Every now and again a club can boast of a promising underage side, but few can lay claim to a team as talented as Castletown-Geoghegan's All-Ireland Feile winning combination. By Stephen Reilly. Last year, the club's under-14 side won all before them, not only in the county but on a national stage also. Such is the skill level produced by this side that GAA legends like Brian Cody has spoken of his admiration for the side. Success in the Feile na nGael Division II final was obtained with relative ease as the black and ambers saw off the Antrim champions St John's in the final by 0-21 to 0-6. It was an amazing tally by any standard, but given the fact that these lads are all under-14 makes it all the more remarkable. In his first year as secretary of the club, Pat Clarke told Maroon and White about the success achieved, while he also spoke passionately about the loss of two legends of the game in Westmeath, Pat Jackson and Finbarr Clarke. For the past 42 years, Christy Hickey has been secretary of the club, but decided to take a deserved break from his role in 2008, leaving Pat with big shoes to fill. "The amount of work that Christy has done over the years is amazing and no one could begrudge him from taking a year out. In saying that he is still assistant secretary and is there to give me a hand if I need it," said Pat. The 2007 campaign was filled with joy and sadness for the Castletown Geoghegan club. It is one that will live long in the memories for all concerned. "We were all proud of the under-14 team and what they achieved. They won everything from the county feile and championship to the Leinster League and National Feile title, which was remarkable really. "These lads have been together for the last three or four years and have been coached at the highest standard all the way through. There are six or seven really top class hurlers on the team, who would make any team of that grade in the country. "The likes of Niall Kirby, Dean McDermott and Aonghus Clarke are extremely talented hurlers, who have an amazing future in the game," he stressed. Castletown have placed a greater emphasis on their underage structure over the past number of years and it is really beginning to bare fruit in recent campaigns as Pat explains. "Not only have you that under-14 team winning all on front of them team, but a few years back we had a minor three-in-a-row and those lads are now going for the same in the under-21 grade. "Last year the under-16's won the league also, while we are relatively strong at under-12 too. At the moment, we are struggling to field a minor team, but in general the underage is very strong in the club." The untimely deaths of both Pat Jackson and Finbarr Clarke hit the community hard and indeed all GAA followers in the county and further afield were shocked to hear the news. Both men had given a life time's service to the club, but still had much more to offer. Their memories live on through their families and all those who new them. Neither will ever be forgotten and no doubt both will be looking down on all Castletown teams as they search for glory in 2008. "They were stalwarts of the club, legends and their death really knocked every for six. Their deaths really put things into perspective and it proves that hurling is just a game. "Nonetheless, we would have loved nothing more to have gone out and won the championship last year in honour of those two, but I think everyone was shocked and heartbroken, which we still are. Hurling was personally a release from the tragedy and nothing would give us more pleasure than to win the championship this year." Pat has been on the senior team for the past 13 years now and although Castletown are one of the top teams in Westmeath hurling during that period, he has only one senior hurling medal to show for his efforts. "I'd certainly like to win a few more before I'm finished. I've only the one, but we were beaten in three finals, which is hard to accept. We certainly have the players to win more and I think had we luck on our side last year, we could have gone on to win the title." Last year's campaign began with a clash against eventual champions Clonkill and Castletown lost out heavily to the Loughegar outfit by ten points. This meant that they would be plying their trade in the losers' group for the remainder of the campaign with Raharney, Brownstown and Ringtown. First up for the black and ambers were defending champions Raharney and once again Castletown were on the wrong end of the scoreline. Two games and two loses was not the best of starts to the campaign. "We started off very poorly and never really got into any sort of form early on. It looked as if our year would be finished early, but everyone really worked hard after those defeats." A comprehensive win over Brownstown was followed by a comfortable victory over Ringtown, which earned Castletown a place in the quarterfinals, where they once again would meet Clonkill. "Going into the Clonkill match, we were really flying and I was then convinced that we could go all the way and win the championship. Unfortunately, we met the wrong team at the wrong time as we would have beaten anyone else in the county. Clonkill were just reaching their peak at that stage. "In fairness, if we had been more economical on the score board during the first half, we would have had a better chance, but Clonkill pulled away in the second half and look where they ended up." Pat has no doubts that the club can go all the way in 2008 with the players that they have at their disposal. "We will be doing our best anyway. We're back training and have a good relationship with St Malachy's in that respect. The players are there and if everyone gives the proper commitment, there is no reason why we can't win the title." Tweet

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