92 THE KILNADEEMA/LEITRIM UNDER 21 TEAM, WHICH LOST TO AHASCRAGH/FOHENAGH IN THE COUNTY FINAL Back Row, Left to right: Fergal Broderick, Tony Molloy, Niall Haverty, Ian Kennedy, Paul Howard, Keith Callanan, James Conway, Dara Herlihy, Damien Donohue, Cathal King, Conor Fahy, Shane lawless, Niall McGinley, Dara O’Donoghue and Garry Curley. Front row, Left to right: Evan Curley, Martin Costello, Alvin Mitchell, Colin Moran, Mark Kelly, Capt, Michael Donohue, Brian Molloy, Stephen Farrell, Padraic Stapleton, Tommy Mottrom, Noel Farrell and Glen Costello. KILNADEEMA/LEITRIM - A PROMISING YEAR When you look back at how Kilnadeema/Leitrim hurling club performed on the championship fields in 2012 there would be mixed feelings with three county finals contested and a disappointing finish at Intermediate level summing up a promising and exciting year especially at underage level where the club continues to prosper. The year started off with the Under 21 championship and the club were hoping to go one step better than the previous year when they lost out to Cappataggle in the final and had also reached the semi final two years back. Kilnadeema/Leitrim opened the 2012 competition with a hard earned victory over Ballindereen after extra time. Carnmore were no match in the next round. The team were now into the quarter final and found Kilconieron no match either as they won by thirty points. Neighbours Mullagh provided the opposition in the semi final and in a very good game the team ran out winners by five points. The team were now in the final again and had high hopes of at last winning the title only for Ahascragh/Fohenagh to have other ideas and on the day in Loughrea were much better winning 2. 09 to 0. 06 and with it the dreams of success go on for another year. This was a very good campaign for this young side and it should stabilise the Intermediate team in the future which will be badly needed judging by the disappointments of this year. The club appointed former Portumna Coach Jimmy Heverin as Manager for 2012 and hopes were high of a good run in the championship. After a poor start to the season with four defeats in a row in the league, the team put in a great performance in the new format championship with a first round victory over a fancied Ballindereen side in Loughrea 2. 13 to 1. 15 and in doing so had qualified directly for the group stages where they were grouped in the group of hell with Cappataggle, Mellick/Eyrecoart and Killimordaly. The two qualifiers out of this group would have a big say in the later stages of the championship as we discovered later with Killimordaly winning the competition. Kilnadeema/Leitrim lost out to Mellick/Eyrecoart 3. 10 to 1. 12 in the opening round before putting in a great performance to record a super victory over Killimordaly by 1. 19 to 1. 13. It was winner takes all in the last game and Cappataggle proved too strong on the day winning 2. 16 to 0. 12. This was a very disappointing end to a poor year overall for this group of players who really should be up there with the very best in Intermediate. With disappointing performances also by both Junior sides it was left to the Juvenile teams and Minor team to light up championship in 2012. Kilnadeema/Leitrim’s greatest success at underage level arrived only three years previous when the Under 14 team won the Féile Na nGeal title and there was high hopes of going very close to the same again this year with another very promising side and they did not disappoint as they qualified with relative ease for the final after victories over Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry, Oranmore/ Maree, Tommy Larkins, Ballinasloe and Killimor. As it turned out Clarenbridge were an exceptional side in 2012 and they won the final 2. 13 to 0. 04. The score line did not really reflect how well the side had played. Clarenbridge went all the way to the All Ireland Féile final only losing out in extra time. As with the Féile competition Clarenbridge were the team to beat again in the championship and Kilnadeema/Leitrim were hoping to be there with them again and they were as they defeated Killimor, Castlegar, Loughrea, Mountbellow/Moylough, Craughwell and Kilconieron to set up another final in Athenry with Clarenbridge and as with the Féile final the ‘bridge were too strong winning 2. 10 to 0. 05. This was an amazing year in one way for this group of players who were really in the spot light all year and hopely they will have learned from it for the future. While they Under 14 side were doing so well the Minor and Under 16 teams were also going along very well with high hopes of a place in a final. The Minor side did very well to qualify for the quarterfinal with victories over Tommy Larkins, Kilconieron and draws with Cappataggle and Clarenbridge with their only defeat to Loughrea. They meet great rival Turloughmore in the quarterfinal and after a great tussle lost out in a replay by two points when they really should have won the drawn game. Turloughmore subsequently made it all the way to the final. At Under 16 level the team made it to the semi final after victories over Portumna, St Thomas, Tynagh/AbbeyDuniry and Ahascragh/Fohenagh only to come up against a very strong Cappataggle side which went on to win the competition. In summing up the year it was a year when great progress was made with much more needed before the very top level is reached in all competitions. Certainly promotion to senior level is a must. County recognition: Minor, Brian Molloy and Darragh O’Donoghue. Under 16, Liam Kelly, Daniel Mottrom and Stephen Roche. Under 15, Mark lawless, Ciaran Connor and Jack Kenny. Under 14, Dylan Towolowi, Aaron Murray, Stephen Molloy, Evan Dowling and Mikie Lynch. BY JOE KEANE - PRO
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