Having spent the previous five years in the senior ranks, Tubberclair were clear favourites to win last year's intermediate football championship, but a shock semi-final defeat to Maryland left team captain Francis Spollen and his colleagues reeling. After chalking up five straight victories in the group stage of last year's intermediate championship, Tubberclair seemed destined to make an instant return to the top flight, but a surprise semi-final loss to Maryland meant they would have to wait at least another 12 months before regaining their top-flight status. While the Celebrity Bainisteoir winners had shown impressive form in the other group and had the benefit of a tough quarter-final joust with Tang, few had expected them to beat a strong Tubberclair side that was eager to bounce back from their 2007 relegation heartbreak. But in what was a close and hard-fought contest at Pairc Chiarain, the favourites succumbed to substitute Damien Reynolds' late winning point. "While Maryland supporters mightn't necessarily agree, I still think we were caught on the hop," Tubberclair captain Francis 'Brolly' Spollen ruefully reflects. "A lot of people had made us favourites to win the championship on the basis of our senior experience, and everything seemed to be going according to plan when we won all five of our group matches. But when it came to the Maryland game, we failed to match their hunger and that proved the difference in the end." Spollen, who recently returned to the Westmeath senior fold and scored 1-1 in the O'Byrne Cup Shield victory over Wexford, admits that complacency may have crept into Tubberclair's game in the lead-up to the semi-final. "We hammered a near full-strength Castledaly in a challenge match shortly before the semi-final and in hindsight, that was probably the worst thing that could have happened to us. Had we lost that game, it might have helped to focus our minds. It set us up for the fall, and sadly that's what happened." The highly-rated corner forward scored the only goal as Tubberclair opened their championship campaign with a 1-11 to 0-11 victory over Ballynacargy, who had been flying high in Division 1 of the All-County League at the time. The Glasson men took advantage of Ballynacargy's wayward shooting in the first half to go into the break leading 1-5 to 0-4, with the goal coming from Spollen in the 20th minute. Ballynacargy restarted with three unanswered points and had taken the lead before Spollen, Paul O'Brien, Fergal Wilson and John Reid all found the target in the closing 10 minutes to give Tubberclair the win. Danny Sammon's charges had an easier time of it against local rivals Tang who they overcame by 1-14 to 1-8 in their second outing. The first half was close with Tubberclair leading 0-5 to 0-4 at half-time. Tang were level within two minutes of the restart, but then Tubberclair showed their superiority and experience by firing over three points in the space of four minutes per Michael 'Junior' Hopkins, Fergal Wilson and Niall Walker. Points from Paul Conway and Niall Bannon kept Tang in touch before Wilson and Jeffrey Farrell replied for the winners. Tang were thrown a lifeline in the 59th minute when Conway netted, but two minutes later, Farrell raised a green flag at the other end to put the result beyond doubt. The green and golds edged out Milltownpass 1-7 to 1-6 at Cusack Park to secure their third successive victory. Thomas Doogan was the hero for Tubberclair after he scored the winning point three minutes from the end. An early Jeffrey Farrell goal gave the South Westmeath club a dream start, but Milltownpass replied with their own goal in the 17th minute from corner back Seamus Faulker to tie the scores at 1-2 each. After that, the most that separated the teams at any stage was a solitary point. Indeed, the teams were level on four more occasions before midfielder Doogan took a pass from Spollen before lofting over the match-winning score. Tubberclair recorded their biggest win of the campaign when they walloped Shandonagh 2-20 to 2-6 at Tang. Such a scoreline could not have been predicted at half-time when Danny Sammon's men trailed by two points, but they took complete control in the second half to outscore their opponents 2-13 to 1-0 and in the process, book their place in the semi-finals. Tubberclair trailed 0-7 to 1-6 at the interval, and were lucky not to be further in arrears after Shandonagh had missed a penalty. However, there was only one team in it in the second half as the green and golds pulled clear for an emphatic victory. Three points each from Paul O'Brien and Spollen in the first 10 minutes saw them overtake the beaten 2007 finalists, and when 'Brolly' netted with 10 minutes remaining, the game was over as a contest. Rising star Ian Coffey, who was sprung from the bench along with county man Fergal Wilson, scored a cracking second goal before Shandonagh got a late consolation goal of their own. Despite having little to play for, Tubberclair still proved too strong for Rosemount in their final group match under the St. Loman's floodlights. With the threat of relegation hanging over them, Rosemount looked lively in the opening half and led 0-7 to 0-3 after 28 minutes. Jeffrey Farrell reduced the deficit to three points at the interval, and by the halfway stage of the second half, the sides were level on 0-7 apiece. With the game in the melting point, Tubberclair seized the initiative when first David Cassells gave them the lead, and then Spollen capitalised on a rare mistake by All-Star John Keane to score the only goal with four minutes remaining. Rosemount, who had gone 28 minutes without scoring, managed three points after that, but Tubberclair held on for a 1-8 to 0-10 victory. A large crowd braved the wet weather to attend Tubberclair's semi-final showdown with local rivals Maryland in Athlone. Tubberclair got off to a dream start when Paul O'Brien blasted to the net in the fifth minute following great work by Spollen. But a similar score by Tom Browne after 20 minutes saw Maryland trail by the minimum at half-time, 1-2 to 1-3. With young Callum McCormack making his presence felt at full forward, Maryland had taken a one-point lead within four minutes of the restart. But Tubberclair had regained parity through Jerry Farrell before Damien Reynolds' crucial stoppage-time strike gave the Drumraney side a dramatic 1-7 to 1-6 victory. Arguably the highlight of Tubberclair's year was Gary Connaughton's selection on the All-Stars football team. It was a case of third-time lucky for the brilliant Westmeath goalkeeper, who had been overlooked for awards in 2004 and 2006. "It was great for the club to see Gary win an All-Star," Spollen says. "It was long overdue when you consider that this was his third time to be nominated. Gary's a total professional when it comes to football and everyone in Tubberclair is very proud of him." Spollen is confident that Tubberclair can make amends for last year's disappointment in 2009, though he stresses that they will be taking a different approach this year. "After what happened last year, none of us will be looking past the first round. We'll be taking each game as it comes. We have a new manager in Tom Lennon from St. Brigid's in Kiltoom. Danny Sammon, along with his selectors Malachy Buckley and Gerry Walker, stepped down at the end of last year and maybe a new voice in the dressing-room is just what we need." He adds: "I have no doubt in my mind that we are capable of winning the intermediate championship and getting back up to senior. We were a young team when we last won the championship in 2002, and most of those lads are still there. And with talented youngsters like Ian Coffey, Aenghus Hannah, Mark Fitzgibbon, Daniel Sammon and the two Lawless', Simon and Stephen, coming through, we are confident of giving a good account of ourselves." The Tubberclair team which faced Maryland in the IFC semi-final was: Gary Connaughton; Mike Healion, Robbie Buckley, David O'Brien; Niall Walker, Jimmy Martin, Bernard 'Beano' Cassells; Thomas Doogan, Jeffrey Farrell (0-2); Rory Walsh, John Reid, Conor Elliott; Paul O'Brien (0-1), Fergal Wilson (0-3), Francis Spollen (0-1). Subs used: David Cassells, Liam Doogan and Daniel Sammon. Tweet

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