Brilliant Bunbrosna ended a 35-year wait for intermediate football championship honours last November when they defeated Maryland after a replay. And after losing the 2004 final to St. Mary's, the victory was a source of immense satisfaction for their supporters who are eagerly looking forward to Bun's participation in this year's senior championship. Bunbrosna's rise through the ranks of Westmeath football continued apace in 2006 when the Longford-border club beat all-comers to be crowned intermediate champions for only the second time in their history. A four-point win over Maryland after a replay in the county final crowned a memorable year for one of the county's most progressive clubs. Their success wasn't a surprise as since winning the junior championship in 2001, Bun had been touted as a team that would join the senior ranks before too long. There was huge disappointment in 2004 when they paid the price for a sluggish start against St. Mary's, Rochfortbridge in the intermediate final, but memories of that defeat were well and truly forgotten about when joint-captains Cormac McCormack and Noel Kiernan mounted the steps of the Cusack Park stand to raise the Peter Geraghty Memorial Cup in triumph. Bun were worthy champions, being the only team to go through the championship unbeaten. Indeed, the only game they failed to win was the drawn final against Maryland. But they were clearly the better team in the replay and now have their sights set on making a similar impact to 2005 intermediate winners Killucan in the senior grade. Bun's achievement was all the more commendable given the fact that they carried the favourites' tag all year. And for the most part, they justified their favouritism with only Shandonagh providing them with a serious test en route to the county final. Managed once again by Edgeworthstown man John Smyth, Bunbrosna opened their campaign with a 1-11 to 0-7 victory over Moate All-Whites in late April. Without playing particularly well, the blue and whites were never troubled after Padraig Tighe's first half goal helped them to a 1-6 to 0-4 lead at the interval. Moate scored three unanswered points after the restart to haul themselves back into contention, but Bun finished the stronger with points from Fintan Finnan, Finian Newman, Aidan Finnan and Peter Tormey easing them over the finishing line. Against Ballinagore in their second outing, the north county outfit were once again slightly below par but still came out on the right side of a 0-14 to 0-9 victory. The first half was an evenly contested affair with Bun only nudging ahead before the break thanks to a Padraig Walsh point. Following the resumption, Bunbrosna extended their advantage with points from Brian Maguire and Peter Tormey before goalkeeper Enda Murphy came to their rescue when denying Eoin Miller a certain goal. Ballinagore remained in the hunt until the final quarter when further points from Tormey, Ray Carolan and full back Cormac McCormack finally put daylight between the sides. Old rivals Shandonagh provided Bun with their toughest game of the group stage. The blue and whites had to show real mettle to get the better of Tommy Carr's charges by 0-10 to 0-8. The first half was a mundane affair with both sides guilty of missing a lot of chances. The sides were level on 0-2 apiece after 30 minutes, but Bun then registered three points in quick succession to lead by 0-5 to 0-2 at half-time. Shandonagh were back to within a point after just three minutes of the second half thanks to an Alan Hickey brace and they gained parity through Danny Foster with 10 minutes remaining. But once the hard questions were asked of John Smyth's team, they came up with the answers. Peter Tormey kicked them back in front before Ciaran Brennan fisted another point. Noel Kiernan put three between the sides and despite conceding a late point to substitute Tommy Brennan, Bun held on for a deserved win. Bunbrosna could afford the luxury of eight first half wides and still comfortably chalk up their fourth straight victory at Ballynacargy's expense. Finian Newman opened the scoring inside the first 30 seconds and Bun went on to lead by 1-4 to 0-1 at break with Padraig Tighe scoring their goal from the penalty spot after Noel Kiernan was taken down. The game was over as a contest within 25 seconds of the restart when Tighe latched onto a pass from Fintan Finnan before crashing home his second goal. Ballynacargy, who lost to Killucan in the replayed 2005 final, could offer no response as Bunbrosna coasted to a 2-9 to 0-4 victory. John Smyth's charges sealed their place in the semi-finals with an emphatic 7-14 to 0-6 victory over St. Joseph's in their final group match at Castletown-Geoghegan. In a game which the Streamstown/Horseleap outfit had to win to avoid relegation back to the junior ranks, they got off to the worst possible start when Finian Newman and Peter Tormey combined to release Ciaran Brennan for the opening goal inside 90 seconds. Former county goalkeeper Aidan Lennon replied with a pointed free for St. Joseph's, but they never posed a threat after Peter Tormey grabbed Bun's second goal in the 14th minute. Further majors from Brennan and Tormey left the blue and whites sitting pretty on a 4-4 to 0-4 interval lead. The play was even more lop-sided in the second half with the likes of Tormey, Padraig Tighe and Brennan doing as they pleased. Tighe helped himself to 2-4, while former county minor Brennan completed his hat-trick before the end. Bun renewed their rivalry with Moate All-Whites in an eagerly-awaited semi-final at Cusack Park. Moate were confident of avenging their first round defeat to the same opposition and they took an early lead through Conor Hynes. But with Aidan Finnan exerting dominance at midfield, Bun soon took a firm grip on proceedings and had opened up a 0-7 to 0-2 lead by the 25th minute. Moate replied with scores from Lar Gillivan and Mark Ennis before Kieran Brennan made it 0-8 to 0-4 at the break. Faster and slicker, Bun put the result beyond doubt 13 minutes into the second half when Fintan Finnan's goal made it 1-9 to 0-4. Bun added five more points in the closing stages to run out impressive 1-14 to 0-6 winners. Bunbrosna's opponents in the final were Maryland, a team that had improved with each game and had eliminated John Smyth's men from the 2005 championship. They were viewed as dangerous opposition, especially as Bun were strongly fancied to capture their first title since 1971. The favourites, playing in their changed red strip, made a flying start when Peter Tormey clipped over the opening point inside 90 seconds. They went four points clear in the fifth minute when Tormey, under pressure, flicked the ball to Padraig Tighe who first-timed the ball to the back of the Maryland net. Maryland, however, refused to be rattled and unanswered points from David Martin (three), John Reilly and Ronan Moran gave them a 0-5 to 1-1 lead. Andrew Whitney equalized for Bun, only for Reilly to restore the Drumraney's side slender advantage. Then, in injury-time, Noel Kiernan pointed to leave it all square, 1-3 to 0-6, at half-time. Points from Tormey and Tighe put Bun back in front after the restart and the margin was still the same entering the final quarter. David Martin landed two frees to bring Maryland level again before Tormey edged Bunbrosna back in front. But a late free from Martin ensured that Maryland lived to fight another day, the final score being 1-7 to 0-10. Both teams returned to Cusack Park a week later and this time Bunbrosna made no mistake to emerge as 0-12 to 0-8 winners. Martin gave Maryland an early lead before Peter Tormey equalized in the seventh minute. Bun then opened up a 0-4 to 0-1 advantage thanks to points from Padraig Walsh, Tormey and Fintan Finnan. Maryland were dealt a major blow in the 21st minute when midfielder Declan Nugent was sent off on a second yellow card and Bun went on to lead by 0-7 to 0-4 at the break with Tormey and Kieran Brennan both finding the mark. Maryland resumed with two points from Martin and David Reynolds to cut the gap to the minimum, but Bunbrosna responded with efforts from Ray Carolan and Fintan Finnan to leave a goal in it. Tom Browne had the margin down to two points with six minutes remaining but Bun were not to be denied as late scores from substitute Brian Maguire, Aidan Finnan and Andrew Whitney sealed the win. "I said before the game we'd tog out an intermediate team and tog in a senior team, and we have," declared a joyous joint-captain Cormac McCormack after he accepted the cup from football board chairman and fellow Bunbrosna man Des Maguire. The Bunbrosna team which triumphed in the IFC final replay was: Enda Murphy; Conor Newman, Cormac McCormack, Ger Brennan; Kevin Tormey, Andrew Whitney, Finian Newman; Aidan Finnan, Padraig Walsh; Peter Tormey, Ray Carolan, Noel Kiernan; Fintan Finnan, Padraig Tighe, Kieran Brennan. Subs used: Brian Maguire and Niall Harte. Bun add league title Bunbrosna completed a league and championship double when they defeated old rivals Shandonagh by 1-7 to 0-4 in the delayed intermediate league final on January 27 last. It was the perfect ending to what was arguably the most successful season in the club's history. While John Smyth's charges were full value for their victory, the outcome would surely have been much closer had Shandonagh converted a penalty midway through the second half when they trailed by just three points. However, Damien McCormack easily saved Andy Fox's weak effort and, within two minutes, JP Reynolds goaled at the other end to end the game as a contest. Playing on their home patch, Bunbrosna established an early two-point lead thanks to efforts from Kevin Tormey and Noel Kiernan. Roy Smyth opened the visitors' account with a point in the seventh minute, but this was soon cancelled out by a Colm McCormack free from 35 metres. Big midfielder Pauric Walsh made it 0-4 to 0-1 on the quarter hour mark, but five minutes later Roy Smyth added his second point to keep Shandonagh in touch. Alan Hickey then reduced the deficit to the minimum before county star David Duffy was unlucky not to equalize with a long-range effort. In the 27th minute, Noel Kiernan lofted over a fine point to give Bunbrosna a 0-5 to 0-3 interval lead. Neither team could manage a score in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, though Brian Maguire did extend Bunbrosna's advantage after 11 minutes. When Conor Newman fouled Alan Hickey in the large parallelogram four minutes later, Shandonagh were presented with the opportunity to equalize, but Damien McCormack saved Andy Fox's penalty. It was the wake-up call Bunbrosna required as two minutes later, JP Reynolds scored the only goal after Fintan Finnan's initial effort was blocked. Finian Newman followed up with a point and the only response Shandonagh could muster was a pointed free from Colin Galligan deep in injury-time. The Bunbrosna team which claimed the intermediate league title was: Damien McCormack; Conor Newman, Cormac McCormack, Darren Geerah; Kevin Tormey, Andrew Whitney, Finian Newman; Aidan Finnan, Pauric Walsh; Simon Maher, Noel Kiernan, Brian Maguire; Colm McCormack, JP Reynolds, Fintan Finnan. Subs used: Tommy Murphy, Johnny McCormack and Ger Brennan. Tweet

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