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Hill by 2
Junior Football Championship
Round 1
In Pairc Tailteann
Meath Hill 1-9 Drumconrath 1-7
Drumconrath's Terry Skelly with Damien Turley Meath Hill during the opening round of the Meath JFC at Pairc Tailteann
It was billed as the biggest game of the 1st round of the Meath Football Championships and this game lived up to that billing as both Clubs brought the best atmosphere to Head Quarters with great colour and a sizeable partisan crowd for this Junior Football Championship game.
Typical Junior football seems to bring more excitement than most and those who stayed for the Senior game that followed definitely noticed a game which was a notch or two down in passion.
A Meath Hill goal scored after just 24 seconds was in essence the difference when the hour was up as straight from the throw in Damien Ginnity found Jason Yorke and his long ball caught the Drumconrath defence a bit static as Ian Malone won the ball turned inside and his trusty left foot found the Drumconrath net.
Meath Hill poured forward in the early minutes and seemed content to shoot on sight and therefore clocked up a number of wides. Drumconrath stemmed the tide and got more into the game and when Terry Skelly found Conor O’Halloran with a great ball and Alan Byrne got Drums off the mark with the resulting free after 6 minutes.
Drumconrath had the best of the next 15 minutes as Skelly and Stephan Crosby began to dominate and early in that time both these players combined to set Christopher Tighe put and he beat Dominic Yorke with a fine shot and everyone knew it was game on.
Skelly fired over a fine point to put Drumconrath two up after 12 minutes and during this time a Drums missed a number of scoreable free’s something which was to come back to haunt them as the game progressed. Malone got Meath Hill’s 1st score in 21 minutes when he pointed after James Mooney was fouled and on 27 minutes Jason Yorke fisted over to level the game.
Great work from Skelly forced a 45 and he fired that kick over as the half time whistle to leave Drumconrath a point to the good 1-3 to 1-2 at the break.
Meath Hill started the 2nd half much like the 1st and Yorke scored a fine point after 31 seconds to level the game. Within a minute young Meath Hill star Mooney scored with a left footed shot from 30 metres.
Terry Skelly knocked over another point after 36 minutes as both sides looked for the spark to give them the edge. Tommy Rooney had come more into the game at midfield and after the next 5 minutes 3 different Meath Hill players got on the scoreboard which set them up for victory. Pierce McGrath and Barry Kieran pointed and then Chris Yorke finally got his eye in on frees when he pointed from 35 metres to give the Hill a 3 point lead with 15 minutes to go 1-7 to 1-4.
Robert McEntaggart pointed after a good run and Skelly playing a real captain’s part left Down Inter County player Damien Turley in his wake as he fired over a great point to narrow to gap to a single point again. Ian Malone pushed Meath Hill 2 up on 47 minutes but Alan Byrne pointed a free to narrow the gap again.
Malone showed a great turn off pace to get the last score of the game on with 6 minutes left and while Drumconrath with Crosby again to the fore pushed hard for scores the closest the Reds got was when a Christopher Tighe point attempt dropped short and Dominic Yorke in the Meath Hill goals under pressure from Byrne misjudged the ball and for a second a goal looked on but the bounce went right for the Hill and the danger was cleared.
Terry Skelly, Stephan Crosby did everything they could to gain victory for Drumconrath and they got great support from Thomas Carolan, Aiden Tighe and Robert McEntaggart, while Ian Malones scores where vital for Meath Hill who also had fine games from Conor Marry, Simon Martin, Tommy Rooney and James Mooney who in most people opinion was the best player Meath Hill had on show.
Drumconrath now have another local derby in Round 2 as Kilmainhamwood are next up in Round 2 next month, while Meath Hill take on Seneschalstown.
Drumconrath; Sean Kane; John Lynch, Thomas Carolan, Cathal Dunne; Patrick Dunne, Aiden Tighe, Peter Tighe; Tomas Conlon, Stephan Crosby; Alan Byrne (0-2), Terry Skelly (0-4), Conor O’Halloran; Robert McEntaggart (0-1), Christopher Tighe (1-0), Daniel Byrne. Subs; Damien Glass for Lynch, Jamie Myles for C Tighe, Tighe for O’Halloran and Patrick Farrelly for D Byrne.
About Drumconrath GFC
Drumconrath GFC (Naomh Peadair Droim Conrach CLG) is a Junior Gaelic Football club hailing from Meath’s most northerly village of the same name. We were 1st formed in 1886 and for the most part have a continued history from then. The club did disband a few times over the years due to lack of numbers and there were a few short amalgamations with our Parish brethren Meath Hill over the 128 years since 1st documented evidence that Gaelic Football was played in our Parish.
At underage we amalgamate with Meath Hill and play under the Parish rule which is still steadfast in Meath. We affiliate under the name of Drumconrath/Meath Hill. The ages that represent the club a Under 8,10,12,13,14,15 & 16. In recent years we have also joined with Kilmainhamwood at Under 17 & 18 and compete as North Meath Gaels. Also in 2014 for the 1st time we have combined with Meath Hill to play Under 21 Football.
Drumconrath GFC field 2 adult teams in Meath Championship and Leagues playing at Junior A and Junior D grades and In the All County A League Division 3 and the All County B League Division 5 and our home is Pairc Naomh Peadair on the Slane Road out of our Village.
Drumconrath have won 3 Junior Football Championships in 1928, 1963 and 1996. The A League Division 3 was also won in 1996 with Division 4 & 5 League titles won in 1987 and 1994. A B League Division was won in 2000.
The club made the Intermediate Football Championship Final in 2006 only to lose by a single point to Rathkenny and that same year the League Final seen the same two clubs fight it out with Rathkenny again emerging victorious by another 1 point margin this time after extra time
1996 is fondly remembered as one of the best years in our Club when the League and Championship double was secured captained by Shay Durnin.
1996 REVISITED (Memories of the Showgrounds 1996)
Back in Nineteen Ninety Six,
On a bright November Day,
Two team, one Red & one of Blue,
To the Showgrounds made their way,
The Supporters came in crowds,
From the very North of Meath,
Where the colour of your jersey,
Is more important than your creed.
Drumconrath were the favourites,
The underdogs Meath Hill
On this unique occassion,
Such excitement, such a trill,
Pictures were abound,
Of underage teams of yore
Players stood shoulder to shoulder
But today an end to lore.
The crowds from County Meath did come
in buses, cars and vans
As also did our neighbours
From Cavan, Louth and Monaghan.
They heard of how the blood did spill
In matches over keen
But no card none Red or Yellow
Was in this great Final seen.
The match was in the balance
Throughout the whole game
'Till young James from Summerhill
Made history of his name,
It started from a free
Took by Ollie on the ball,
Pete took up the running
And passed it onto Paul
A hop and a solo
And on it goes to Jim
He placed the ball so perfectly
And gauranteed our Win.
Our heros down in history
We never can forget
Stephan he stood tall and strong
He gaurded our net.
Cathal, young and what a star
With Kevin never slow
And Hogsie shouting orders
To keep them all in tow.
Derek held the dangerman
Ollie was a vital joint
And Shots who never will
Let us forget his wonder point.
Paddy was the Legend,
With Hickey by his side,
Those two did trojan work,
To hold back the Blue tide.
Wayne was doing super work
Shane was anothe star
With Pete involved in every score,
Boylan called him to the bar
Paudie was a star all year
Wesley is forever Red
Shay Durnin raised two while flags
And the Cup above his head.
We all remember Fitzer
How he brought along his cone
Noel and Seamus did selection
They where never off the phone
Martin and Peter held the reins that year
Our Committee all about
Remembering too as we always do
The past players who missed out.
Every member of the panel
Including Leighton the sub
Are poudly in the picture
That hangs in Dempsey's Pub.
Our taughts go back to Meath Hill
And the gallant part they played
In that unique Junior Final
In Pairc Tailteann on that Day
Club Officers
| Presidents: | Fr Eamon Butler, Fr Finian Connaughton, Gerald Mcardle, Nicky Callan and Pat Dempsey. |
| Chairman: | Paul Carey |
| Vice Chairperson: | Mark Reilly |
| Secretary: | Joanna Duff |
| Assistant Secretary: | Mícheál Og Ó Gallachóir |
| Treasurer: | Mary O'Neill |
| Assistant Treasurer: | Eileen Weldon |
| PRO: | Helen Byrne |
| Insurance Officer: | Kevin Flanagan |
| Sean Gael Officer/Community Liaison Officer: | Attracta Ward |
| Children's Officer: | Lenore McGahan |
| Membership Officers: | Damien Glass |
| Culture & Scór Officer: | Micheál Og Ó Gallachóir |
| School Liaison Officer: | Shay Durnin |
| IT Officer; | Cathal Reilly |
| Health and Wellbeing Officer Joanna Duff | |
| Committee: | |
| The Club Committee are made up of the Above plus Shane Byrne, Loretta O'Halloran, Martin McCullagh, Paddy Duff, Thomas Dardis, Seamus Dardis, Michael Gallagher, Stephan McKenna, Sean Dunne, Aine O'Neill,Pete McMahon, Sean Reilly, Stephan Lynch, Pat McGahan, Peter OHalloran and Leighton Irwin. | |
