This year Drumconrath GFC will celebrate the 25th Anniversary of their last adult championship win. Fellow parishioners Meath Hill were defeated 1-10 to 0-10 in an action packed 1996 Meath JFC Final at Pairc Tailteann.

Both clubs had inter county players as managers. Monaghan All Star Nudie Hughes was in charge of the Blue side of the parish while former Louth footballer Peter Fitzpatrick held the Reds reigns.

Drumconrath defeated Simonstown Gaels, St Pauls, Ratoath, Dunboyne, Bellewstown and Skryne to reach the semi final.

The Drums easily overcame Baconstown to reach to decider while their neighbours Meath Hill defeated favourites Drumree after a replay to set up a mouth watering final.

The dream final had become a reality. The parishioners of Drumconrath Meath Hill could scarcely believe it. Followers of club football throughout the county could scarcely believe it and Meath County Board officials also rubbed their hands with glee. North Meath was agog with excitement, the rest of the county wasn’t far behind. And the talk and the anticipation was not restricted by the county boundaries. In Kingscourt Co. Cavan the most regular question was: are you going up to Navan on Sunday? It was a similar story in Magheracloone, Killany and Carrickmacross in Monaghan and enthusiasts from Ardee, Mountrush and Reaghstown in Co. Louth were also heading to Pairc Tailteann.

The atmosphere in the parish was quite amazing. The village of Drumconrath was a mass of red and white. Out in the country, heading for Carrickmacross it was blue and white.

The big day finally arrived. With both sets of supporters travelling along the same route it was inevitable that there would be delays. Few envisaged a tailback almost to Navan Racecourse two miles from the outskirts of the town.

Meath JFC winners 1996. Front l-r: Wesley Byrne, Ollie McMahon, Paul Carey, Kevin Flanagan, Shane Durnin, Cathal Byrne, Peter O'Halloran. Back l-r: Shane Byrne, Derek Flanagan, Wayne Reilly, Peter McMahon, Stephen Byrne, James Hickey, Patrick Reilly, Pauric McMahon

The supporters all knew each other. One of the Meath Hill players lived opposite the Drumconrath pitch. The Drumconrath team that won the championship in 1963 was captained by Mickey Crosby who later played with Meath Hill and whose brother Gerry is a leading Meath Hill official. When Drumconrath won the Junior. Championship in 1928, Meath Hill’s most famous footballer Matt Nulty was a key figure in their success.

In the match programme there were photographs of opposing players when they were team mates at under age level. Patrick Reilly and Lee Breslin were opposing midfielders - they stood shoulder to shoulder in the underage photographs - the same as Shane Byrne and John Owens, the same as Peter McMahon, John Callaghan and David Crosby.

Drumconrath raced out of the blocks and with Shane Byrne in fine form they opened up a 0-4 to 0-1 lead after 18 minutes.

On the odd occasions that a player went down injured, he was attended to by Dr. Gerry Cummins, a former chairman of Drumconrath, but it was all the same to Gerry if a player was injured, Meath Hill or Drumconrath. 

The Drums playing with the wind led 0-6 to 0-3 at the break.

Tom Matthews and Martin Breslin gave Meath Hill a foothold in the middle of the park in the second half and brought their team back in to the game. David Crosby levelled matters with 15 to go but then Drumconrath struck for the decisive score, a Seamus Hickey goal with ten minutes to go. Peter McMahon’s point in the last minute settled the issue and Drumconrath were crowned champions.

It had been a splendid advertisement for Junior football in the Royal County.. More importantly it was an occasion of outstanding sportsmanship. Broken hearted though they were, the Meath Hill players were first to congratulate the winners and politely remained on the field and applauded the presentation to Drumconrath captain Shane Durnin.

The real GAA was alive and well in Pairc Tailteann on the first Sunday in November.

Rewind to August 25th the same year and the two clubs amalgamated to win the Minor Football League Division 3 final also at Pairc Tailteann. Leighton Irwin and Wayne Reilly dominated in the middle of the park and Drumconrath/Meath Hill led Athboy at the break 1-11 to 1-2. With ten minutes to go the combination side held a nine point lead. 

Drumconrath Meath Hill failed to score for the remainder of the game and in the end hung on to win 1-15 to 3-7. Their line out that day was M. McKenna, C. Byrne, J. McDermott, A. Hickey, P. Owens, K. Carolan, L. Irwin 0-2, W. Reilly 0-2, B. Kieran, N. Griffin 0-2, W. Byrne 0-2, R. Owens 1-4, P. Kieran 0-3. Sub: W. Sherlock

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