into the unknown

Western Gaels selector Dermot Murray doubles up as proprietor of Ros Plant Hire. Speaking to Hogan Stand, he looks back on the Frenchpark outfit’s remarkable voyage into the unknown.

Not content with capturing the 2004 Roscommon intermediate football championship, Western Gaels followed up in stunning fashion by winning the Connacht intermediate club crown. It has been a sensational voyage into the unknown for a club that was playing junior football as recently as ten years ago and only won its first IFC in 1998.

As provincial champions, the Gaels will go into the 2005 season with a definite spring in their collective step as they endeavour to make an impression at senior level. On the evidence of what we’ve witnessed these past six months or so, they’re well capable of holding their own against the county’s elite.

Selector Dermot Murray is pleased with the way things have panned out of the club recently. "It’s going quite well," he accepts. "We’ve just been crowned Connacht champions and it’s all going in the right direction."

Of course, the Connacht intermediate club championship isn’t the most prestigious title in gaelic games. It’s a worthy addition to any clubhouse, nonetheless, especially considering the quality of opposition the Roscommon representatives saw off en route. "Any provincial championship is hard won and it’s a welcome bonus," Dermot says, taking up the thread. "This is the first time Western Gaels have gone forward and played outside the county and it was a great experience. To actually win Connacht out was a great experience and we’re thrilled with it. There’s a great buzz in the club at the moment and all the lads are going well."

Western Gaels clinched their place in the Connacht intermediate club final with a superb 1-9 to 1-7 defeat of Galway champions Dunmore McHales at Frenchpark on Saturday January 15. It was a magnificent victory bearing in mind that inspirational player-manager Donal Casserly was forced out of the fray with a bad knee injury just before the break and his midfield partner Adrian Dockery was sent off nine minutes after the restart. The Roscommon men prevailed thanks to a timely goal from Gerard Nolan and a flurry of late points courtesy of Ultan Mulleady, Seanie McDermott and Derek Moran.

Sligo side Calry/St Josephs provided the opposition in the final on Saturday January 29. Western Gaels led by 0-9 to 0-1 at the interval and were home and dry when Gerard Nolan goaled directly after half time. Despite easing up thereafter, the Frenchpark crew held a comfortable 1-10 to 0-7 advantage at the long whistle. They had conquered Connacht at the first attempt.

The Western Gaels management team comprises player-manager Donal Casserly, selectors Dermot Murray, Noel Creighton and Rory Duffy, and Michael Gilligan (medical back-up)

Considering how well they have fared in winning the county and provincial intermediate titles, their prospects for senior football in 2005 must be fairly good. Dermot is greatly encouraged: "It’s a real boost and you can see it in the players. They’re already looking forward to this year’s senior championship and there’s plenty of confidence in the team."

There hasn’t been much time for rest, with two seasons effectively segueing into one another. The All-Ireland intermediate club championship semi-final against Cork side Carbery Rangers was arranged for February 20 (with the rampant Rebel County outfit winning by 3-10 to 0-7 in Ennis), while the Gaels’ first domestic league game of the new season was pencilled in for the end of the same month.

With no break from competitive action, could burn-out become an issue? Or have allowances been made to safeguard against such a possibility? "We finished our competitive season in October and then did nothing until Christmas. We just held a couple of meetings and did a tiny bit of work before the game against Dunmore in mid-January. It sounds like a long year, but we didn’t overdo it. The lads are remarkably fit and they’re still very fresh.

"The Connacht club championship didn’t take an awful lot out of them. It’s a journey into the unknown and everybody’s thrilled about it. The novelty aspect carried us along and the whole experience has been very positive. At the start of the year our aim was to win the Roscommon intermediate championship - Connacht has been a bonus."

By all accounts, Western Gaels have come a long way in a short space of time. They won the county intermediate championship for the first time in 1998 and remained senior until 2000. In 2001, they contested another IFC final, before losing successive semi-finals. In 2004, they made no mistake, regaining senior status and going on to make their mark at provincial level. "It’s good to be back in the big time," Dermot quips.

He goes on to explain that Western Gaels have a particularly exciting crop of youngsters on their hands at present: "The club won its first ever minor ’A’ championship in 2002 and seven of those players were involved in the Connacht final on January 29. A lot of those lads were on the team that won the U12 championship in 1994 . Adrian Dockery who captained that U12 side is senior captain now. It all started eleven years ago at U12 level and those lads have all won medals at U14, U16 and minor level. They’ve come a long way in the past two years and they’re adding vital reserves of pace and energy to the first team."

Despite their recent successes, Western Gaels have no airs or graces about them. They realise there’s plenty of work to be done in the months ahead: "We were relegated to the intermediate league last year and one of our priorities has to be to get back playing O’Rourke Cup football again. Of course, we’ll also be aiming to retain our senior championship status," reveals Dermot.

Does the selector feel there could be a SFC on its way to the north west of the county? "Without doubt. Maybe not this year, but look out for us in 2006 or 2007..."

Away from the highs of gaelic football, Dermot Murray is proprietor of Ros Plant Hire, which he established 20 years ago. Ros Plant Hire specialises in a full range of machine rentals, from small excavators to concrete mixers, as well as drainage maintenance, site clearance and underground surveys. The catchment area includes all of Roscommon as well as parts of neighbouring counties Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo and Longford.