In what was a hugely disappointing year for their senior team, St. Loman's once again looked to their underage teams to provide solace. And they didn't disappoint, with the under 21s, minors and under 14s all picking up silverware.

After the excitement which surrounded their first senior championship final appearance in 41 years in 2009, St. Loman's were brought crashing back down to earth with a bang last year.
Tipped by some to bring the Flanagan Cup back to Lakepoint Park, the Mullingar outfit failed abysmally to live up to expectations. Indeed, the threat of relegation had hung over them until they secured their only win of the campaign in a do-or-die final round clash against Coralstown/Kinnegad. They couldn't avoid relegation in the league, however, and will be plying their trade in Division 2 this year.
Thankfully, Loman's supporters were able to console themselves with another successful year at underage level which yielded a second under 21 championship in three years as well as minor club championship and under 14 Division 2 honours.
"We've had a lot of underage success over the years and 2010 was up there with the best of them," under 21 and minor team mentor Donal 'Dossie' Kilmurray proudly states.
"Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for our seniors who had a year to forget. Expectations were very high for them after the progress they made in 2009, but they just seemed to get stuck in a rut and only won two games all year.
"Hopefully, they'll be able to put last year behind them and get back to winning ways. They have the experience of playing in a county final in 2009 and, with plenty of young talent in the club, there is no reason why they can't bounce back."
Under the management of Wally Burke, St. Loman's never really recovered from a surprise 0-9 to 3-3 first round championship loss to Athlone. Further defeats to Maryland (0-16 to 3-9) and Killucan (0-9 to 1-9) followed before they put their first point on the board after drawing 1-9 to 2-6 with Tubberclair. It all came down to the final round against Coralstown/Kinnegad - a game which would decide who faced St. Malachy's in a relegation playoff.
No one could have predicted the clubs would end up in a relegation dogfight after contesting the semi-final (which Loman's won after a replay) 12 months previously. But such was their form in 2010 that they could have few complaints about finding themselves in such a precarious position.
Having beaten Athlone, Coralstown/Kinnegad only needed a draw to preserve their senior status and they were looking good when establishing a 0-3 to 0-1 lead early on. But needing to win, St. Loman's then hit a purple patch which saw them score three points in four minutes to take the lead. Coralstown/Kinnegad's Alan Giles completed the first half scoring the leave the sides level on 0-4 apiece at the break.
St. Loman's started the second half in determined fashion and opened up a 0-7 to 0-4 lead thanks to points from Conor Lynam, Jonathan Plunkett and Shane Flynn. With Lynam, John Heslin, Paul Sharry and substitute Conradh Reilly inspiring the side, Loman's added three more points to go six clear, 0-10 to 0-4, after 48 minutes.
Coralstown/Kinnegad refused to throw in the towel, however, and closed the gap to three points, 0-8 to 0-11, with time almost up.
As they pressed for an equalising goal, Conradh Reilly caught and cleared the danger, and the final whistle sounded moments later to the relief of the St. Loman's players and supporters.
By contrast, St. Loman's had plenty to shout about at underage level. The year's highlight was provided in late November when a youthful under 21 side defeated the defending champions Mullingar Shamrocks by 2-12 to 2-6 to win their second title in the grade in three years and their third in all. Loman's had earlier hammered Garrycastle by 3-21 to 1-2 in the semi-finals.
Despite the freezing conditions which prevailed at The Downs, the final was a lively contest between the neighbouring clubs with Loman's never headed after Ben Kilmurray netted on the stroke of half-time. That goal saw the Blues take a two-point lead, 1-5 to 1-3, going into the break, and the same margin divided the teams until the challengers pulled away for a six-point victory in the closing eight minutes.
A 14th minute Oscar Ó Súilleabháin goal handed Shamrocks the early initiative, but Loman's had drawn level by the 22nd minute thanks to two points from Conor Cochrane and another from Conor Lynam. Dean Moore restored the holders' lead before Kilmurray's goal gave Loman's a lead they would never relinquish.
John Heslin extended the winners' advantage on the restart and they looked set for victory when Kelvin Reilly added their second goal in the 37th minute. But Shamrocks rallied with points from Lorcan Smyth and Darragh Daly before Adam Corroon's 51st minute goal cut the margin to just two points, 2-6 to 2-8.
However, St. Loman's steadied themselves and scored for unanswered points in the closing eight minutes per Conor Lynam (two), captain Paul Sharry and David Whelan to seal victory.
"It was great to win the under 21 because we feel it is an important stepping stone to senior football," says Donal, who was joined on the under 21 management team by his brother Ciaran, new senior manager Kenny McKinley, Robbie Cleary and Joe Carroll.
"I can't understand why it's treated so shabbily by the county board and why a lot of clubs don't enter it, but that's for another day. We had nine minors starting and 13 of the team will be eligible for the grade again this year, with Conor Cochrane and Paul Sharry the only ones who are overage. It all bodes well for the future."
St. Loman's had high hopes of winning the minor championship as well and qualified for the final on the back of victories over Shannon Gaels (after being 12 points down), Mullingar Shamrocks and the holders Clann Braonain in the semi-final. But disappointment followed when they suffered a surprise loss to Ennell Shamrocks in the decider at Cusack Park.
The signs looked good for the charges of Declan Cox, Eamon Clinton, Donal and Ciaran Kilmurray when they led by 0-7 to 0-5 at half-time after playing against a stiff breeze in the opening half, but the amalgamation side came back strongly after the resumption and snatched a 1-9 to 1-8 victory thanks to Paul Fennell's late goal.
All was not lost, however, as St. Loman's still had the minor club championship to look forward to. Bouncing back from the Ennell Shamrocks defeat, they easily accounted for Rosemount before overcoming Coralstown/Kinnegad by 3-6 to 0-7 in the final under the Lakepoint Park lights.
The visitors led by 0-4 to 0-2 at the interval, but wing forward Ben Kilmurray took centre stage in the second half when he scored a hat-trick of goals to ensure a comfortable win for the Mullingar side.
"Winning the club championship was some consolation for our defeat in the county final," Donal remembers.
"I have been involved with this group along with Eamon Clinton and Declan Cox since they were under 8s and it was only their second ever defeat. They lost an All-Ireland Feile semi-final to New York when they were under 14, but had never been beaten in Westmeath before.
"The lads are used to winning and it was a hard one for them to take. But they showed their character by bouncing back to win the club championship and, of course, nine of them were on the under 21 winning championship team as well."
The under 14 Division 2 championship was the other title to come St. Loman's way in 2010. Trailing by 10 points at half-time, they came back in the second half to defeat St. Michael's by 3-6 to 2-6 in an absorbing final at Ballynacargy. All of the St. Loman's goals came in the second half from Evan Maleady, Ronan O'Toole and Michael Browne. The team's mentors were Sean Quinn, Kevin Flanagan and Declan Cox.
Donal is full of praise for St. Loman's underage structure and is convinced it will bear fruit at senior level before too long.
"We've been one of the most successful clubs in the county at underage level over the past 15 years, but it hasn't produced a senior title so far," he laments.
"However, I'm very hopeful that we'll put that right in the next few years. Last year's minors and under 21s are totally committed to football and they want to win things at senior level. We had four minors - John Heslin, Kelvin Reilly, Cathal McKinley and Stephen Gilmore - on the senior team last year and you'll see others given their chance this year by Kenny (McKinley) and his selectors Paul McGann, Joe Matthews and Adrian Charles.
"We have a number of senior players like Ciaran (Kilmurray), Jonathan Plunkett, Ciaran Lynam and Jimmy Davitt working with the underage and this has been a welcome development in the club."
The St. Loman's team which regained the under 21 football championship was: Shane Weir; Cathal McKinley, Daryl O'Toole, Jason O'Toole; Emmet Cahill, Donal McGovern, Conor O'Donoghue; Paul Sharry (captain), John Heslin; David Whelan, Conor Lynam, Kelvin Reilly; Conor Cochrane, Shane Flynn, Ben Kilmurray. Sub used: Adrian Gilmore.
The minor club championship winning team was: Corey Doherty; Cian Bourke, Cathal McKinley, Diarmuid Hyland; Dara O'Keeffe, Kelvin Reilly, Paddy Laide; Adam Gaffney, Stephen Gilmore; David Whelan, John Heslin (captain), Ben Kilmurray; Aaron McLoughlin, Shane Dempsey, Andy Austin. Subs used: Jason O'Toole, Derek Keena, Mark Browne, John Wallace and Shane Lally.

St. Loman's under 14 Division 2 champions: David Temple; Shane Finn, Neal O'Toole, Ian Plunkett; Jack Galvin, Eoin O'Keeffe, Eddie Olama; Evan Maleady, James Baker; Sean Flanagan, Michael Browne, Brian Dale; Ronan O'Toole, Gavin Hannevy, Brian Reilly. Sub used: James Cox. Tweet

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