Transition time in Kilbeggan
April 30, 2010When Kilbeggan Shamrocks produced arguably their best display in a number of seasons to avenge their 2008 quarter-final trouncing by Ballynacargy in the second round of last year's intermediate football championship, there were many who believed they would have a major say in the destination of the Peter Geraghty Cup.
Alas, it didn't turn out quite like that as subsequent defeats to Milltownpass and Tang saw them exit the championship with a whimper. As one of the traditional powers of Westmeath football with eight senior championships to their name, the past few years have been highly frustrating for Kilbeggan, particularly as they haven't been pushing for a return to the senior ranks.
"We've probably slipped back a bit in the last two or three years," admits the Shamrocks' experienced half back Paul 'Puddie' Maloney.
"We've gone from contenders to also-rans and that's been the most disappointing part of it. We have to get back challenging for an intermediate championship and while that will be difficult in our current predicament with so many players coming and going, it's not impossible. The intermediate championship is wide open and we have as good a chance as anyone of winning it."
'Puddie', who is one of the survivors from the last Kilbeggan team to claim intermediate honours exactly 10 years ago, feels it is high time the club moved on from the blow of losing Mick Ennis, Leon Carberry, PJ Ward, John Brennan and Aidan Gorry within the space of a couple of years. Ward and Brennan are now playing their club football with Shamrocks (Rahan) and Tyrrellspass respectively, while Gorry retired at the top of his game at the end of 2008.
"Losing those lads was a massive psychological blow, but we have to move on. We can't keep dwelling on the past. John Brennan and PJ Ward chose to play their club football elsewhere and that's their business. We have to look forward and look to the younger players," he says.
"Unfortunately, five of our young players - Mick Tormey, Colin Draper and Chris, Peter and Darren Lynch - missed a lot of last year for various reasons. Chris was injured and Mick and Colin went to the US. We should have them back this year but, on the minus side, Tadhg O'Gorman is in college in Wales and it will be difficult for him to come home for matches until the summer at least.
"And then you have the two Fennells - Paul and David - coming through. They are very exciting prospects, but I'm not sure if we'll be blooding them this year. They are still only 17 and have an awful lot of commitments between football and hurling. We'll have to wait and see if they will be available to us."
Under the management of Rahan man Nigel Dunne, Kilbeggan opened last year's championship campaign with a 0-8 to 1-8 defeat to newly-promoted St. Mary's at Shandonagh. In a poor game played in wet conditions, Eoin Gorman handed the Rochfortbridge side a dream start when he finished Ciaran Geraghty's rebounded effort to the net. After Mick Fox got Kilbeggan off the mark, St. Mary's responded with a Robbie Kenny brace. Mattie McCormack slotted over two frees for Kilbeggan, who trailed by 0-3 to 1-4 at the interval.
Scores from Keith Gorry and Fox brought the margin down to two points early in the second half, but that was as close as Kilbeggan came and they eventually succumbed to a three-point defeat.
Kilbeggan bounced back in the best possible fashion with a stunning 2-14 to 2-8 victory over Ballynacargy. Frank Mescall's charges, who had hammered Kilbeggan by 24 points in the previous year's quarter-final, were fully expected to record their second win of the campaign, but Kilbeggan had other ideas and, inspired by their youthful midfield partnership of David Keenan and Jason O'Neill, ran out deserving winners.
A brace of goals from county player Willie Murtagh had Ballynacargy 2-5 to 0-8 ahead at half-time, but a 39th minute goal from Keenan turned the game on its head. That score brought Kilbeggan level and they had opened up a 1-13 to 2-7 lead before Emmett Dalton made the victory safe when he robbed Ballynacargy full back Timmy Mescall and scrambled home his side's second goal five minutes from the end.
The maroon and whites staged another fine second half recovery to edge out Moate All-Whites by 1-7 to 0-9 in their third outing at Lakepoint Park. The signs looked ominous for Nigel Dunne's men at the interval when they trailed by 0-3 to 0-8, but within eight minutes of the restart, they were back on level terms thanks to points from Mick Fox and Kevin Smith, and another Emmett Dalton goal.
Further points from Simon O'Neill and Keith Gorry pushed Kilbeggan two clear before Eoghan Dalton replied with Moate's only score of the second half in the dying moments. But it was not enough to save them from a narrow defeat.
A place in the knockout stages was now well within Kilbeggan's grasp, but they let it slip with defeats to Milltownpass and Tang in their remaining group matches. On the August Bank Holiday Monday at Castletown-Geoghegan, they looked to have Milltownpass beaten, only to concede a late 1-2.
Kilbeggan appeared safe when Simon O'Neill's point three minutes from time put them three clear, but a storming finish from Milltownpass, which saw Shane Donoghue's all-important goal sandwiched between points from Andy Devine and Cian Reilly, condemned the Shamrocks to a 0-7 to 1-6 defeat.
The manner of the loss had a demoralising effect on Kilbeggan who crashed to a heavy 1-7 to 1-17 defeat to Tang in their final outing of the season. A fisted goal by former county star Paul Conway in the 21st minute eased Tang into a 1-7 to 0-4 interval lead, and it got a lot worse for Kilbggan in the second half who would have lost by more but for Mick Fox's late consolation goal.
Kilbeggan have turned to former Longford midfielder Philip Kiernan, who played out the final years of his long career with the Shamrocks, in a bid to revive their fortunes this year. The retired garda is no stranger to the manager's role, though when he was last at the helm, he was still playing.
"2009 was a poor year but, as I've already said, we've got to move on. Philip wants to do well with us and hopefully everyone will put in the effort for him," Maloney says.
"He managed us before, was a selector under Joe Giles a few years ago and was also involved with the underage. He knows what the younger lads are capable of and will be eager to develop them further. We're in the middle of a rebuilding process, so a certain amount of time and patience will be needed.
"Having said that, our goal will be to reach the quarter-finals at the very least. We have to be aiming for the knockout stages."
'Puddie', who was recently elected onto the club committee, welcomes the election of Ken Scally as chairman. The 31-year-old takes over from the Mal Keenan, who served two years in the position.
"I'm delighted to see Ken in as chairman. He's a young, enthusiastic fella who will bring fresh ideas to the club. I know he's keen to carry out improvements to the pitch and clubhouse, and I wish him the best of luck with that."
On March 7 last in Locke's Distillery, Kilbeggan honoured the players (both deceased and surviving) who achieved a unique junior football and hurling championship double in 1959. It's hoped the club's current crop of players will be able to create their own piece of history in the season ahead. Tweet
