While the men's football team may not have delivered on their potential, there were enough encouraging signs within the St. Colmcille's club to prove that the east-Meath outfit is certainly moving in the right direction. St Colmcille's had high hopes for this year for their adult teams with a junior final and an intermediate semi-final appearance in 2005, hopes were high that a trophy could be brought back in 2006. Unfortunately this did not materialise with a Feis Cup semi-final appearance being the highlight of the season. Both the intermediate and junior teams were installed as likely favourites for both championships at the start of the year and with the intermediate team going unbeaten in the championship for the first six games, a quarter final berth was secured well before the last game had to be played. With the promotion of Ciaran Kelly to the adult grade a new free taker and point scorer had been found, with Ciaran finishing in third place in the overall top scorers for the championship. Under the direction of Brendan Beaky and Declan Smyth the intermediate team went into the quarter-final with high hopes after their only defeat in the qualifying rounds came at the hands of Rathkenny. Although there were injuries to Mark Whearty, Shane Black and Brian Kelly, the Seasiders had enough cover in the areas to be confident of going a step further this year. In a tightly contested quarter-final missed chances were to be their downfall but when the Cilles put there noses in front 15 minutes into the second half it looked if they would have enough power to push ahead. However, this was not to be the case as a strong Drumconrath rallied to level the game and in the end they ended up nipping ahead to gain the victory. With a lot of the players of the current squad in there late twenties and early 30s it looks as there might only be a year or two left in the current squad until a transition period will arise. But with high hopes of upcoming youth talent like Graham Reilly, Eoin Woods, Jonathon Tuffy along with Ciaran Kelly and some of the now mature players of Eoin Sarsfield, Damien Beaky and Paul Collier, hope still abounds. Young stars put the 'Cilles back in the national spotlight St Colmcille's are renowned for the production of talented young footballers and for many years now they have had annual representatives on every Meath team from U14 to Junior. The Cilles were known throughout the country back in the 1980s and 1990s as a certain duo, Messrs O'Malley and Flynn grabbed headlines and titles galore. However, two of the club's most talented youngsters wrote headlines of their own in 2006, and in doing so served notice to the multiple All-Stars and All-Ireland winners that the club has two new heroes to inspire GAA followers on the beautiful Meath coastline. Whilst East Meath has produced some the very best of young footballers in Meath in recent times, the region is slowly but surely making major strides in hurling circles. Although St Patrick's shone in 2004 and 2005 with back to back championship successes, it was St Colmcille's Michael Hennessy who led the way in 2006 captaining Meath to All-Ireland U14 glory in the Tony Forristal Tournament in Waterford, having already come second in the Feile na nOg hurling skills competition in June. Michael's success demonstrates the importance of East Meath to hurling's development. Michael is a truly talented sportsman. As well as his hurling exploits in 2006, he also played football with the Meath U14 team in 2006, helped the Cilles to a deserved U14 Summer League success and captained Boyne Rugby club to the James Nugent Cup. He was born in Swaziland coming to Ireland in November 1999 and having played cricket and rugby in South Africa, he commenced his GAA career the following spring. His Cork-born father John is the driving force behind hurling in St Colmcille's and with no offence to Munster people, the rugby talent is attributed to his South African mother, Claire. Given the embryonic state of hurling in East Meath, it was a major achievement for Michael to make the Meath U12 development squad two years ago. However that breakthrough was critical to his progression as the development squads have proved invaluable to the young man providing an outlet for regular hurling at a high standard. Michael has been nurtured under the watchful eye of former Kilkenny minor Mick O'Neill, who has proved a significant influence in Michael and other Cilles hurlers' careers. But back to that magnificent All-Ireland success. The Tony Forristal tournament is a truly wonderful tournament and is the brainchild of Waterford Crystal GAA club. The tournament was founded in 1982 in memory of Tony Forristal who was a very significant influence on the club. The tournament is held annually and has featured some of the very best hurlers and teams of this generation, players like DJ Carey, Jamsie O'Connor, Henry Shefflin etc have all made names for themselves in this competition. Meath were placed in Division 3 this year and pitted against Kerry, Longford and Wicklow. The final was played in the famous Walsh Park and what a tremendous occasion that proved to be as the attractive venue was packed to capacity and the colour, noise and organisation of the entire event rivalled that of an All-Ireland final. It was a very proud moment for everyone in the Laytown, Bettystown. Mornington and Donacarney areas as Michael captained the young Royals to victory in the final over Wicklow. The victory was made even sweeter as Meath had lost the 2004 and 2005 finals. As if captaining your county to All Ireland success wasn't big enough, the young Hennessy also came second in the Feile na nOg skills competition in Cork in June (Christy Ring counties). He represented Meath in series of skills tests including ground striking at speed, soling through an obstacle course, side line cuts, free taking and Long Puck. On that occasion Michael was presented with his trophy by GAA President, Nicky Brennan It was no secret to anyone in Meath that Graham Reilly would be a major influence on the Meath minor football team of 2006. The young man who counts Graham Geraghty and Roy Keane as his heroes did not disappoint and delivered in style, being one of the most important members of a squad that restored pride with a deserved Leinster title success. For years now Graham has been known as one of the most talented young footballers around. "Biggy" sprung to prominence around 1998/1999, attending the Sunday Morning Coaching sessions, graduating to the Cilles U10 team around that time. His talent was immediately obvious to all and under the watchful eye of his coaches his talent was nurtured and developed carefully. Anyone who watches the rising star train will see the steely determination to win. He often trains on his own when his team mates are hitting the showers, running lap after lap to stay ahead of the posse. That will to win has winner written all over it and he always advises young players to train harder than everyone else and to listen to their coaches. He won an U12 Division 2 title in 2000 and was also part of the team beaten in the U12 Reserve League final that year. He went on to build on that success, captaining the Cilles to an historic first U12 Division 1 title in 2001 on his twelfth birthday. The honours have continued to mount for Graham and he also holds U14, 15 and 16 Division 1 medals. The only medal missing from the set is the U13 medal. However he came within a whisker of that one too as the Cilles lost out in the final to Dunboyne on a "dog of the day" by the narrowest of margins. Although relations between the Cilles and Dunboyne are very strong, it was with some envy and a hint of "what if" that Graham and his colleagues watched their good friends go on to win the Feile Peil na nOg in Galway in 2003. Reilly had been part of the U14 and U16 development squads and like Hennessy also found these invaluable in his development. However in 2006 he came to prominence during the Leinster League in the unaccustomed wing back position, starring as Meath went on to win the league title. To everyone at St Colmcille's he was a midfielder or a forward - not a back and it was some quizzical expressions that this development was viewed. However Dudley and the two Seans knew best and prompting many seasoned observers at the title winning Dublin match to note that he read and anticipated the game just like a young O'Malley. Quite the complement! Come the Summer the minor management team had moved Graham to the more familiar half forward line, a crucial part of the modern game and the St Mary's Drogheda student did not disappoint there either, playing his heart out in that oh so crucial first round win over Kildare. He was one of the few players to come away with reputation relatively unscathed in the Leinster semi-final v Laois but absolutely set Croke Park alight in the Leinster Final. He burned up the sod on a hot day and his performance was one that Flynn would have been proud off as he scored five points and created endless others. In doing so he claimed the Man of the Match award on the day and left the large St Colmcille's crowd at Croke Park bursting with pride. How fitting that 11 years after Meath's infamous Leinster final defeat to Dublin which brought O'Malley's career to an end that a St Colmcille's legend in waiting laid down a marker in front of the Sky Blue hordes that Meath were back. "Biggy" is still underage for the county minors in 2007 where it looks like he will be joined by at least three other Cilles. Most people did not expect the Leinster success in 2006, thinking that 2007 offered the greater opportunity. Wouldn't it be great if we could put back to back titles together? Who is to say that the young lad from Bettystown who also captained the Meath U14s in 2003 won't be taking a leaf from Hennessy's book and lead Meath to an All-Ireland title. As the population of East Meath continues to soar, the region desperately needs heroes and role models like Hennessy and Reilly to cling to. Their successes set the bar and become the target for new generation of youngsters and are invaluable in bringing more and more players into our games. Just like O'Malley and Flynn before them, these two young men are showing the way. Hopefully for all concerned with St Colmcille's many more will follow and the Cilles will take their rightful place at the top table of Meath GAA Cilles make history and mark the club's 35th anniversary in style St Colmcille's girls made history in 2006. In the club's 35th birthday year, the club won its first ladies championship title and hopes are high that this fine bunch of players will progress to senior level in the near future and follow the example set by their inspirational neigbours, Seneschalstown. Team manager, Tom O'Hostin believes that that the fine year for the East Meath Girls was the culmination of three years dedicated learning and training by a very fine panel of players. He highlighted that rain, hail or shine the girls keenly turned out in numbers every Tuesday night to rigorously go through drills to improve their skills. He points out that in training they were prepared to endure the pain for sharpness and skill accumulation and despite the fatigue they contested every last ball in the mini matches which brought each session to a close. A fine Gaelic football and soccer coach, Tom who was also part of the successful U10 boy's backroom team notes that season by season the improvement in each girl's game was manifestly evident. Over the three years the girls went from suffering defeats with scorelines they'd rather not talk about to being a determined, skilful and confident bunch with the self belief to take on all. Their progression and development is an example to all that with the proper dedication to the task in hand then anything is possible. This season the 'never say die' spirit in the side saw the girls notch up victories over St Ultan's, Moylagh, Moynalvey and the famous Seneschalstown club before going on to top the Div. 2 table having only lost one match. The prospect of playing Simonstown in Simonstown in the semi-final was a daunting one indeed. However the Cilles rose to the task with a magnificent team performance to run out rightful victors on the night. The primary school principal highlights the particular contributions of Gráinne Rice, Danielle Sweeney and Eilbhe Stanley in that game as an outstanding defensive performance laid the foundations for the win. Dearbháil Ní Oistín gave her customary whole hearted performance in the middle of the park while the Murphy twins slotted over some great points and caused untold problems for the home defence. The penultimate hurdle crossed with aplomb the girls knew they just had to continue doing the simple things well to write their names into the annals of Cilles history. With the correct attitude, little fuss and a real hunger for success the girls approached the final in a truly professional manner. Gael Colmcille's proved tough opponents in the final in the excellently appointed Skryne venue but the Cilles's inspirational captain Aoife Walsh kept her team focused and led by example from midfield. A vital goal deftly slotted home by Aoife Murtagh just on half time lifted the Cilles and although slightly behind at the interval, the squad and mentors stuck by their game plan knowing that it would come right in the end... Sadhbh Collins began to get the better of the exchanges in a ding dong tussle on the left side of midfield and this turned the game in Cilles favour. However, before the final reckoning two further penalties (three in all on the day) were awarded to Gael Colmcille. At this point Denise Burtenshaw and Sheena Carroll came into their own to seal a deserved victory for the mighty Cilles and kicked off wild scenes of delirium as a first championship title headed east. This first for St. Colmcille's ladies would not have been possible without the untold work carried out behind the scenes by first class mentors such as Declan McArdle and Paula O'Brien who are some of the hardest workers around. As the club's executive pointed out afterwards, the strength in any club can be measured by its ladies. With a specially designated ladies dressing room and showers being constructed in Piltown, the future looks bright for the sky blues and Division 1 beckons. In the meantime everyone in St Colmcille's can reflect on a successful 35th anniversary that also saw the U14 boys win the Summer Shield. Tweet

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