After reaching the last four of the senior football championship and winning the Feis Cup in 2005, St. Malachy's had hoped to challenge for the Flanagan Cup last year but their hopes were ended prematurely by eventual winners Tyrrellspass. However, it was still a satisfactory year for the Castletown-Geoghegan/Dysart outfit according to wing back Joe Clarke. Having improved beyond recognition to capture the Feis Cup and reach the senior football championship semi-final in 2005, it was widely expected that St. Malachy's would be serious contenders for Flanagan Cup honours last year. Alas, they didn't quite live up to expectations, losing to neighbours Tyrrellspass at the quarter-final stage. Their championship campaign began with a defeat to Mullingar Shamrocks, but back-to-back victories over Tubberclair and The Downs in the new losers' group saw them reach the knock-out stages where they were gallant losers to the eventual county champions. "We didn't make the same progress as in 2005, but it was still a decent year," says St. Malachy's wing back and Westmeath hurling star Joe Clarke. "2005 was an unbelievable year - we even surprised ourselves by how well we did. We genuinely believed we could make an even bigger impact last year and push for a county title. But what the defeat to Tyrrellspass showed is that we are still probably two or three players short of achieving that." Tyrrellspass' margin of victory over St. Malachy's was four points, but with five minutes remaining the men from Castletown-Geoghegan/Dysart trailed by just a solitary point. However, a late goal from Denis Glennon cemented the Tidy Town's place in the semi-final. "I'm not sure if it would have made any difference to the result, but Johnny Tuite's absence was a huge loss to us (he was on honeymoon at the time). Johnny is one of the best corner backs in the county and he would have been the ideal man to mark Denis Glennon. Denis caused a lot of problems for us and his goal near the end was a real killer blow for us," Joe adds. Under the management of Kieran Kirby, Eddie Bouabbse, Willie Corcoran and Jack Murray, St. Malachy's championship aspirations were dealt an early blow when they lost their opening game to Mullingar Shamrocks by 0-8 to 1-8. It was a game the red and blacks could just as easily have won, as after conceding a soft goal to Fiachra Spellman, they were guilty of missing three glorious goal chances. At the end of a dour first half, St. Malachy's led by 0-3 to 0-2 but Shamrocks took control after the goal to move five points clear. In the closing 10 minutes, however, Clarke (twice) and Alan Mangan missed goal-scoring chances which would have given Malachy's victory over the town team for the second year in-a-row. The defeat consigned Kieran Kirby's charges to the losers' group along with Tubberclair and 2005 champions The Downs. Against Tubberclair, the sides were level on four occasions in the first 23 minutes but the growing midfield dominance of Paddy Corcoran and Tommy Carey saw Malachy's take a three-point lead into the break. St. Malachy's took complete control in the second half with Carey, Mangan, Blaine Lahart and Shane Carey adding points before Sean Whelan rounded Gary Connaughton for a well-taken goal in the 41st minute. St. Malachy's increased their advantage to 13 points before Bernard 'Beano' Cassells managed a late consolation goal for Tubberclair to leave the final score reading 1-16 to 1-5 in favour of the Ennellsiders. A place in the quarter-final was the prize at stake when St. Malachy's squared up to The Downs in their next outing at Cusack Park. After establishing an early 0-3 to 0-1 lead, The Downs were rocked back on their heels when Sean Whelan scored the only goal in the eighth minute. However, the champions quickly restored their lead through points from Tommy Cleary and Keith Shanley. But with Paddy Corcoran winning the midfield battle, St. Malachy's scored four unanswered points between the 22nd and 28th minutes to take control. County star Alan Mangan was involved in all four points, scoring two and setting up Shane Carey and Sean Whelan for the others. At half-time, Malachy's led by 1-5 to 0-7. On the resumption, the black and reds went three points clear thanks to points from Mangan, Carey and Joe Clarke. The margin was still the same with 12 minutes remaining, but The Downs then reduced the deficit to the minimum before Carey restored Malachy's two-point advantage. It proved to be a crucial score as Tommy Cleary's reply was not enough to save The Downs, who by losing 0-12 to 1-10, surrendered their county title. There was now a real buzz in the St. Malachy's camp, and hopes were high that they could maintain their winning run against Tyrrellspass. The game marked Martin Flanagan's return to the Tyrrellspass team after a long injury lay-off and this was bad news for St. Malachy's who trailed by 0-3 to 0-7 at the interval. Tyrrellspass maintained their four-point advantage until a hat-trick of Alan Mangan points left the minimum between the sides with time almost up. But just when it seemed that St. Malachy's might force a replay, Tyrrellspass broke up-field and Tommy Newman found Denis Glennon who used his pace to get in behind the defence and slip the ball under goalkeeper Gary Jackson for the only goal to seal a 1-11 to 0-10 victory. Clarke, who was one of a number of St. Malachy's players to also figure in Castletown-Geoghegan's march to the county hurling final last year, is of the opinion that St. Malachy's may never get a better chance to lift the Flanagan Cup than in the next couple of years. "It's very much a case of now or never for us," he says. "By and large, we've got a young squad of players but when the likes of Paddy Corcoran and Christy McDonagh decide to retire, we won't have ready-made replacements for them. Not only are they vastly experienced, they bring a physical presence to the team as well. It would be very difficult for us to win a championship without them." At the time of writing, St. Malachy's still had to appoint a new manager for the coming season after the outgoing management team stood down in the wake of the championship defeat to Tyrrellspass. During his tenure as manager, Kieran Kirby oversaw a major improvement in St. Malachy's fortunes and Clarke acknowledges that his successor will have a hard act to follow. "The outgoing management deserves a huge amount of credit for bringing us to the stage we are now at. They were very professional in their approach and made us a competitive outfit. They also changed our mindset - the days when St. Malachy's would be happy just to stay up senior are long gone." 2006 was another successful year for the St. Malachy's/Ballinagore underage club. The highlight was the under 14 team's capture of the Division 1 league title following an extra-time victory over Maryland/Tang in Drumraney. This talented team was jointly managed by Seamus Cassidy and Kieran Kirby. The under 16 and minor teams also contested finals. Under the tutelage of Liam McDaniel, Eoin Miller and Eddie Bouabbse, the under 16s reached the club championship Division 3 final which they lost to Kilbeggan Shamrocks/St. Joseph's by 0-12 to 1-16. The minor side, meanwhile, lost the championship Division 2 final to Garrycastle on a 1-9 to 3-5 scoreline. The minors were managed by Eoin Miller, Eddie Bouabbse and Gerry Claffey. The St. Malachy's/Ballinagore under 12s also acquitted themselves well and showed plenty of promise under their mentors Pat Clavin, John Quinn and Matt Dever. The St. Malachy's team that faced Tyrrellspass in the SFC quarter-final was: Gary Jackson; Ronan Corcoran, David Langan, Eamon Og Clarke; Adrian Austin, Barry Whelan, Joe Clarke; Paddy Corcoran, Tommy Carey; Pat Clarke, Alan Mangan, Ronan Whelan; Blaine Lahart, Shane Carey, Sean Whelan. Subs used: Michael Garvin and Conor Daly. Tweet

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