st malachys designed_Layout 1 27/03/2014 15:43 Page 2
The Intermediate Football champions, front l/r: Mick Heeney, Niall Gunning, Sean Whelan, Eamonn Og Clarke, Johnny Bermingham, Adam Kerroum, David Lynch, Conor Keegan, Darren Ruane, Neal Kirby, Robert Burge, Sean Fallon, Joe Clarke, Shane Clavin, Kieran Glennon. Back: Mark McDermott, Jordy Cassidy, Alan Mangan, Eddie Bouabbse, Dean McDermott, Alo Geoghegan, Gary Jackson, Johnny Tuite, Paddy Maloney, Luke Cassidy, Liam Varley, David Langan, Sean Mullarkey, Stephen Fagan, Alan Kincaid, Niall O Brien, David Sheahan, David Lynam
trained over 1,200 sports people in all sporting activities over the last six years. Field sports are my speciality.” Some of the roles that Peter has held down through the years include Head Coach of Mullingar RFC, Westmeath senior hurling team trainer, manager of UCD O'Connor Cup Team. Specialist set piece rugby coach and forwards rugby coach as well as specialist front row coach. “When we started off in November, we had 30 lads out training and gradually the players bought into what we were trying to achieve,” added Peter. St Malachy’s went in to the competitive campaign in top form and confidence was high as their league form would reflect as they went on a winning streak. Then the first round of the
championship came and Shandonagh provided the opposition. Leahy’s charges were firm favourites to get off to a winning start, but it was not to be the case on the day as they received a shock when the sky blues recorded a 1-11 to 0-12 victory. “We had started the league very well, but I think the Shandonagh match was the making of our lads. It really brought it home to them that if they were going to achieve their goal of winning the championship that they were going to have to work even harder.” Their next outing saw them play a Tubberclair side that are always thereabouts at the business end of the campaign, so a stiff test was expected, but St Malachy’s had certainly learned from their opening round defeat and they recorded a 0-15 to 0-08 win. “I definitely feel that this was their
best performance of the championship, they really hit top form and everything went right on the day. We knew we had to win and the players showed great determination.” With the campaign up and running, the Castletown-Geoghegan based outfit were brimming with confidence as they tore Ballymore to shreds in a 4-12 to 0-08 win. Everything seemed to be going smoothly and already one eye was on a place in the knockout stages. Nonetheless, the performance against Ballynacargy in August brought everything crashing back to earth with an almighty thump as Leahy’s troops suffered a 4-11 to 1-08 loss. Peter revealed that there was many questions asked after this defeat. “We found out that some of the lads weren’t properly prepared for the
St. Malachys/Ballinagore U16 Division 2 Championship winners, front l/r: Brendan Heeney, Stephen Clarke, Ciaran O'Brien, Brian Pidgeon, Paddy Doody, Naoise McKenna, Paul O'Sullivan, Eoin Mullarkey, Shane Meehan, Fiachra Heeney. Back: William Hayes, Conor Kane, Cormac Deegan, Padraig Kincaid (Captain), Joseph Fagan, James Murphy, James Bermingham, Ben Glennon, David Boyne, Michael Creegan, Cathal Clarke
209