Intermediate football beckons for Bunbrosna following their junior championship final replay victory over Caulry last October. Here, we look back on a campaign which will long be remembered by supporters of the blue and white. Thirty-two years of famine and frustration came to an end for Bunbrosna at Cusack Park on October 28 last when they defeated Caulry at the second time of asking to capture the junior football championship crown. Joy was unconfined among the Bunbrosna faithful as they celebrated their team's 2-5 to 1-6 victory and their promotion to the intermediate ranks. Three years previously, Bun had lost out to Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall in the decider but there was to be no heartbreak on this occasion. The victory was by no means an overnight success for Bunbrosna. Over the past 10 years, the club has worked tirelessly in promoting its underage teams and it is only now that they are reaping the rewards. One has only to look at the make-up of the Inny Gaels teams which have won the last two minor championships to see the rich crop of young talent Bun currently have at their disposal. With three teams (Caulry, Milltown and St. Paul's) being demoted from the intermediate ranks at the end of 2000, last year's junior championship was expected to be the most competitive in many years. Bun were among the favourites but after dropping five points in the first three matches, their chances of progressing to the knock-out stages seemed remote. But they eventually found their form, chalking up a succession of victories to reach the Holy Grail. Under the management of Ballynacargy man John Mulligan, Bun made a disappointing start to their championship campaign when losing to St. Joseph's by 0-9 to 0-7. In what would later prove to be a dress rehearsal for the final, the blue and whites drew with Caulry in their next outing (1-7 to 0-10). When Bun suffered their second defeat to Milltown (1-6 to 2-7), they were faced with an uphill battle to reach the latter stages. But they refused to panic and a resounding 4-15 to 1-5 victory over Ballycomoyle in their next game put them back on track. The win over Ballycomoyle marked a turning point in Bun's season. They walloped Delvin by 7-15 to 1-2 in round five and followed that up with a comfortable 3-6 to 0-6 win over St. Paul's. Having received a walkover from St. Fintan's/Multyfarnham, Bun needed to beat a much improved Loughnavalley in their final game of the league stages to qualify for the semi-finals. As it transpired, the Longford-border outfit triumphed by six points, 2-11 to 0-11, and now only St. Joseph's stood between them and a place in the final. The semi-final took place at Cusack Park in late September and Bun viewed it as not only an opportunity to reach the showpiece game (which they had been denied by a late Killucan goal in 2000), but also as an opportunity to avenge their first round defeat to the same opposition. The Streamstown-based club had the upperhand in the first half and led by 2-4 to 1-4 at the interval. By the end of the third quarter, Bun had reduced the deficit to a point, 1-7 to 2-5. They eventually restored parity in the 48th minute when Kieran Brennan pointed but it wasn't until the 54th minute that the inspirational Finian Newman edged them in front. In the closing stages, man of the match Peter Tormey and Barry Brennan tagged on points to secure a deserved, if not overly impressive, 1-11 to 2-5 win for the Bunbrosna men. The final, which was played on October 14, pitted Bunbrosna against Caulry. The Mount Temple side were fancied to make an instant return to the intermediate ranks and the fact that they had avoided defeat in reaching the decider suggested that they could do just that. What was perhaps of greatest concern to Bun, however, was their poor record in finals - they had been unsuccessful in their previous final appearances in 1981, '88, '90 and '98. The final proved to be one of the best games of the year with Bunbrosna staging a fine second half recovery to force a replay. Caulry were quickest out of the blocks and had raced into a 1-2 to 0-0 lead after just six minutes. But Bun fought back almost immediately and, thanks to a breathtaking 1-3 from full forward Aidan Finnan, were in front by 13th minute. Finnan scored a second goal in the 17th minute but then his opposite number Anslem Fitzgerald took centre stage by bagging a brace of goals to give Caulry a 3-7 to 2-5 lead at the break. Scores proved much more difficult to come by in the second half with both defences - Bunbrosna's in particular - tightening up considerably. Bun continued to chip away at Caulry's lead and not even the loss of centre forward Finian Newman through injury in the 17th minute could put them off their stride. Eventually, the equalizer came seven minutes into injury-time when Finian's twin brother Conor came forward from corner back to shoot a memorable point. It finished 2-11 to 3-8 and there could be little doubt about which team was the more relieved. Many believed the psychological advantage rest with Bun for the replay but the fact that they were forced to start without Finian Newman prompted caution. The blue and whites dominated the first half, yet only led by 1-4 to 1-2 at the interval. Ultan Molloy scored the game's only goal in the 20th minute but five minutes later, the net was bulging at the opposite end when Anslem Fitzgerald goaled for Caulry. The Mount Temple side made an excellent start to the second half with points from Ciaran Cunningham and Alan Carroll levelling the match. The sides were still level at the end of the third quarter but then came the game's decisive score. A probing centre from Bun captain Francis Molloy broke between Caulry goalkeeper Noel Murray and Ultan Molloy, and Eoin Clarke - better known for his dancing and acting skills in Scór - was on hand to finish to the net. Caulry battled back with scores from Fitzgerald and Carroll to leave just the minimum in it, before the impressive Aidan Finnan made victory safe for Bunbrosna when he slotted over a 30 metre free in injury-time. Afterwards, Francis Molloy received the junior championship cup amid scenes of unbridled joy and excitement. It was Bun's first championship win since they defeated St. Malachy's to capture the intermediate title in 1971, a title they could renew acquaintances with in the near future. The victorious Bunbrosna team was: Enda Murphy; Conor Newman, Cormac McCormack, Conor Geerah; Paddy Wallace, John McCormack, Tommy Murphy; Francis Molloy, Niall Harte; Peter Tormey (0-2), Ciaran Brennan, Noel Kiernan; Eoin Clarke (1-0), Aidan Finnan (0-3), Ultan Molloy (1-0). Subs used: Finian Newman and Barry Brennan. Tweet

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