Just after Dunderry were relegated from senior football ranks in the autumn of 2005 when losing to Kilmainhamwood in the final play-off at Kells, one of their players boldly predicted that they would go back up at the first attempt. By Noel Coogan. It was probably more of a rash call than a brave one for although Blackhall Gaels and Navan O'Mahonys did not delay long in the intermediate grade before returning to the Keegan Cup competition, history tells us that relegated teams can struggle. As many followers of the GAA in Meath know quite well, the IFC is perhaps the most difficult to win and Dunderry found that one in 2006. The return of the club's most celebrated footballer, Tommy Dowd, to take over as manager may have been a good reason for optimism that a strong bid could be made in the attempt to lift the title last won by Dunderry in 1990. Although there was a bright beginning with victories in the opening two rounds, three wins from seven outings in the group stages were not enough to earn a place in the closing stages. Dowd, the biggest star of Dunderry's one and only SFC triumph in 1995, was still able to call on five of the panel of 11 years earlier, John Brady, Barry and Keith Callaghan, Stephen O'Rourke and Kevin Dowd, younger brother of the new manager. Brady, the captain for the 1995 triumph when wearing the number 12 jersey, has returned to a goalkeeping role, He was a reliable last line of defence in the early years of a long career and helped Meath to Leinster under 21 honours. Dunderry's return to the IFC after some 16 years in the premier ranks began in Athboy where other recent seniors and recipients of the Keegan Cup in the first of those 16 campaigns, Gaeil Colmcille, provided the opposition. Boosted by a strong start during which Ciaran Mulvenna and David Jennings (two) sent over early points and with Peadar Callaghan showing good form at midfield, the men in black and white led by 0-6 to 0-3 at the break and were also three points to the good (0-10 to 0-7) at the finish. John Brady showed that he had lost little of his shot-stopping skills with a couple of fine saves in the second half and points from Colm Harte and Stephen O'Rourke, who came on as a substitute, kept them in the driving seat. It was a further seven weeks before Dunderry played their second round game and they doubled their points total with a 3-9 to 1-8 success over Na Fianna at Dunsany. The first of the winners' three goals was an OG with a Na Fianna defender punching the ball into his own net during the first half at the end of which the scores were 1-5 to 0-3. A goal from Ivan McCormack early in the second half increased the advantage and Thomas Doherty also found the net after the change of ends. All of Dunderry's six starting forwards got a bracket after their name as well as midfielder Kevin Dowd. It was back to Dunsany 11 days later and Donaghmore/Ashbourne inflicted a double scores defeat on a 0-12 to 0-6 scoreline. After Ivan McCormack slotted over a free in the first minute, Tommy Dowd's charges did not register again in the first half at the end of whom their opponents had six points on the board. Although David Jennings (two), Damien Clarke, Kevin Dowd and McCormack got on target in the second period, Dunderry only scored half enough and their campaign did not have many sunny days after the bright beginning. That loss were followed by two more in rounds four and five. Ballivor added to the woes with a 1-11 to 1-4 drubbing in Trim as their opponents failed to score in the first half. It was 0-7 to 0-0 at the break and although Dunderry did a bit better when the action resumed, they failed to reduce the arrears. David Callaghan and Trevor Conaty put over a couple of points apiece and Colm Harte grabbed a consolation goal as well as failing to convert a penalty kick. The third defeat was at the hands of Castletown who won by 2-7 to 1-4 at Kells with Colm Harte again getting the losers' goal. A goal and four points in two successive games was hardly impressing the 1996 All-Ireland winning captain and a few people have remarked that Dunderry have not been the same force since Tommy Dowd left them to become a Wolfe Tones player. Their scoring, however, improved in the 0-13 to 0-5 win over struggling Carnaross at Kilberry. Although losing Darren Murtagh, who was sent off in the first half, Dunderry were on level terms (0-3 each) at the break before lifting their game in the second period. Full back John Kelleher was in impressive form and teenager T. J. Garry sent over seven points. That was as much as his side managed in their last IFC outing of 2006 as Drumconrath's 0-13 was not an unlucky figure, the total earning them a place in the last eight as Dunderry missed out. It was eight to four at the break and although Barry and David Callaghan kicked points at the start of the second half, there was to be no comeback. Barry Callaghan, who missed a few of the games in the earlier rounds, scored three points that day but the All-Ireland winner of ten years earlier was unable to inspire his less experienced comrades. Tommy Dowd had Billy Bligh, Tony Coogan, Pete Conaty and Dessie Fagan as his fellow selectors. Three of those, Bligh, Conaty and Coogan, were along the line for the club's most memorable year, in 1995, and Billy is obviously disappointed at the failure to reach the knockout stages. "I thought we'd make a bold bid to go back up at the first attempt but that is difficult, even Navan O'Mahonys were unable to manage it. Consistency was a problem, when we played well, we played really well and when we played poorly, we were very poor. "There was no lack of commitment on the part of the players and Tommy could have few complaints with the effort put in. The team served up some fine displays in Division 2 of the League, winning five games and drawing one, but after two good wins at the start of the championship things began to go downhill. "We played particularly poorly against Ballivor and it was disappointing to finish in front in only one of the last four games. The departure of Seamus Harte to Australia for a few months was a blow to the team and we will be looking forward to having him back for next season. "Also there were some injury problems. We didn't get much out of Barry Callaghan, who was annoyed by a stomach muscles complaint and only played in the last two games while Damien Clarke was troubled by a groin injury. "The results did not match the effort over the last few months and we can only look ahead to next year and hope that the results will be better then. I think we have the players to enable us challenge for a return to senior ranks," said Bligh. When there was a lack of success in football over the last few months, Dunderry's committee under the leadership of chairman Gus Martyn has been making impressive strides with the provision of a new clubhouse in the park in the village. For a few years the parish hall adjacent to the grounds was used as changing rooms, for meetings and other functions but work on the new facility began a few months ago and, according to long-serving PRO Jack Devine, the expense of erecting the new building will cost up half a million euro. "It's a two-storey building with four dressing-rooms, a meeting room and a kitchen downstairs while it is intended to have a gym on the top deck. There has been a lot of fund-raising, including a race day at Fairyhouse, a golf classic and life membership subscriptions from people in the parish, to which there has been a very good response," said Devine. While Dunderry did not enjoy much success on the playing fields, a few of the GAA club's members hit the headlines early in the years when locally owned race horse Dun Doire scored a couple of notable triumphs. Barry and Keith Callaghan, Damien Clarke, Kevin Dowd, Kevin Brady, Terry McDonagh, Tony Cregan and Evan Stephens are in the syndicates which owns the horse who ran up an impressive sequence of wins over fences. The two biggest gained by the animal trained by Tony Martin at Moynalvey were in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park and the William Hill Chase at the Cheltenham festival in March. Looking ahead to 2007, the parish is hopeful that a football or hurling team will be feted in the local hostelries as well as their successful horse. Tweet

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