In a year when their junior team proved a major disappointment, Ballycomoyle had the consolation of seeing St. Michael's and Inny Gaels sweep the boards at under 16 level. Ballycomoyle clubman Pat Lynch was a selector with St. Michael's and took great encouragement from their success. Ballycomoyle may have disappointed in the junior football championship, but it was by no means a poor year for the north county club. In June, a highly-rated St. Michael's team lived up to expectations when they captured the under 16 club '2' championship following a thrilling victory over Moate All-Whites. A number of the players who were involved in that success went on to figure in Inny Gaels' under 16 'premier' championship triumph a few months later, making it a memorable year for underage football in north Westmeath. "The under 16 successes gave everyone a great lift and I was delighted to be associated with such a terrific bunch of lads," enthuses St. Michael's selector and Ballycomoyle clubman Pat Lynch. "A lot of people will say it was a bad year for Ballycomoyle because the junior team didn't play up to scratch but when you see what St. Michael's achieved, it wasn't a bad year at all. These lads are very promising footballers and if they can keep at it, there will be exciting days ahead for Ballycomoyle and indeed Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall." Lynch, who was joined on the St. Michael's selection committee by Michael McCormack, PJ Brophy and manager Des Doolin, was confident that the team would do well after their achievements at under 14 level two years previously. "The same team won the under 14 'premier' championship in 2002 so we were hopeful of success," he explains. "The lads put in a big effort and it was great to see them get their due reward in the end. Moate put it up to them in the final but they never panicked and were worthy winners. "A good few of them went on to play a part in Inny Gaels' victory in the 'premier' championship which just goes to show how strong underage football in north Westmeath has become." Not surprisingly, Lynch believes the decision of Ballycomoyle and Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall to join forces at juvenile level has proven to be a resounding success. "There were a lot of people who were sceptical about the idea when it was first mentioned, but nobody can say that the decision to set up the St. Michael's club hasn't been a success. "It has enabled the two clubs to field teams in every grade and as well as that, the young players are clearly benefiting from playing in the higher grades. If Ballycomoyle had been on their own last year, they mightn't have been able to field an under 16 team which would have left a few unfortunates without any football," says Lynch, who is a native of Mountnugent, Co. Cavan but has been living in Glenidan for the past number of years. A total of 21 teams entered the under 16 club '2' championship with the teams divided into four divisions on a regional basis and the top team in each division qualifying for the semi-finals. St. Michael's, whose Ballycomoyle players included Darragh Lynch (Pat's son), Niall McCormack, Neil Sammon, John Corrigan, James Boyle and Jamie Ward, recorded wins over St. Paul's, Killucan, Bunbrosna, Ballynacargy and St. Fintan's/Multyfarnham to qualify from their section. In the semi-final, they edged out Coralstown/Kinnegad and they maintained their winning ways with a 2-11 to 1-11 victory over Moate All-Whites in the final at Rochfortbridge. The final was a fantastic game of football with St. Michael's superior scoring power giving them a decisive edge. The victors led by 0-4 to 0-3 after 14 minutes and moments later they achieved their first breakthrough when John Corrigan set up Alan Devine for a well-taken goal. Moate replied with a goal of their own from James Sammon after 23 minutes to reduce the deficit to the minimum once again. However, after Neil Sammon, Niall Kilcoyne and Devine had fired over points, the former fisted home a second St. Michael's goal to give them a commanding 2-8 to 1-4 lead at the break. St. Michael's looked to be heading to an easy win when Eanna Doolin extended their lead on their restart, but Moate weren't finished and kept in touch with three unanswered points from Mark Ennis and Thomas Duffy (two). Two more Devine points brought St. Michael's tally to 2-11 after 42 minutes, but amazingly they were not to score again as Moate dominated the remainder of the game. Points from Shane Thornton, Ennis and Duffy ate into the St. Michael's lead and as the game ticked into injury-time, just three points separated the teams. Moate had a late chance to score an equalizing goal but didn't take it, much to the relief of the north county combination side who held on for a narrow victory. In the under 16 'premier' championship, St. Michael's players made a handsome contribution to Inny Gaels' county title win. The other clubs involved in the amalgamation were Bunbrosna and St. Fintan's/Multyfarnham. After emerging from a section that included Athlone, St. Earnan's, St. Loman's, Caulry/Castledaly and Clann Braonain, Inny Gaels easily accounted for Ennell Shamrocks in the semi-final to qualify for a final meeting with St. Brigid's. A close contest was anticipated but the north county outfit never looked back after Jamie Shaw and Emmet Feerick scored early goals to give them a dream start. St. Brigid's staged a great recovery to be on level terms at half-time, 3-2 to 1-8, but further goals from Eanna Doolin, Feerick and Andrew Whitney in the second half sealed an emphatic 6-8 to 1-10 victory for Inny Gaels. While Ballycomoyle are clearly making great strides at underage level, 2004 was something of an annus horribilus for the club's adult side who had the ignominy of failing to win a game in the junior championship. Traditionally a force to be reckoned at junior level, Ballycomoyle had suffered successive defeats to St. Paul's, Loughnavalley, Delvin and St. Fintan's/Multyfarnham before they conceded a walkover to St. Joseph's in their final group match. Some encouraging wins were achieved in Division 6 of the All-County League, but it was still a hugely disappointing year. "The junior championship campaign was very disappointing. Ballycomoyle would have fancied their chances of reaching the knock-out stages at the start of the year but unfortunately it didn't turn out like that," Lynch says. "There didn't seem to be the same interest as in previous years and I suppose that's why the results didn't go their way. Because hurling is so strong in the area, it takes priority with a lot of fellas. But I'm sure if Ballycomoyle were to put in a big effort this year, they would be serious contenders to win the junior championship," he concludes. The St. Michael's team which captured the under 16 club '2' championship title was: Enda Sheridan; Niall McCabe, Shane Brophy, Niall McCormack; Mattie Fagan, Shane Egan, Nigel Sheridan; Eanna Doolin, James Boyle; Darragh Lynch, Neil Sammon, John Corrigan; Andrew Dermody, Niall Kilcoyne, Alan Devine. Subs used: Glen Plunkett, Ronan Geoghegan and Ray Thompson. The under 16 'premier' championship winning Inny Gaels team was: Enda Sheridan; Liam Mitchell, Shane Egan, Matt Fagan; Stephen Moran, Darren Geerah, Simon Moorhead; Eanna Doolin, Andrew Whitney; Max Brady, Jamie Shaw, Darragh Lynch; Emmet Feerick, Niall Kilcoyne, Andrew Dermody. Subs used: Shane Brophy, Simon Maher, Nigel Sheridan, Niall McCormack and Henry Reilly. Tweet

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