It was a case of mission accomplished for St. Mary's, Rochfortbridge who made an instant return to the intermediate ranks following their first junior football championship success last October. Here, we review a successful campaign for Jim Whelehan's charges. St. Mary's, Rochfortbridge lived up to their favourites' billing on October 19 last when they saw off the challenge of Mullingar Shamrocks to claim junior football championship honours. From the outset of 2008, the 'Bridge had been installed as hot favourites to lift the Hugh Daniels Cup, and they certainly didn't disappoint in a campaign which saw them win most of their games by comfortable margins. Having endured the heartbreak of relegation in 2006 and 2007, dropping from senior to junior football in double-quick time, the former senior kingpins finally arrested their slide last year with a first junior championship success in their current guise, and a first for the parish since 1947. "It was great to bounce back after the disappointments of the previous two years. Nothing less than winning the junior championship was going to satisfy our supporters and thank God we managed to achieve that," says St. Mary's PRO Vinny Bagnall. "We had developed a losing habit over the previous couple of years, so it made a welcome change to get back to winning ways last year. While it was a big blow to go back junior, it was a good thing in the sense that we were able to regroup and blood some of the younger players we have coming through. This success, combined with our victory in the under 16 championship, means we are going back up intermediate in a much stronger position than when we came down," he adds. For a club of St. Mary's stature and tradition, it was imperative that they regained intermediate status instantly. Under the management of former Milltownpass and Westmeath star Jim Whelehan, and his selectors Paul Cocoman, Gerry Usher and Colm Gavin, they were clearly a cut above the other junior sides last year and, while their performance in the final may not have been perfect, they still had too much for a wasteful Shamrocks team. Rochfortbridge's road to redemption began on June 8 when they hammered Ballycomoyle 3-17 to 0-2 in their opening group match. Scorelines don't lie and that was certainly the case in this woefully one-sided affair. St. Mary's looked anything but a junior team as they piled on the scores and the agony for their beleagured North Westmeath opponents. Rising star Kieran Geraghty ran the Ballycomoyle defence ragged, helping himself to 3-7 in a virtuoso display. Following Geraghty's opening goal in the 16th minute, the St. Mary's full forward line began to find their range to outscore their opponents 1-5 to 0-1 in the second quarter with scores from team captain Robbie Kenny (two), Geraghty, Ken Berry, Damien Gavin and a second Geraghty goal. Trailing by 0-1 to 2-8 and reduced to 14 men at half-time, Ballycomoyle were facing a heavy defeat and that's exactly what materialised as St. Mary's continued to rack up the scores. Geraghty completed his hat-trick within four minutes of the resumption and by the time Paul Dermody doubled Ballycomoyle's tally with six minutes remaining, the 'Bridge had amassed a total of 3-14. Not surprisingly, St. Mary's rang the changes throughout the second half with five substitutes making an appearance, including Larry Poynton who also got on the scoresheet in a facile win. Further easy wins over St. Paul's, Bunbrosna and Milltown saw St. Mary's qualify for the semi-finals without ever breaking sweat. They defeated St. Paul's 4-13 to 0-8 in their second outing before overwhelming Bunbrosna's second team 5-15 to 1-8. Milltown, who have yo-yoed between the junior and intermediate grades over the past decade or so, were widely regarded as St. Mary's main rivals for championship success, but the Rochfortbridge men proved much too strong in a 4-7 to 0-7 victory. Jim Whelehan's charges renewed their rivalry with St. Paul's in the semi-final at Shandonagh in late September and, as in their earlier clash, were the undoubted masters. The Clonmellon men started brightly, but a James Henry point was all that they could muster. Alan Gavin pointed a free to level matters before Philip Gilsenan restored St. Paul's advantage. But two excellent points from Kieran Geraghty gave the favourites a lead they wouldn't relinquish thereafter. Two more points from Gavin and Geraghty put St. Mary's three clear before St. Paul's replied with efforts from Darren Henry and Johnny McGuinness. After McGuinness missed a great chance to level, the green and whites upped the ante and were rewarded with four unanswered points from David Mitchell, Geraghty, Robbie Kenny and Eoin Gorman which gave them a 0-9 to 0-4 lead at the interval. St. Mary's resumed with another point from Alan Gavin before Johnny McGuinness reduced the deficit to five once again. But from the kick-out, Damien Gavin fed Robbie Kenny and the lively corner forward made no mistake. Two more Alan Gavin frees followed in quick succession before veteran Ian Cunningham scored the point of the game to leave St. Mary's coasting. St. Paul's battled to the end, but their play was completely disjointed and St. Mary's were full value for their 0-14 to 0-7 victory. Now all that stood between St. Mary's and a swift return to intermediate status was Mullingar Shamrocks' second team. The final at a very blustery and wet Cusack Park was a low-scoring affair where flowing football was at a premium. St. Mary's ran out winners by 2-8 to 1-6, but it could have been a lot closer had Shamrocks made better use of the ample possession they enjoyed in the second half. The game was barely 30 seconds old when the vastly experienced Alan Gavin fired St. Mary's into an early lead. Shamrocks were struggling to settle and the forced withdrawal of centre forward Gary Corroon due to injury didn't help their cause. St. Mary's sensed their vulnerability and after a super run by Robbie Kenny in along the end line, Shamrocks 'keeper Ronan Tyrrell made a marvellous save, only for the rebound to fall to Kieran Geraghty who finished to an empty net. Ciaran O'Meara eventually opened Shamrocks' account and Conor Moore added a second point before Alan Gavin soloed through to restore the Rochfortbridge side's three-point advantage. But in the 11th minute, Shamrocks drew level when substitute Eddie Casey's free evaded everyone and went straight into the roof of the net. If that was bizarre, the next St. Mary's score was equally so. A poorly struck Kieran Geraghty free fell to Ken Berry who tried to fist the ball over the bar. Shamrocks midfielder Gareth Doyle attempted to gather but dropped the ball and it trickled over the line for a goal. Adam Corroon pulled back a point for Shamrocks, but that was immediately cancelled out by a David Mitchell '45'. The increasingly influential Robbie Kenny put four points between the sides for the first time since the early stages before a brace of Casey frees left Shamrocks just two points adrift at the break, 1-5 to 2-4. Gareth Doyle brought Mullingar to within a point two minutes into the second half, but poor finishing by firstly Casey and then David Nonan was the start of the Shamrocks malaise, and despite virtually owning the ball in the first 10 minutes, they simply could not find the target. After another poor effort by Adam Corroon, Ger Keegan lifted the siege for the Saints. His powerful run created the chance for Alan Gavin to restore St. Mary's two-point advantage. Robbie Kenny could have killed off Shamrocks when he was clean through on goal, but Ronan Tyrrell made a great save to keep the underdogs in the game. Kenny made amends moments later with a point from long distance, but Shamrocks refused to give in and created two more goal chances - neither of which were taken. These misses seemed to knock the stuffing out of them, and when first 1995 All-Ireland winning captain Damien Gavin and then Kieran Geraghty kicked two superb points, the 'Bridge were home and dry. Alan Gavin's late free went well wide, but it mattered little as St. Mary's had successfully completed their 2008 mission and can look forward to a return to the intermediate ranks in the year ahead. St. Mary's junior football championship winning team was: Declan Hogan; Ger Keegan, Ken Delaney, Thomas Giles; Michael Geraghty, Adam Nolan, Larry Poynton; David Mitchell, Damien Gavin; John Shields, Alan Gavin, Barry Pierce; Robbie Kenny, Ken Berry, Kieran Geraghty. Subs used: Paul Carey, Eoin Gorman, Ian Cunningham and Cian Kinsella. 'Bridge add Junior Cup Following the disappointment of their defeat to Moynalvey of Meath in the Leinster junior club football final before Christmas, St. Mary's got back to winning ways in January when they defeated St. Paul's in the Junior Cup final. Kenneth Gunning's 16th minute goal proved the difference between the sides in a game which St. Mary's won by 1-8 to 0-8. The Rochfortbridge outfit looked to be on course for a comfortable victory when they led by 1-7 to 0-2 at half-time, but they were made fight all the way after a much-improved second half display by their Clonmellon opponents. The success went some way towards atoning for the disappointment of losing the Leinster club final to Moynalvey. After claiming the county junior championship, St. Mary's recorded wins over St. Nicholas (Louth), Milltown (Kildare) and Killeshin (Laois) to set up a provincial final showdown with the Meath kingpins. Bidding to emulate the feat of Ballinagore three years earlier, St. Mary's were expected to make home advantage count against the South Meath club, but they came up against a strong and experienced side who clearly had their homework done and were full value for their 0-11 to 0-5 victory. As St. Mary's prepare for their return to the intermediate championship, they can take further encouragement from the success of their under 16 team in winning the Division 2 championship. Tweet

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