Kilbeggan Shamrocks may have been frustrated in their efforts to win the intermediate football championship last year, but the club's successful alliance with St. Joseph's at underage level provides plenty of hope for the future according to underage chairman Mal Keenan. In a year when Kilbeggan Shamrocks once again failed in their bid to land the Peter Geraghty Cup, it was left to the Kilbeggan/St. Joseph's under 16s to bring some silverware to the club. Captained by the highly promising David Keenan, who was one of the 'finds' of last year's intermediate championship, Kilbeggan/St. Joseph's landed the under 16 club championship Division 3 (13-a-side) title in December following a comprehensive victory over St. Malachy's/Ballinagore. The success was a major breakthrough for the Kilbeggan/St. Joseph's underage club which was only formed a few years ago. "It proves that the amalgamation is working, and working well at that," enthuses underage chairman Mal Keenan, who is David's father. "Kilbeggan has been getting great co-operation from St. Joseph's and vice-versa. Last year's under 16s were an exceptional bunch of players and possibly Kilbeggan's future hinges on five or six of them making their mark at adult level." Kilbeggan and St. Joseph's are combined from under 8 upwards, and have numerous coaches working with each age group. In 2006, Padraig Egan and Gerry Corcoran were in charge of the under 8s, Donal Fox, Pat Mealiffe and Declan Rogers were over the under 10s, while Eugene Nannery and Ray Scally trained the under 12s. The under 14s were coached by Niall O'Brien and Keith Gorry, John Deegan and Gerry Johnson managed the successful under 16 team, while the minor team was under the tutelage of Martin Maher, Aidan Reid and Eugene Nannery. After receiving a bye in the first round of the championship, the under 16s accounted for St. Paul's to qualify for a semi-final date with Millmore Gaels. When the sides first met, the game was abandoned due to a serious injury to a Millmore player. Both teams lined out for the re-fixture, only for it to be abandoned again due to inclement weather. Eventually, at the third time of asking, the game was played with Kilbeggan/St. Joseph's prevailing. The final pitted Kilbeggan/St/ Joseph's against neighbours St. Malachy's/Ballinagore in Ballinagore in mid-December. Conditions were surprisingly good for that time of year and from the outset Kilbeggan/St. Joseph's set the tempo with midfielder Cathal Johnson being unlucky to have two early goal attempts cleared off the line. Free-taker Tomas McDaniel had St. Malachy's/Ballinagore 0-3 to 0-2 ahead by the end of the opening quarter, but two quick points from Danny Gardiner and Don Scally had Kilbeggan/St. Joseph's in front before Gardiner, Simon O'Neill and David Keenan all found the target to give the maroon and whites a 0-7 to 0-3 lead. By now, St. Malachy's/Ballinagore were struggling at midfield and Kilbeggan/St. Joseph's took full advantage when Gardiner received a pass from Scally before crashing home the only goal. Leading by example, Keenan followed up with another point, leaving the winners 1-8 to 0-3 in front at the break. St. Malachy's/Ballinagore matched their opponents in the early stages of the second half, but the result was never in doubt with Kilbeggan/St. Joseph's extending their advantage to 10 points before a late rally by the losers left a seven-point margin, 1-16 to 0-12, at the finish. Kilbeggan/St. Joseph's also contested the under 16 Division 3 league final in January, but were narrowly beaten by Killucan. En route to the final, they had beaten the likes of Tyrrellspass, St. Mary's, Millmore Gaels and Killucan, but the Saffrons reversed that result in the decider. Last year's intermediate championship campaign will hold mixed memories for Kilbeggan supporters. Joe Giles' charges looked to be heading for an early exit after taking just one point from their first three group matches, but they then suddenly hit a rich vein of form which took them to the brink of a county final appearance. Under 16 captain David Keenan came to their rescue when fisting a late equalizing goal against Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall in the opening round at St. Loman's. Two points from PJ Ward and another from Keith Gorry gave Kilbeggan the perfect start, but their lead had been cut to a solitary point by half-time, 0-4 to 0-3. Despite kicking 15 wides, Finea surged ahead in the second half but they failed to kill off a Kilbeggan side that was fortunate to earn a share of the spoils. There was heartbreak for the Brosnasiders in their next outing when a late Emmet Brennan goal gave Milltownpass a dramatic 1-10 to 0-12 victory at Cusack Park. Despite enjoying the better of the first half exchanges, Milltownpass only led by 0-5 to 0-4 at the interval. Kilbeggan had centre forward Emmet Dalton red-carded early in the second half and the signs looked ominous when Milltown went three points clear. But as so often proves to be the case, the 14 men rallied to lead by two points entering stoppage-time. However, Milltownpass wouldn't lie down and Brennan gave them the win with virtually the last kick of the game. When Maryland inflicted a second defeat on them (1-6 to 0-14), Kilbeggan looked to be on their way out of the championship, but a 2-11 to 0-9 win over Ballymore got them back on track. A PJ Ward penalty had Kilbeggan 1-5 to 0-6 in front at the interval, but it took a second goal from Aidan Gorry with 10 minutes remaining to make victory safe. Ward produced arguably the performance of the championship when he shot 0-9, 0-8 from play, as Kilbeggan overcame Tang by 0-14 to 1-9 in their next game. Ward was again the centre of attention when Kilbeggan faced Rosemount in their final group match, but this time for all the wrong reasons. After scoring a goal in the first half, the big full forward was sent off on a second yellow card in the 45th minute, leaving his team-mates under pressure in the final quarter. However, Kilbeggan defended resolutely and held on for a 2-7 to 0-11 win to progress to the quarter-finals. Joe Giles' side were now beginning to look the part and a tenacious 1-9 to 1-7 victory over Shandonagh was sweet revenge for their defeat to the same opposition at the same stage in 2005. PJ Ward pounced on a goalkeeping error after just 20 seconds to give the maroons a dream start, and they had 1-2 on the board before a shell-shocked Shandonagh opened their account. Shandonagh looked as though they might salvage something from the game when Alan Hickey fired past Alan Carroll with 17 minutes remaining, but crucially David Keenan got the next score for Kilbeggan and they held on for a deserved win. Kilbeggan's winning run was finally brought to an end when they succumbed to Maryland by 1-9 to 0-15 in the semi-final. Once again, Kilbeggan began promisingly with Ward converting a penalty. However, Maryland were just a point adrift at half-time and they had established a three-point lead before scores from Keenan and Ward left just the minimum between the sides with three minutes remaining. But Maryland were not to be denied and late points from David Martin (two) and Joe Harte killed off the Kilbeggan challenge. There have been two significant developments in Kilbeggan since then. Prior to Christmas, star forward PJ Ward was granted a transfer to the Shamrocks club in Rahan which has allowed him to play inter-county football for Offaly. And former defender Teddy McCormack has taken over the managerial reins from Joe Giles, who has returned to the hot seat in his native Coralstown/Kinnegad. "PJ would be a big loss to any club, and it was a big shock to us when he told us he wanted to leave," Keenan recalls. "He played some great football last year and was an important target man for us. But life goes on and hopefully some of the younger lads will be able to step up to the mark in his absence. "We were also sorry to see Joe go, but I'm sure that Teddy McCormack will prove to be a very able replacement. Teddy, who has appointed Donal Fox and Padraig Egan as his selectors, is a proud Kilbeggan man and has always stayed in touch, despite living in Portlaoise for the past number of years. "He has worked with various Portlaoise underage teams, so isn't exactly new to management. He gave everything during his playing days with Kilbeggan and I've no doubt he'll be doing the same in his new role." The Kilbeggan/St/ Joseph's team that captured the under 16 club championship Division 3 crown was: David Carr; Brian Fitzgerald, Hugh Peter Murray; Pauric Ennis, Peter Lynch, Craig Arthurs; David Keenan, Malachy Lynam; Cathal Johnson, Simon O'Neill, Pauric Deegan; Don Scally, Danny Gardiner. Sub used: Tadhg O'Gorman. Tweet

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