seconds of extra-time of their drawn SFC semi-final clash with Skyrne, before losing out in the controversial replay. "Looking back we probably lost our chance in the drawn match. We met Skryne three times in the championship this year and there was very little between us," the chairman reflected. The chairman, with good reason, didn't quite share the optimism of those who at the start of the campaign fancied Dunshaughlin to win the Keegan Cup for a fourth time. "We weren't going well. We had an unsettled side with injuries dragging on," he recalls. During the campaign they had three managers. Eamon Barry who guided them to three SFC titles on the spin parted company after three rounds. Colm Coyle was drafted in as a replacement and led to a decisive win over Simonstown Gaels in his first match in charge. After missing the final two games due to previous commitments, Coyle passed on the baton to Brendan Kealy, who was also in charge of Ratoath's bid for JFC honours, for the tilt at champions Blackhall Gaels. Despite all the upheavals, Dunshaughlin unseated their neighbours Blackhall Gaels by 0-16 to 0-14 after extra time in the quarter-finals in what the chairman recalls as "tremendous game of football". Dunshaughlin reached the last eight in dramatic fashion despite losing to Trim, who had already qualified for the knockout stages, in their final group game. On the same wet Sunday night O'Mahony's lost by the narrowest margin to Dunboyne after failing to convert a few late chances that would have seen the Brews Hill club go through instead of Dunshaughlin. "We thought we were doomed until we to the dressing rooms and word came through that Dunboyne had done us a favour. It's difficult to maintain form through a long campaign and we lifted our game for the meeting with Blackhall Gaels. The occasion brought the best out of both teams," O'Dwyer reflects. If the win over Blackhall Gaels was the highpoint of the year, then the defeat by Skyrne in the semi-final replay was the opposite. "Sometimes it's just not meant to go your way. Our momentum was snapped with the sending off of Ray Maloney," he says looking back now at the semi-final defeat by Skyrne. "Up to that point we were going well. Just before the sending off, David Crimmins and Cathal (Paddy's son) had shots for goal well saved by Felim O'Rourke." In the second-half Skyrne pulled clear and playing towards the town goal they picked off points at will to book their first final appearance since 2001 on a 0-15 to 1-7 scoreline. Dunshaughlin's ten-match championship campaign began where in it ended over four months later, at Pairc Tailteann. On Sunday, April 18 Trevor Dowd scored 1-3 as they saw off Dunboyne by 1-6 to 0-5. Caoimhín King was particularly impressive at right-half-back the winners who were without Denis and Aidan Kealy. A week later they were back at the county grounds and their mean defence again conceded just 0-5 while the other end they scored 3-12 against Gaeil Colmcille. The 16 points winning margin was important in building a superior scoring difference over Navan O'Mahony's, with whom they were deadlocked when the group stage was completed. There was a five-week lull as Meath prepared for their Leinster SFC opener against Wicklow on May 23. Dunshaughlin's third outing, against Ballinlough at Simonstown on Saturday, May 29 proved the truism that there is no such thing as a foregone conclusion. In what proved to be Eamonn Barry's last match in charge, an under par Dunshaughlin went down by 0-8 to 0-9 after shooting 14 wides. A few weeks later the man who guided the black and ambers to three SFC titles quit, apparently unhappy at the club's decision to permit two of the younger promising players, Caoimhín King and Stephen Ward, to play in the United States for the summer. Paddy admits that the club didn't want to lose the pair, but adds, "We felt we couldn't stand in their way." Both players played with Meath GFC in New York, King returned for the latter stages of the Keegan Cup race while Ward remained on the help the Royal County exiles claim the New York Junior A title, scoring 1-3 in the 2-11 to 1-13 win over Armagh in the decider. When the campaign resumed on Sunday, July 11, former Meath selector and Monaghan manager, Colm Coyle was at the helm for the clash with Simonstown Gaels at Pairc Tailteann. "Few teams can match the intensity of the black and ambers when they are on their game and from the off it was clear they were out to atone for their shock defeat by Ballinlough in the previous round," proclaimed the report in The Weekender. Ken McTigue (penalty) and David Crimmins got the goals while Denis Kealy and Kevin Ward impressed as they stormed to a 2-9 to 0-8 win to leave them in second place behind Trim in Group A. Such was the inconsistent nature of their season that they failed to win any further matches in the group stage. Dunshaughlin made their fourth trip of the campaign to the county ground on Tuesday, July 27 to face promoted Navan O'Mahony's. David Tonge and Trevor Dowd caught the eye as Dunshaughlin opened like an express train and posted five points without reply from play in the opening 11 minutes. After leading 0-9 to 0-5 at the break, they needed a late point from Niall Kelly to earn a share of the spoils on a 0-12 to 1-9 scoreline. How crucial that score proved to be! Dunshaughlin went to the recently opened Sean Eiffe Park in Ratoath on Sunday, August 8 for their only SFC game outside Navan. With Michael McHale and David Tonge absent they trailed Skryne by five points coming up to half time. Cathal O'Dwyer, a member of the St Patrick's Classical Navan side that won the All-Ireland Colleges title back in May, sent over three points including a late leveler before Skyrne player-manager Mick O'Dowd snatched the winning score from a close range free. Going into the final round matches on Sunday, August 22 four teams were deadlocked in joint second place in Group A and the odds appeared to be stacked against Dunshaughlin. Simonstown were facing Gaeil Colmcille, already doomed to the relegation play-off. Skyrne were pitted against a Ballinlough side that had already secured their status while O'Mahony's were up against a Dunboyne side that had nothing but pride to play for. Meanwhile, Dunshaughlin were making their fifth appearance at Pairc Tailteann, against Trim who were already booked into the quarter-finals. Simonstown and Skyrne duly advanced to the knockout stages, leaving Dunshaughlin and O'Mahony's scrapping for the eighth quarter-final slot. The disappointment at losing by 0-7 to 1-7 soon evaporated into joy with the news from Ratoath that Dunboyne had beaten O'Mahony's by 2-5 to 0-10. Despite losing three of their seven group games, Dunshaughlin were through to the knockout phase of the SFC for the sixth year running where they upset the apple-cart by unseating Blackhall Gaels on the evening of Saturday, September 4 after twenty additional minutes in a thrilling clash. Extra time failed to separate Skyrne and Dunshaughlin in the first semi-final clash two weeks later. Dunshaughlin were playing catch-up throughout the hour and posted six scores in the final quarter that included a late free from Cathal O'Dwyer to tie the scores at 0-12 to 1-9. Niall Kelly, who finished with 0-5, landed a late point to level matters at 0-14 to 1-11 after 80 minutes of action. "We always regard the league very highly. It's a great competition to play fellas on the fringe of the team" admitted Paddy. "Since getting promotion to Division 1 in the early nineties we have maintained our place in Division 1. We were unsettled early on with injuries and county commitments but survived after picking up a couple of results near the end," he added. Winners in 2002 and runners-up, twelve months ago, they never really got going this term and finished in mid-table after winning three, drawing three and losing four of the ten matches played. Having to promote players to plug gaps on the senior team played havoc with their chances of going well in the JFC and after losing six games on the spin, some by wide margins, they beat Bective by 1-9 to 0-8 in the final match to force a three-way play-off that also included Clann na nGael. Dunshaughlin's second string survived after seeing off the Athboy/Rathcairn side on a 0-6 to 0-3 scoreline. There was a much better return from their third team that finished second behind eventual runners-up Ratoath in the group stage of the Junior C championship only to lose out to Syddan (who went on to beat Ratoath in a replayed final) at the quarter-final stage. "There were a lot of young players on that team which bodes well for the future" Paddy adds confidently. Off the field the club Dunshaughlin unveiled plans for a new clubhouse at their annual dinner dance and currently await permission from the local authority to proceed with the development. "We put a lot of thought into the development and set up a sub-committee that looked at a lot on new premises in the area before settling on our own plans," concluded Paddy. Tweet

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