ST ULTANS St Ultan’s went for a man with an impressive track record to manage their intermediate football team this year, but at the end of a difficult IFC group campaign which saw them pick up just one point they were thankful that they didn’t have to again face into a battle for survival in the relegation play-offs. By Paul Clarke.
C
avan native Damien Sheridan enjoyed a hugely successful playing career, among the highlights of which was captaining Navan O’Mahonys to their SFC triumph in 1985. On the coaching front his finest achievements were guiding Seneschalstown to their memorable Keegan Cup triumph in 2007, when they beat O’Mahonys in a replayed final, and the regaining of the senior title two years later. It seemed strange this year watching Seneschalstown in action without Sheridan patrolling the sidelines. He was replaced in the Yellow Furze hot seat by former Rathkenny manager Dermot Smith and that left the way open for St Ultan’s to call on the services of the vastly experienced coach. After St Ultan’s won the intermediate title in tremendous style in 2008, beating parish rivals Cortown in the final, they went on to
St Ultans relaunched the Coogan Cup in 2012. Pictured before the final at Martry were, front l/r: Jason Bennett, Dessie Smith, Jim Fitzsimons, Mickie Ball, Sean Bennett, Padraig Travers, Johnny Mulroe. Back: Cian Rennicks, Tony Casserly, David Ball, Tommy Tallon, Denis Lynch, Tomas Coyne, Tom Lynch, Robbie Daly
REBUILDING WORK UNDERWAY fare very commendably in their first year in the SFC. They didn’t manage to emerge from their qualification group to contest the knockout stages, but they went close. Sadly, they are a club which has been severely affected by emigration and by 2010 they were heading back to the intermediate ranks after being relegated. They lost both their matches in the play-offs, firstly to
Simonstown Gaels and then to Oldcastle. Last year proved to be a big struggle as well and they ended up facing the possibility of suffering a further drop down the ranks. However, a team managed by former O’Mahonys and Meath goalkeeper Donal Smyth did enough to survive in the relegation round robin series. They lost narrowly to St Michael’s by
Prior to the JFC C quarter-final clash with Rathkenny at Moynalty, front l/r: Barry Allen, Ronan Breslin, Conor Smith, Emmett Costello, Ciaran Timmons, Tomas Coyne, Pearse Mulvaney, Ger Brennan, Derek O Brien. Back: Jimmy Brennan, Eugene Brady, Barry Brady, Richie Lynagh, Alan Rogers, Tommy Tallon, Sean Herward, Cian Farnan, Denis Lynch, Ronan Galligan, Mark Allen, Jack Murray, Gordon Finnegan. Missing from photo Stephen Quirke, Paddy McLoughlin and Shane Dolan
Log onto www.dlynchpics.com to view more club photos
655