Down Drumraney way, the long wait continues. Maryland were viewed as the team everyone had to beat in last year's intermediate football championship, but they succumbed to Shandonagh in the semi-final. Damien Maher spoke to club P.R.O. Danny Connaughton about their year. It's 28 years now since Maryland won the intermediate title, but with the influx of quality young players from minor and under 21 level, one gets the feeling that the breakthrough can't be far away. In the last two years they've lost in the final and semi-final, so finally getting their hands on the Peter Geraghty Cup seems like logical progression. In 2007, the Drumraney men, under the guidance of Tommy McCormack, finished in second place in Division 2 of the championship and made the quarter finals. However, they struggled to reproduce their best form in the knock-out stages and, after stuttering past the challenge of Kilbeggan Shamrocks in quarter finals, they bowed out in the last four where Shandonagh recorded a 10-point victory. Naturally, they'll be seeking to improve on that particular display this year, but Maryland remain one of the strongest teams in the intermediate grade. Former Athlone IT, Athlone and Mayo Ladies football manager, Finbar Egan, takes over the reins from McCormack this year and he'll be looking to build on the promise of recent seasons. "Finbar was interested in getting involved, which is great. He knows the young players who are coming through and has a good knowledge of the club in general," said P.R.O Danny Connaughton, adding that the real aim is to erase the bad memories of last year's semi-final collapse against Shandonagh. "Naturally you have to perform on the day, but we would be very disappointed with how we bowed out last year," he remarked. Competing in Division 2 of the Intermediate Football Championship, Maryland kicked off their campaign when they took on Ballynacargy at Hogan Park, Moate, in May. In what was a classic encounter between two clubs who had produced much drama in the past, Maryland came from seven points down to record a three-point victory, 3-12 to 2-12. At half time, Ballynacargy enjoyed a five-point lead (1-9 to 1-4) after Anthony Reynolds goaled for Maryland. Second half goals from John Reilly and Joe Harte dragged Maryland back into a game they looked in real danger of losing and the manner o this victory suggested a promising summer was in store. In the second round, Maryland made the trip to Springfield, Mullingar, to take on Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall. In a game that seldom reached the high standards of their first round win, Maryland proved too strong and recorded an eight points victory (2-11 to 1-6) to keep them in poll position. Maryland led by 1-6 to 1-1 at half time, following a Richie Browne goal, and when substitute, James Reynolds, netted in the second half, the Drumraney men were on their way to a decisive victory. Maryland's only defeat in the group stages came on June 24th, when they lost to Ballinagore at Cusack Park in round three. Maryland led by one point at the interval, 0-4 to 0-3, but could manage just two points in a bitterly disappointing second half display. The concession of a 38th minute goal proved their undoing as Ballinagore recorded a 1-6 to 0-6 victory. One month later, Maryland took on Milltownpass in the fourth round at Castletown Geoghegan. In what was a strange game, Maryland enjoyed just a two-point lead at half time (0-5 to 1-2), having led by five points to nil until late in the opening half hour. When Richie Brown bagged a second half goal, Tommy McCormack's men were well on the way to victory and, in the end, had seven points to spare over their mediocre opponents (1-12 to 1-5). A few weeks' later it was back to the popular Tang venue to take on neighbours, Ballymore. In what proved one of Maryland's best displays of the championship, they completely overwhelmed their rivals to win with an impressive 15 points to spare on a 0-17 to 0-2 scoreline. Maryland were well on their way at half time when leading by 0-7 to 0-1 and they added a further 10 points in the second half to cruise through to the quarter finals. There, Maryland faced a Kilbeggan Shamrocks side that had struggled against Shandonagh. The Drumraney outfit was expected to win handsomely, but had just a solitary point to spare over the Maroons at the final whistle, 2-5 to 1-7. Indeed, it took a late Tom Browne goal to ensure the narrowest of wins for Maryland, who looked set to exit the championship when they trailed by a point as the game ticked into injury time. Victory set up Maryland for a meeting with Shandonagh in the last four, late in September at Cusack Park. In what was a bitterly disappointing display by Maryland, they crashed to a 10-pont defeat (2-13 to 1-6) and their dreams of an intermediate title were firmly dashed. Maryland were six points down at half time (1-10 to 1-4) and despite Eoin Farrell's goal, never really showed the kind of form that had take them so agonisingly close to the title in previous years. "We're certainly not as bad as that performance, but you have to produce it on the day. The intermediate championship is very competitive and you have to be at your best," commented Connaughton. For Maryland the year has already began in earnest. They are involved in the Celebratory Bainisteoir Challenge, with Fianna Fail TD, Mary O'Rourke managing them as they take on teams from counties such as Wicklow, Dublin, Derry, Cork and Limerick. The idea is that a celebratory trains intermediate teams and looks after them on the day of the game. "We are playing a Ballymanus from Wicklow in the first round. We were just nominated for it because we reached last year's semi-final got to the final the previous year. It's good in that it gives you a game without having to look for a challenge and, of course, there's 10,000 euro worth of club gear for the winning club," explained Connaughton. Underage Success At underage level, Maryland were once again joined with neighbours Tang. It proved another good year, with the under 14 side reaching the semi-finals of the league and championship, while the under 16s got to both league and championship finals. At minor level Mullingar Shamrocks beat them in the semi-final and they won the Division 2 league final when defeating Athlone. That represents a fine achievement for Maryland/Tang and proves players are filtering through nicely. In the under 16 championship final, Maryland/Tang were defeated by Coralstown/Kinnegad on a 4-11 to 2-7 scoreline, with the Maryland/Tang goals coming from Callum McCormack and Trevor English. They started well with English's superb goal giving them an early platform, but at half time it was 2-6 to 1-2 in Kinnegad's favour and, with wind advantage in the second half, they pushed on for victory. Elsewhere, in the under 16 league final in November, Maryland/Tang were defeated by Caulry. "It wasn_t a bad year at underage level by any means. We lost finals, but it's all about improving and we succeeded in doing that. This year's under 16 team lost in three finals at under 14 level. This year's minor team is good and we will be hoping for success there. "There are four lads involved with the county minors - Trevor and Ronan Farrell, Callum McCormack and Kieran Martin - and that augurs well," remarked Connaughton. Tweet

Most Read Stories