A new challenge awaits
November 30, 2006
Slane escaped the drop after a big scare in 2005, but there was no way out a year later as Na Fianna beat them in the Intermediate Football Championship relegation play-off at Dunsany in mid-October to send them crashing out of the middle grade and down to the junior ranks.
Since Slane won the Junior Championship in 1952 they had never slipped below the intermediate grade. Of course, they won the intermediate title in the GAA's Centenary Year back in 1984 (having previously annexed it in 1929 and 1968) and made a good impression for a number of years in the top flight, so this demotion certainly represents a massive change in fortune and a huge disappointment to all involved with the club.
They endured a tough time in the group stages of the Intermediate Championship last year when they found themselves in the do or die relegation battle, but they got the better of Drumree when the pressure was really on and there can be no doubt that they promised themselves after that major scare that it would never happen again.
But it did and after clinging onto the slippery slope in 2005 they fell off the edge this year, meaning that 54 years spent playing their football in the intermediate or senior ranks came to an end. Now it's a case of halting the slide and working hard in an effort to start climbing back up through the grades again.
Slane went for a big name to manage their intermediate team in 2006. David Beggy won two All-Ireland medals with Meath and acted as a county selector under Sean Boylan, but even a man with that sort of experience couldn't do the trick as they endured a very difficult championship campaign and suffered the dreaded drop at the end of it.
Group B of the IFC looked quite demanding as it also included Nobber, Oldcastle, Rathkenny, who were to win the title, Ratoath, Syddan, St. Colmcille's and St. Michael's. Looking at Slane's results in the section it's interesting to note that they could draw with two of the strongest teams in the grade - Nobber and Oldcastle - but lost all their other matches. That doesn't appear to make a lot of sense.
The first loss came in the opening round when the previous year's beaten finalists Syddan got the better of them by 1-14 to 1-6 at Rathkenny on a day when Slane made the ideal start as ace attacker Declan Kearns found the net after only four minutes. But it was all Syddan after that and they led by 1-6 to 1-2 at the interval en route to a comfortable win.
When St. Colmcille's beat Slane by 0-12 to 0-7 in the second round at Donore the danger was certainly there that Slane might just fall into another battle for survival. It was an improved performance, but the seasiders still led by 0-7 to 0-3 at half-time on the way to a comfortable success. Slane didn't have a lot of luck in that match as Kearns hit the crossbar with a powerful shot and David Gough was denied a goal by a brilliant block.
When Slane lost their third successive match of the group stages, going under to St. Michael's by 1-13 to 3-10 at Rathkenny, the alarm bells were starting to ring. Kearns contributed 1-8 and things were looking quite good when they led by 1-9 to 1-6 at the interval, but Michael's hit them with two late goals (one from a penalty) to win.
If the alarm bells were ringing after that game, they must have been deafening following a fourth round loss to Ratoath who won by nine points (2-10 to 0-7) at Skryne. Slane were weakened considerably by the absence of Kearns due to a groin injury and Mattie Kerrigan's team led by 0-7 to 0-4 at the change of ends, before a brace of goals from Robbie Madden put them firmly on the road to victory.
Keith Harding took over the free-taking duties in Kearns' absence and scored five, while he also had a late penalty well saved by Ratoath goalkeeper Michael Fogarty who also did well to deny Colm Wogan in the first half.
Slane really needed to get something from their fifth round outing against Colm Coyle's Nobber at Rathkenny and they did in the shape of a draw - Nobber's fourth in five championship games. Indeed, Slane almost pulled off a shock win against the previous year's semi-finalists who required a point from Brian Farrell deep into injury time to earn a share of the spoils (1-12 to Slane's 2-9).
Another draw against one of the strongest sides in intermediate football followed at Kilberry as Slane and Oldcastle finished all square on 1-8 apiece, but it was back to losing ways against neighbours and champions to be Rathkenny in the last of the group assignments at Seneschalstown.
Rathkenny were improving dramatically as the championship went on and they secured their quarter-final ticket with a runaway 0-16 to 0-6 victory which condemned Slane to the relegation play-off.
The first half was close, but Rathkenny finished it best to lead by 0-6 to 0-3 at the interval. The advantage stretched to six points towards the end of the third quarter, but Slane hit back with a couple of points, before Rathkenny took command again and pulled away to win by 10 points.
How the fortunes of those two neighbouring clubs were to vary a few weeks later. On the day after Slane dropped down to the junior ranks, Rathkenny achieved their dream of playing senior football when they beat Drumconrath in the Intermediate Championship final.
Na Fianna made the early running in the relegation play-off and build up a two-point lead, but Kearns slotted home a penalty to edge Slane in front. However, the Baconstown/Enfield combination hit back with two goals from Declan Brennan to move into a 2-4 to 1-4 interval advantage and with Jamie Queeney adding a third they pushed into a big lead. Slane, for whom Kearns top-scored with 1-6, tried to rally, but there was no way back.
"Certainly, it was hugely disappointing," said club secretary Jim Mullery. "We set out at the start of the year with reasonable expectations and a goal of reaching the knockout stages. We felt we had the ability to at least achieve that.
"We thought we had been a bit unlucky in the previous couple of years and hoped that bringing in David Beggy would give us the added ingredient we required. Syddan beat us comprehensively in our first championship game, but we drew with Nobber and Oldcastle and felt we were unlucky to lose to St. Michael's.
"It was that kind of year. We should have won games that we didn't. It's difficult to sum it up. Disappointing would be an understatement.
"The bottom line is that we have to bounce back. It's 54 years since we were back in the junior ranks before. We just have to move forward and go into next year's championship with determination.
"We have tried to improve our club structures over the last number of years. We have teams coming through at under-12 and under-14 levels. We realised we had to start at the beginning and go forward. I am cnfident we have the commitment from the players and behind the scenes to go forward."
LARRY KEARNS CUP
The Slane club honoured the memory of one of the great servants of Slane and Meath football when they staged a challenge match on the May Bank Holiday Monday between Meath and Monaghan for the Larry Kearns Memorial Cup.
It was a very significant game because it came so close to the start of the championship for both counties - Meath against Louth and Monaghan against Armagh - and the Ulster county won by 2-13 to 1-12.
Monaghan thus became the first winners of the Larry Kearns Memorial Cup which was then handed over to Meath County Board to be presented each year to the winners of the Junior B Championship. Accordingly, St. Brigid's captain Donal Fanning was the recipient this year following the final win over Clonard.
It was a fitting tribute to the late Larry Kearns who gave numerous years of loyal service to the association. He was a key figure in the club's development for many years, on and off the pitch, working with under-age and adult teams.
He had a lengthy playing career and won an SFC medal with Seneschalstown in 1972, having helped Slane to win the IFC in 1968. He was part of the Meath panel that won the Leinster SFC in 1966 and went on to lose the All-Ireland final to Galway.
The staging of the Larry Kearns Memorial Cup was just one event in a week-long series of activities aimed at heightening the club's profile in the vastly expanding Slane community. Other events were table quizzes for both under-age and senior clubs, a fundraising night, a club social and a special questions and answers night.
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