The next level
April 30, 2011It was a long campaign for the south Westmeath club and there was a genuine fear that it could take its toll on their first campaign back in the senior ranks.
However, they surprised many to come second in their group and set up a meeting with The Downs in the quarter-final. Many would say this was a huge achievement, but the hunger and desire in the club meant that those involved were disappointed to see the run end.
Micheál Fagan stood down as chairman of the club at their recent AGM after four years at the helm and who better to speak to about the club's recent success than this staunch clubman.
It is not the end of his involvement with the club as Micheál is still on the committee, while he is also involved with some of the club's underage teams.
Former secretary Albert Lowry has taken over the mantle as chairman and will lead the club into a new era and Micheál admits that the future is bright in Tubberclair.
"It was been quite a hectic couple of years on the playing front. We achieved our aim of returning to the senior ranks for last year and playing in a Leinster club final was a huge achievement for the club," said Micheál.
The former chairman admits there was a genuine concern over fatigue in the players, and that the situation had to be handed delicately going into the senior championship.
"After the Leinster final, Tom Lennon, who was manager for the past couple of years, gave the lads plenty of time off to recharge the batteries, but it was hard given that the league started only a few weeks after that.
"You could see in their first few outings that the lads were tired and there was a general concern that could affect their performances in the championship. Nonetheless, they were still picking up wins in the league as their fitness levels were still that bit better than other teams.
"I think the lads found it more difficult during the break in the senior championship. Once the county begun, the club campaign was basically put on hold."
Micheál feels that a change in the structure of the championship would benefit clubs as there is a lengthy lay off during the summer when club players are not getting enough competitive games.
"We played two championship games in May and then nothing till July, which is too long. The club player is almost forgotten about during this period and it's hard to keep lads concentrated on the task in hand. The format of the championship is good, but the wait between games has to be addressed in some way."
Like all teams returning to a higher level, Tubberclair's aim was to consolidate their position in the senior grade, although Micheál admitted that they were keen to go as far as they could.
"In fairness, the players set out their targets at the start of the year and the aim was to go as far as they could in the championship, while also get out of division 2 in the league, which they achieved."
The draw for the senior championship didn't worry Tubberclair and all were in agreement that qualification for the knockout stages was a distinct possibility.
"We were delighted with the draw in fairness, it was the weaker of the two groups and we knew that on our day, we could beat any team in it."
Tubberclair faced Killucan, Maryland, Coralstown/Kinnegad, Athlone and St Loman's and to their credit they produced some excellent results to finish with a group standing of played five won three, drew one and lost one, which left them second and qualification for the quarter-finals.
The Downs provided the opposition in the last eight and Micheál suggests that maybe complacency contributed to the narrow defeat to the black and ambers.
"We hadn't met as physical a team as The Downs and the players just didn't know how to handle that. I thought playing in the Leinster championship would have prepared them for the level of physicality that faced them, but it didn't. Maybe, we were looking ahead to the next stage, I'm not sure, but it was disappointing to lose a game that we know we could have won."
That disappointment was soon overshadowed by success in the league and Micheál admits that this was very important to achieve, especially as they were back in the senior ranks.
"One of the goals at the start of the year was to get promotion from division 2, so it was nice to win the league. It is essential to be playing at the highest level; okay teams might not be fielding their strongest sides in the league as the county players are usually missing, but it is still important to be playing at the highest level as it brings players on."
Micheál feels that maybe the element of surprise could have helped them in their first year back in the senior ranks as it does for so many teams in the same situation, but he feels that will not be the case this year.
"It is going to be a tough year for a number of reasons. The element of surprise is certainly gone, and the lads will have to work that bit harder. Emigration could be a problem for us as it is for other clubs. Jeffrey Farrell is gone to the states, while it looks as if Conor Elliott may head off too.
"Come to the summer some of the lads that are in college may decide to head off also, so it is a concern. Tom has left us to become a selector with the Roscommon footballers and Danny Sammon is back with the club.
"All in all we are looking towards a big year and hopefully we can build on the performances in 2010 and maybe even go further in the championship."
Despite being a rural club, numbers are relatively good at underage and success in the division three minor championship bodes well for the future.
"We would field at every level in the underage, numbers may be tight at some of the grades, but all in all it's not too bad. We won the minor division three last year and we'd have most of those lads again this year, so hopefully they can do very well."
With three players - Gary Connaughton, Fergal Wilson and Ian Coffey - currently on the county panel, Micheál admits that it good time for the club.
"It's an honour for the club to have the three lads involved with the county, they are great ambassadors for the club, especially Gary and Fergal, who are idolised by the younger players and this encourages them to keep playing. Despite everything, the future is bright and hopefully 2011 will be a big year for us."
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