There's no substitute for class and experience and Mike Cole used both in abundance during the 2007 Senior Hurling Championship as he did everything in his power to guide Rathmolyon to a second successive Jubilee Cup and a fourth in 15 years. Since he shot onto the scene in the early years of the 1990s Cole has been one of the most outstanding hurlers in the county and this year Rathmolyon entrusted him with the dual roles of player and manager. They didn't succeed in retaining their crown, but they did reach the semi-finals where they were blown away by Kilmessan in the first half and were eliminated despite a spirited recovery in the third quarter. The autumn of 1993 seems a long time ago now, but that sliotar sailing towards the posts is still vivid in the memory. Young Cole faced up to a difficult free two minutes into injury time in the SHC final against Wolfe Tones at Trim and, as if going through the motions in a training session, he proved deadly accurate and earned Rathmolyon a minimum margin (2-14 to 4-7) victory. It was their first senior title. Cole contributed nine points that day and won the 'man of the match' award and to make it an extra special year for the youngster he lined up with the likes of Paddy Kelly, Pat Potterton, John Andrews, Paul Donnelly and his clubmates John Gorry and Martin Smith as Meath won an overdue All-Ireland 'B' title with a three-point victory over London in the final at Ruislip. Three years later Rathmolyon regained the senior crown and last year Cole captained the team that won the Jubilee Cup for the third time. He played his part by taking another late free, but this time he was the provider as brother Gary got the vital touch for the goal that shattered Dunboyne and gave the Village a sensational success. Mike Cole clearly doesn't believe in doing things in small measures because he was also manager of the Na Fianna team that won the Intermediate Championship last year and joined the big guns like Rathmolyon in the senior ranks. James Heffernan coached Rathmolyon to the SHC win last year, but after he decided not to remain in the position Cole took over for the 2007 campaign. Among the teams in group A with Rathmolyon was the side they defeated in such amazing circumstances last autumn, Dunboyne, and the section also included Trim, Navan O'Mahonys, Na Fianna and Kiltale. Rathmolyon made the desired winning start to the championship, but only just, when they met a well touted O'Mahonys' team at Boardsmill where it finished 2-9 to 2-8. The town side led practically all the way, including by 2-3 to 0-4 at the interval, but they were eventually to pay a very heavy price for their 13 wides. Their advantage stretched to six points at the start of the second period, but Rathmolyon battled back and well-taken points from Mike Cole, John Farrell, Thomas Cosgrave and Gary Cole helped them to close the gap. However, it was a brace of goals from Kevin Fagan that really made the difference, the first of them at the three-quarter stage. O'Mahonys were ahead by the minimum two minutes into injury time and praying for the final whistle, but it was then that Fagan scored his second goal. Ciaran Dunphy replied with a late point for the Navan men, but it was Rathmolyon who held out for the win. Approaching on the horizon in the second round were revenge-seeking Dunboyne - and they did exact retribution at Ratoath where they won by all of 14 points (2-14 to 0-6). Neil Hackett was the star of the show for the St. Peter's men with 1-8 and they were well on their way to victory when ahead by 1-7 to 0-3 at the interval. Rathmolyon's qualification quest took a further blow next time out when Trim beat them by 0-13 to 1-8 at Longwood. Ten first half wides proved disastrous for the champions who still managed to lead by 0-6 to 0-3 at the interval. The sides were level (0-7 apiece) at the three-quarter stage, but Trim proved more accurate subsequently as they pushed ahead by 0-10 to 0-8. The match looked to have swung in Rathmolyon's direction when Mike Cole scored a spectacular goal to put them a point in front, but aided by the accuracy of substitute Joey Toole Trim finished strongest to be two ahead at the final whistle. That second successive loss really put the pressure on Rathmolyon as they faced into a fourth round tie against a Kiltale team that also had qualification and title ambitions. That game took place at Kilmessan and the Village got the win they needed so badly when scoring by 3-11 to 2-8, thanks to an impressive performance. They looked very hungry in the early stages and two goals from John Farrell helped them to lead by 2-3 to 0-1 after only 12 minutes and by 2-6 to 0-2 after 22 minutes. But Kiltale were by no means out of it and Rathmolyon goalkeeper Stephen Ennis came to his side's rescue with a fabulous save, before John Donoghue scored an injury time goal which made it 2-6 to 1-4 at the interval. The Rathmolyon lead was down to 2-6 to 1-6 early in the second half, but they responded to the threat by pushing six points clear as Mike Cole provided an enormous amount of inspiration. A superb Tommy Lynch goal put the issue beyond doubt and Brian Gilsenan's injury time goal for Kiltale came too late to matter. Mike Cole was again in brilliant form at Dunsany when Rathmolyon booked their quarter-final ticket with an impressive 3-16 to 1-6 win over Na Fianna, the club he had guided to intermediate honours last year. He contributed 11 points and Farrell again scored two goals, with Tommy Walsh getting the other. The winners led by 1-10 to 1-2 at the break. The score line might not suggest it, but Rathmolyon were very comfortable winners over Killyon in the quarter-final at Pairc Tailteann where they triumphed by 2-16 to 3-7. This time Mike Cole notched 1-8, all of it in the opening period, and the champions held a commanding 1-12 to 1-2 lead at half-time. They endured a 16-minute scoreless spell in the second period, but the issue was never in any doubt. Substitute Sean Dalton scored a messy second goal and when Killyon replied with a couple of goals in the latter stages they were of no significance. As Rathmolyon prepared for the semi-final against a very much in form Kilmessan team, again at Pairc Tailteann, player/manager Cole and selectors John Ennis and Paraic Gantley must have been hopeful of a favourable outcome and another place in the final. However, they could never have imagined how a brilliant Kilmessan side would play them off the Navan pitch in the first half. Cole gave Rathmolyon an early lead from a '65', but their only other first half score was a mighty point from Aaron Fagan as Kilmessan played with a poise and confidence that was very impressive and moved into a 13-point (1-12 to 0-2) lead at the change of ends. There appeared to be no possible way back for Rathmolyon, even with the wind, but when Nicky Horan was sent off at the start of the second period and Cole fired over two wonderful points from play and a free and then got a third, they sensed that a comeback might just be possible after all. When Kevin Fagan found the net and then brought a superb save out of Kilmessan goalkeeper Mark Brennan they knew they were in with a chance. Another '65' from Cole cut the deficit to six points and at that stage they were surely telling themselves that such a lead is small in hurling. They needed to keep scoring and prevent Kilmessan from doing so, but the opposite happened as Kilmessan notched the next two points to steady a ship that appeared to be rocking. Those scores broke Rathmolyon's momentum, though they did hit back when Cole blasted a free to the net eight minutes from the end of normal time to leave them behind by 2-6 to 1-14. Kilmessan are a very good side and they closed the door firmly on Rathmolyon's ambitions of a second successive title by reeling off the final three points to be ahead by 1-17 to 2-6 at the end. The Rathmolyon team in the semi-final was - S. Ennis; D. Farrell, G. Whelan, J. Gantley; M. Lynch, T. Walsh, N. Cole; A. Fagan (0-1), E. Regan; M. Cole (1-5), T. Cosgrave, T. Lynch; J. Farrell, G. Cole, K. Fagan (1-0). Sub - S. Dalton for T. Lynch. FINAL DISAPPOINTMENT There was disappointment for Rathmolyon's second string when they reached the Div. 2 HC final, but were beaten by a Boardsmill team that included Hurling Committee chairman TJ Reilly in goals. Rathmolyon reached the decider thanks to a late goal from Noel Fagan which enabled them to defeat Kildalkey by 3-5 to 1-10 in a semi-final at Longwood, but Boardsmill deservedly beat them by 1-11 to 1-3 in the final at Kildalkey. This was a very entertaining contest and Boardsmill led by 0-9 to 0-3 at the interval after Daniel Whelan had scored the three Rathmolyon points, two of them from frees. When John Nolan added a goal for the 'Mill it looked to be all over bar the shouting, but Fagan replied with a goal for the Village. However, Rathmolyon failed to score again and even the introduction of former county player Martin Smith in the second half couldn't alter the course of the match. The Rathmolyon team in the final was - J. Whelan; T. Perle, J. Ennis, F. Gunning; S. Husband, J. Farrell, J. Regan; E. Doran, P. O'Brien; A. Cunningham, S. Lynch, P. Clancy; N. Fagan (1-0), N. Healy, D. Whelan (0-3). Subs - M. Healy for Husband, M. Smith for Clancy, R. O'Brien for Regan, Husband for Cunningham Tweet

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