Despite failing to figure at the business-end of last year's intermediate hurling championship, Crookedwood will still be a force to be reckoned with this season according to the club's Irish Language Officer Tom Connell. After the highs of 2002 when they appeared in their first intermediate championship final and captured the Intermediate Cup, Crookedwood came crashing back down to earth with a bang last year. Following a sluggish start to the championship, the 'Wood recorded a couple of victories to keep alive their hopes of reaching the knock-out stages. But their failure to take full points from their final group game against Cullion resulted in their absence from the semi-finals for the first time since the turn of the Millennium. The 'Wood put that disappointment behind them to qualify for a meeting with championship winners Delvin in the All-County League Division 2 final in November, but after a titanic battle, Delvin's greater fitness saw them take the spoils after extra-time. While acknowledging that Crookedwood failed to live up to expectations last year, the club's Irish Language Officer Tom Connell is far from despondent. In fact, he is greatly excited about the future. "I wouldn't be too disappointed about last year," he says. "While most people would have expected better from us, it's got to be remembered that we are going through a transitional phase and a lot of changes are taking place. The real strength of the club at the moment is our underage and it's going to take time for the younger lads to come through. But when they do, I'd expect Crookedwood to be more than a match for anyone." Under the management of Multyfarnham man Tommy Kelly and his co-selectors Sean Collins, John Coughlan and Mick Daly, Crookedwood opened their championship campaign by drawing with old rivals Southern Gaels on a 0-15 to 3-6 scoreline. That was followed by their poorest performance of the year against Lough Lene Gaels at Loughegar. After an evenly contested first half, the 'Wood held a 0-7 to 0-6 lead at the interval. But the unfancied Gaels took complete control following the resumption to run out 3-11 to 0-8 winners. Against Delvin in their next outing, Crookedwood trailed by two points at the break, but fought back in the second half to restore parity. However, after missing two chances to take the lead in the closing stages, they conceded a free which Kevin Williams duly converted to give the Valleymen a somewhat fortunate 0-11 to 1-7 victory. The 'Wood looked to be out of the championship reckoning at this stage, but wins over St. Brigid's (1-11 to 1-7) and parish rivals Turin (2-14 to 1-8) within the space of a week gave them a fighting chance of reaching the semi-finals. Going into their final group game against Cullion, Tommy Kelly's charges knew that a win would force a play-off with Southern Gaels. But the victory which they so desperately sought proved beyond them as Cullion battled hard for a 2-5 to 2-5 draw. "Had they beaten Cullion, I think Crookedwood could have gone on to reach another county final," opines Connell. "They would have had their tails up and as we saw in 2002, Crookedwood seem to play their best hurling in the knock-out stages. But looking back on last year, they paid a heavy price for making a poor start to the championship." All was not lost, however, as a good run in the All-County League saw the 'Wood qualify for a Division 2 final showdown with Delvin at Loughegar on November 9. Having won the intermediate championship in impressive fashion, Delvin entered the decider as hot favourites, but a tremendous battling display by Crookedwood almost saw them pull off a surprise win. Delvin suffered a major setback in the early stages when they had JP Farrelly red-carded for an off-the-ball incident. All of 14 minutes had elapsed before John Orme opened the scoring for the 'Wood, but Delvin had levelled the scoring at 0-2 each after 27 minutes. However, daylight was then put between the sides for the first time when a Gerard Boyhan shot was deflected to the Delvin net by Cathal Nugent. Kevin Tormey quickly followed up with a point to give the underdogs a 1-3 to 0-2 lead at the interval. Delvin improved on the restart, but Crookedwood managed to keep their noses in front with points from Richie Crowley and Stephen Leavy. With the game in injury-time, though, Delvin substitute Niall Williams fired over the equalizing point to force extra-time. Another Leavy point restored Crookedwood's advantage in the third minute of the additional 20 before Delvin got the break they needed when a John Cogan lob crept into the 'Wood net over the head of Anton Savage. The 'Wood came close to retaking the lead just before the change of ends when John Orme's 21 yard free came back off the crossbar. Faced with a two-point deficit, Crookedwood tried desperately to salvage something in the second period of extra-time, but all that they could muster was a John Orme free as Delvin hung on for a dramatic 1-8 to 1-7 victory. There was also disappointment for the 'Wood in the Intermediate Cup as their hopes of retaining the trophy were ended at an early stage by Turin on a 1-6 to 0-13 scoreline. The junior team recorded championship wins over Southern Gaels and St. Brigid's before losing to Clonkill. Arguably Crookedwood's best result of the year came in the under 21 'premier' championship when they defeated Raharney by 1-6 to 0-7. They looked set to cause an even bigger shock against St. Oliver Plunkett's in the semi-final when goals from James Brennan and Richie Crowley helped them to a 2-5 to 0-3 interval lead. But Plunkett's staged a remarkable second half recovery to run out 3-13 to 2-6 winners. "A lot of encouragement was taken from the progress of the under 21 team," notes Connell, who played his hurling with Cullion, but is now very much involved with the club which his late father Jim played for. "A few years ago, no one would have believed Crookedwood would be capable of putting it up to Plunkett's at under 21 level. But there has been huge work put in with the youngsters by the likes of James and Antoinette Savage, Ciaran O'Keeffe, Sean Collins, Seamus O'Sullivan, Eugene and Derek Orme, Gerry Butler and Alan O'Mara and that is now beginning to pay dividends," he adds. Even allowing for their team rebuilding, Tom expects Crookedwood to be there or thereabouts in this year's intermediate championship. He says the club's aim is to be playing at senior level by the time their centenary year comes around in 2006. "We won't be far off winning a championship this year. St. Oliver Plunkett's are the obvious favourites, but there is great spirit in a club like Crookedwood and they'll be giving it everything. "The build-up to our centenary year has already begun and you can be sure that every effort will be made by the players to ensure that we are operating at senior level by then," he concludes. The Crookedwood team which contested the All-County League Division 2 final was: Anton Savage; Damien Grifferty, Colm Murray, Finian Newman; Darragh Fulham, Conor Duffy, Enda Murray; Stephen Leavy, Gerard Brennan; Gerard Boyhan, Feichin Brennan, Kevin Tormey (captain); Tommy Casserly, John Orme, Richie Crowley. Subs used: Noel Yourell, Cian Cooney, Frank Brennan and Paul Murray. Tweet

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