Fade out after early promise
November 30, 2006
After contesting two semi-finals and one final since 2002, Kilskyre were once again expected to be in the shake-up for intermediate hurling championship honours this year. But they failed to progress beyond the group stages with former player and PRO Mark Owens attributing their disappointing year to injuries and a lack of commitment.
Kilskyre looked to be on course to reach the knock-out stages of the intermediate hurling championship when they won four of their first five group matches, but back-to-back defeats to Na Fianna and neighbours Gaeil Colmcille saw their season end on a disappointing note.
It was certainly not the ending supporters of the North Meath club had hoped for as the least they had expected for their team was a place in the knock-out stages. Kilskyre have been there or thereabouts in recent seasons, reaching the final in 2002 and contesting semi-finals in 2003 and 2005. But the manner of their defeat to old rivals Gaeil Colmcille in their final group match suggested that they didn't deserve to advance to the last four.
"It was a disappointing year and we can't really have any complaints," says Kilskyre PRO Mark Owens.
"We had put ourselves in a very good position by winning our first few games but unfortunately we weren't able to keep the momentum going and we simply weren't good enough to win our last two games. We would have gone through if we won our last game against Kells, but we never got going against them and they ran out comfortable winners in the end."
Despite this year's disappointment, Owens - who played in the 2002 final loss to Wolfe Tones - remains convinced that the Pairc O hUigin outfit have the ability to win the intermediate championship and reclaim their place in the senior ranks. But for that to happen, he believes a far greater commitment from everyone is required.
"The commitment, or lack of it, was a problem for us again this year," he admits.
"We weren't getting consistent numbers at training. One day, we'd have 25 or 26 down training and the next we'd have the same 11 or 12 who are always there. With Ballinlough not having a particularly good year either in the football, there was no excuse for lads not turning up.
"If we are to be successful, the attendances at training will have to improve. Hurling is a game that requires a lot of time and effort. You have to keep praticising the skills over and over again."
Owens also points to injuries and the loss of county footballer Peadar Byrne as other reasons why Kilskyre failed to live up to expectations.
"I can safely saw we never once went out onto the pitch this year with a full-strength team. Tommy Fox's return was a big boost, but on the minus side we lost Peadar Byrne who went to America and Ronan McGuinness' injury before the Kells game was a huge blow to us. To make matters worse, Derek Muldoon was also injured against Kells and we struggled badly without those lads."
Kilskyre unveiled a new management team in 2006 with Ciaran Williams from Lough Lene Gaels in Westmeath replacing Trim's Benny Murray as manager and former star Francis Tunney taking over as selector from Colm Lynch. The only link with the outgoing management was Fergus Higgins.
The black and ambers made the best possible start to the championship when they came from behind to record a 1-11 to 2-7 victory over a fancied Dunderry in their first outing at Athboy. The loss of county player Kevin Dowd, who was red-carded in the first half, didn't help Dunderry's cause, but that shouldn't take away from what was an excellent Kilskyre victory.
Dunderry led for most of the game, holding a 1-5 to 0-6 interval advantage. Kilskyre rallied after the break to take a one-point lead, only for Paddy Gorey to reply with a goal and restore Dunderry's lead. When Eoin McCormack put three points between the sides, it looked as though Dunderry would hold out but as the game ticked into injury-time, Seamus Byrne blasted an equalizing goal and from the resultant puck-out, the North Meath men won a free which Derek Muldoon slotted over from 70 metres to give them a dramatic win.
Ciaran Williams' charges made it two wins from two when they powered to a 3-14 to 0-10 victory over St. Patrick's at Kilberry. The Stamullen men struggled to get into the game and Kilskyre were already well on their way to victory when leading by 1-8 to 0-4 at the break. They remained in the driving seat after the resumption to run out comprehensive winners. Sean Gaughran and Tommy Fox led the rout by scoring 1-2 each, Derek Muldoon notched up 0-4 from midfield, while corner forward Ronan McGuinness rattled a goal.
Kilskyre were brought crashing back down to earth when they were edged out by Wolfe Tones in the next round at Athboy. The Tones started brightly, but Kilskyre were back on terms at the interval, 1-4 to 0-7. A second goal after the break gave the black and ambers the lead, but after Eoghan Harrington restored parity from a '65', the Tones clinched victory with a late strike from Rory Glennon.
Kilskyre put that disappointment behind them by chalking up wins over Longwood (2-7 to 0-10) and Donaghmore/Ashbourne (0-9 to 1-5) to give themselves every chance of reaching the last four. But they then suffered the first of two hammer blows when losing to their 2005 semi-final conquerors Na Fianna by 0-5 to 1-8.
The game was played in difficult conditions at Longwood, but the signs still looked encouraging for Kilskyre when they held a slender lead at half-time. It remained close in the second half until Barry Slevin scored an injury-time goal to leave Na Fianna in control, and they added a couple of late points to put the result beyond doubt.
"That was our biggest disappointment. To lose by six points was very hard to take. We had lots of possession, but converting it into scores was a real problem," Mark ruefully reflects.
Kilskyre's destiny was still in their own hands as they squared up to old rivals Gaeil Colmcille in their final group match at Athboy. But the impressive form which they had shown in the earlier rounds had sadly deserted them and they slumped to a 1-1 to 0-9 defeat.
Most of the scoring was done in the opening half as Gaeil Colmcille opened up a 0-7 to 1-1 lead with Thomas Shine hitting 0-5. Kilskyre couldn't shake off their lethargy after the break and their misery was completed when Derek Muldoon was forced to retire with a back injury and Tommy Fox was sent off.
While victory secured the Kells side's place in the semi-final, Kilskyre needed St. Patrick's to shock Wolfe Tones in their final group to keep their interests alive, but such failed to materalise.
Owens is confident that Kilskyre can bounce back next season, but stresses the importance of every player fully applying themselves.
"We blooded four or five young lads this year and a few useful hurlers from Kilmainham joined us as well. We have to lift it again and if everyone is prepared to put in the effort, I'm sure we'll get our just rewards."
The Super Valu butcher takes encouragement from the success of the Kilskyre-Moylagh underage amalgamation and singles Mickey Geraghty out for special praise for his achievement in guiding Ballinlough National School to a first ever Meath Primary Schools hurling title.
The Kilallon man, who is a brother of Kilskyre corner forward Donie and was a top hurler with Westmeath in the 1980s, led the Ballinlough youngsters to a historic victory over Mulhussey, which is a feeder school for the Kilmessan club, in the Division 4 final. Ballinlough triumphed by 2-6 to 2-1, having laid the foundations for their success in the early stages with goals from Ethan Kellett and Michael Geraghty.
"It was some achievement for Mickey when you consider that there is no real hurling tradition in Ballinlough. He's doing great work with the youngsters, as are so many others," Owens concludes.
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