The highlight of another successful year for Clonkill at underage level was the club's capture of the minor hurling championship for the first time since 1969. The Loughegar outfit also retained the under 16 championship with club stalwart Kit Austin overseeing both successes. While senior success proved elusive in 2005, Clonkill can still reflect on a successful year which yielded major championship wins in the minor and under 16 grades. A 2-9 to 0-9 victory over amalgamation side Cu Chulainn at Cusack Park on October 16 gave Clonkill their first minor 'premier' championship success in 36 years. It was a hugely significant win considering that it was the one major honour that had eluded the club over the past decade. The Loughegar outfit also successfully defended the under 16 championship and won league titles at both under 14 and under 16 level. "Winning the minor championship was a big breakthrough for us," reflects team manager Kit Austin, who was also in charge of the under 16 championship winning side. "1969 is a long time ago and even then, we had five of six lads from the 'Wood and Turin playing with us. This was a very special victory for me because I had played on the last out-and-out Clonkill team to win a minor championship in 1960. I was thrilled for the players too. We had 65 training sessions and every one of them worked hard for this success," he adds. Kit, whose selectors were Pat O'Toole (also physical trainer), Kevin Coffey, Michael McCormack and Paul Folan, reckons Clonkill surprised a few people by getting their hands on the Ben Kelly Memorial Cup in 2005. "Even though we had won the under 16 championship the previous year, the expectations weren't that high. Most people expected one of the amalgamation teams to win it, but we more than held our own and were delighted to end up as champions." Clonkill defeated Delvin/Brownstown in their opening game, but a second round loss to Turin Gaels left them needing to beat holders Castletown-Geoghegan to keep their hopes alive. They duly obliged with a resounding 0-19 to 2-5 victory which set the scene for a rematch with Turin Gaels in the semi-final at Robinstown. The team in green and gold suffered an early setback when Kevin Gilroy netted for Turin Gaels. But they responded in impressive fashion with points from Owen Price and Luke Folan bringing them level before a Price centre went all the way to the net. Adam Price, Owen Price, Darragh Quinn and Folan followed up with points to give Clonkill a 1-10 to 1-3 lead at the break. Clonkill increased their advantage on the restart before a Turin Gaels fightback saw them reduce the deficit to the minimum with time almost up. But just when it seemed that Turin Gaels would force a replay, Conrad Reilly scored a second Clonkill goal and they went on to seal a 2-16 to 1-13 victory courtesy of late points from Folan and Owen Price. The final against Cu Chulainn was played as a curtain-raiser to the drawn senior final between Castlepollard and Lough Lene Gaels. As it transpired, Clonkill laid the foundations for their victory in the early stages when goals from Darren Quinn and Luke Folan helped them to a 2-6 to 0-4 lead at the break. Joseph Doherty set up Folan for the first goal in the sixth minute and a short time later, Quinn rattled the net following good play by Adam Price. Cu Chulainn, who were an amalgamation of Cullion and Crookedwood, almost made a dream start to the second half when Shane Orme's innocuous long-range shot came close to crossing the goal-line. Thomas Gillen's accurate free-taking gave them hope, but Clonkill were never troubled and went on to secure a six-point win. "We were always comfortable after the early goals. I was very happy with the performance bearing in mind that we were without one of our best players, Conrad Reilly, who broke his finger in a training session the week after the semi-final," Kit explains. Despite the prestige attached to winning the minor championship, Austin isn't getting carried away. "While it gave everyone in the club a great lift, there is no guarantee that it will lead to success at senior level. Look at Plunkett's, they are still waiting to win a senior championship after all the underage success they had in the 1990s. It took us nine years to win the senior championship after winning back-to-back minor championships in 1959 and '60. "We face a major task to keep this group of lads together. It's evitable that some of them will drift away. I said to them in the dressing-room before the final that they may never play together again and the sad thing is that I'll probably be proved right." Kit, who is a former county senior team selector and vice-chairman of the hurling board, claims that the minor championship has suffered because not enough is being done to promote the game in the traditionally strong hurling areas. "Without trying to demean our victory, I don't think the minor championship is as strong as it used to be. When you see the likes of Lough Lene Gaels and Castlepollard having to amalgamate, it's a worrying sign. The game is being neglected in so many areas, yet there is nothing being done to address the problem. "We won a minor championship this year with just four 18-year-olds in our starting team and that doesn't reflect well on the rest of the clubs." Clonkill's other big success in 2005 was their retention of the under 16 'premier' championship. Under the guidance of Kit, Pat O'Toole and Michael McCormack, they also captured the league title. In the championship, they defeated St. Oliver Plunkett's in the semi-final before getting the better of Turin Gaels in a low-scoring decider at St. Loman's on October 2. The green and golds led by 0-4 to 0-1 after playing with the aid of a strong wind in the first half, but Turin Gaels - who had won an earlier encounter between the sides - fought back to level at 0-5 each. With the game in the melting pot, corner forward Gary Moran made himself a hero when he scored the only goal in the 56th minute to give Clonkill victory by 1-5 to 0-5. The Loughegar club almost pulled off a notable underage championship treble, but were denied by Castletown-Geoghegan in the under 14 final. Managed by Peter Curran, Declan Leonard and Tommy Keegan, Clonkill made a dream start when Enda Morrison goaled inside the first minute and they were looking good for victory when the same player added his second goal early in the second half. But two quick Castletown-Geoghegan goals left Clonkill five points in arrears and despite late majors from Anthony Price and Alan McGrath, the green and golds crashed to their third consecutive under 14 championship final defeat on a 4-3 to 2-12 scoreline. Clonkill gained some consolation, however, when they defeated the black and ambers to take the league title. Clonkill were unable to replicate their underage achievements at senior level. Despite boasting the talents of Christy Ring Cup heroes Andrew Mitchell, Enda Loughlin and Brendan Murtagh, a much-fancied senior team slumped to a crushing 0-10 to 2-17 defeat to Castlepollard in the championship semi-final. That 'Pollard went on to lift the Examiner Cup was of little consolation to Austin or anyone involved with the club. "I honestly don't know what happened to us against 'Pollard. It's difficult to fathom out how such a highly-rated team could perform so poorly. But it wasn't the only bizarre result in the championship. Who could have predicted 'Pollard winning the county final replay so comfortably after barely scraping a draw with Lough Lene Gaels the first day? "We had another disappointment in the junior final when we somehow lost to the Gaels after leading by 10 points with 15 minutes left. We learned a few harsh lessons this year, but hopefully we'll be able to bounce back next year," he concludes. The Clonkill team which bridged a 36-year gap by winning the minor 'premier' hurling championship was: Michael Heffernan; John Fitzsimons, Colm Coffey, James Hallinan (captain); Lorcan Caffrey, Adam Price, Niall Keegan; Damian Scally, James McCormack; Owen Price, Luke Folan, Joseph Doherty; Shane Power, Darren Quinn, Mark Keegan. Sub used: Alan McGrath. The under 16 championship winning team was: Anthony Price; Eddie Gaffney, Colm Coffey, Alan McGrath; Johnny Fitzsimons, James McCormack, Sean McCormack; Shane Power, Niall Keegan; Mickey Heffernan, Mark Keegan, Joseph Doherty; Barry Byrne, David Hallinan, Gary Moran. Sub used: Hugh Gaffney. Tweet

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