Rocked by their shock relegation to the junior ranks in 2006, Rosemount responded last year in the best possible fashion by sweeping all before them. Here, we take a look back at a memorable season for one of the traditional powers of Westmeath football. Before a ball was ever kicked in last year's junior football championship, Rosemount were installed as hot favourites to lift the Hugh Daniels Cup following their shock demotion from the intermediate ranks in 2006. And they certainly lived up their billing by claiming a hat-trick of titles, including the coveted junior championship crown. Having operated at senior level for most of their history, it was very strange to see Rosemount take their place in last year's junior championship. And it soon became clear why they were such overwhelming favourites to make a swift return to the intermediate ranks as they chalked up one emphatic win after another, with only Mullingar Shamrocks and Milltown, in the final, providing them with any meaningful challenge. As well as claiming junior championship honours, Rosemount also lifted the Junior Cup and the junior 'B' championship. And they almost emulated Ballinagore's feat of three years ago by adding the Leinster club junior football title. After overcoming Young Irelands (Louth), Ballykelly (Kildare) and Ballinakill (Laois), they lost the provincial decider to Meath champions Clann na nGael in Pairc Tailteann, despite building up a big lead in the opening quarter. Under the guidance of joint managers David Keane and Des Collins, who both lined out for the club up until recently, and selectors Bernie Carroll, Padraig Maxwell and John Ward, Rosemount enjoyed an easy passage to the junior championship final. They opened their campaign with a 1-14 to 1-4 victory over St. Fintan's/Multyfarnham, and followed that up with a 4-18 to 2-0 drubbing of Ballycomoyle. Mullingar Shamrocks' second team provided the black and ambers with arguably their stiffest test, running them to two points, 1-12 to 2-7, on July 28. A 2-18 to 1-2 victory over Delvin saw Rosemount qualify directly for the semi-finals as group winners. St. Loman's were expected to ask serious questions of Rosemount in their last four clash at Castletown-Geoghegan, but they lacked the necessary firepower in attack to trouble the black and ambers. Their failure to register a score after half-time highlighted this and allowed Rosemount to cruise to a 0-17 to 0-5 victory. Three early points from Danny Fox eased Rosemount into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead before St. Loman's reduced the deficit to the minimum, 0-4 to 0-3. The same margin continued to separate the sides until the final five minutes of the half when Rosemount outscored their Mullingar opponents by 0-5 to 0-1 to take a 0-10 to 0-5 lead into the interval. David Tone accounted for two of those Rosemount points, while Danny Fox, David Malynn and Cathal Keane were also on the mark. St. Loman's applied strong pressure after the restart, but a tally of seven second half wides proved costly. Rosemount weren't nearly as wasteful and made St. Loman's pay with seven unanswered points from Shane Tone, Danny Fox and Danny Fielding to qualify for the final in fine style. Milltown provided the final opposition for the Roses at Cusack Park on October 20. Played as a curtain raiser to the senior decider between Tyrrellspass and Mullingar Shamrocks, the game failed to live up to expectations as a spectacle, but that didn't bother Rosemount who secured their ticket back to the intermediate ranks with a hard-earned 0-9 to 0-5 victory. The black and ambers made all the early running but had to wait until the fifth minute before Shane Tone opened their account. Despite the midfield dominance of Declan Keane and Donal Boland, the favourites only led by 0-2 to 0-1 at the end of the first quarter. It would have been more had Danny Fox's rasping shot not come back off the upright in the seventh minute. The play became increasingly scrappy as the half wore on and while Rosemount continued to dominate possession, poor shooting and some basic errors meant they were not taking full advantage of what slight wind there was in the opening half. Milltown levelled through Joe Kenny before Cathal Keane restored Rosemount's slender advantage. But following an injury to Danny Fox, who was replaced by Declan Mullen, Milltown tied up the scoring at 0-3 apiece with a superb Stephen Somers effort in stoppage-time. The first score of the second half didn't arrive until the 41st minute when Danny Fielding put Rosemount back in front. Substitute Declan Mullen made it a two-point game before Milltown's Tom Dillon left the minimum in it once again. Entering the last 10 minutes, the game was very much in the melting pot but then Rosemount centre forward Martin Loddick provided some much needed inspiration when he unleashed a superb left-footed kick straight between the posts. Rosemount never looked back after that and further points from Danny Fielding (two) and Cathal Keane in reply to Joe Kenny's solitary effort for Milltown meant the celebrations could begin among the Rosemount faithful. Afterwards, club chairman Michael 'Mixie' Molloy admitted that Rosemount made hard work of the win, but was nevertheless confident that it would herald the beginning of a new era for the club. "Despite the loss of Danny Fox and cruciate ligament victim David Tone a few weeks ago, we have done well to win today but it shouldn't have been as difficult as we made it. We have been on the slide for the last four years but hopefully today's victory will be a new beginning for us," he said. In the Junior Cup, Rosemount overcame St. Paul's (2-14 to 0-4) and Loughnavalley (0-15 to 1-8) to set up a rematch with Milltown in the final at Rosemount. Played just two weeks after the county final, this was a far more competitive match that saw two late points from substitute Eoin Kenny and Joe Kenny force extra-time for Milltown with the scores tied at 0-8 apiece. Having failed to reach anything like the kind of form that won them the county championship in normal time, a lacklustre Rosemount finally got motoring in extra-time when they outscored their tiring opponents by 1-3 to 0-0 to secure a somewhat flattering 1-11 to 0-8 victory. Milltown had been the better side in normal time and led by 0-5 to 0-3 at the interval. But following the introduction of Stephen Darcy and Ronald Mullen at half-time, Rosemount showed sufficient improvement to take the lead going into the closing stages before Milltown rallied to force extra-time. The contest was finally decided eight minutes into the first period of extra-time when a breakaway Rosemount attack culminated in Danny Fielding scoring the only goal. Within a minute, David Malynn pointed to leave Rosemount 1-10 to 0-8 in front at the end of the first period and there was no way back for Milltown after that. In September, Rosemount's second team captured the junior 'B' championship following a 2-9 to 1-5 victory over neighbours Ballymore in the decider. Earlier in the campaign, the Roses had registered facile wins over Milltown and Shandonagh before trouncing arch rivals Moate All-Whites by 2-11 to 0-2 in the semi-final. With a number of first team players on view, Rosemount were full value for their final win over Ballymore. They missed a penalty in the first half, but still led by 1-5 to 1-3 at the break thanks to Danny Fox goal late in the half. And when David Tone set up David Mullen for a second goal in the 42nd minute to give the black and ambers a 2-7 to 1-4 advantage, Ballymore's challenge was all but ended. The Rosemount team that overcome Milltown in the JFC final was: Richie O'Brien; Derek Keenan (captain), John Keane, Paddy Wade; Michael Loddick, Tom King, Ronald Mullen; Declan Keane, Donal Boland; David Malynn, Martin Loddick, Shane Tone; Danny Fox, Cathal Keane, Danny Fielding. Subs used: Declan Mullen, Stephen Darcy, Cyril Elliffe and David Mullen. The junior 'B' championship team was: Richie O'Brien; Derek Keenan, David Fox, Peter Keenan; Anthony Kelly, Michael Loddick, John O'Connor; David Mullen, John Campbell; Shane Tone, David Malynn, Shane Tone; Danny Fox, Declan Mullen, John Keenan. Subs used: Cyril Elliffe, Tom Claffey and Aidan Mullen. Tweet

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