Having defied the odds and clawed our way past Rathoat in the semi final, news filtered through that we would face Kilskyre in the final on the Sunday after their sister Club Ballinlough had played the Intermediate Football championship final.
They duly won the football and their quest for the Intermediate double was on.On the day of the final I saw some supporters from Kilskyre sporting the logo "The drive for five ".I am not sure what this was about but suspect that their earlier last minute defeat of us by their amalgam with Moylough in the under 21 hurling final may have had something to do with it.
We had two weeks to get ready and if ever I wanted anything I wanted this Championship to come here.Badly.
There were historic and deeply embedded threads of continuity and tradition demandingr victory.
The earliest final we won in hurling was in 1934.The "Gael Fitzsimons " from Tullaghanstown had written a poem to celebrate that victory.I have it somewhere.Would that I could repeat the dose now.
In Ted Dowd and Simon Carty we had direct descendants of the Sharkey Dowd and Nick Carty who starred in that win.
Hurling melted into the ether after that win around Dundery and it was not until the mid 1980's that it was again resurrected here at adult level..
Mickey Daly,Phil Cahill and Ned Howley in the main had powered a hape of talented garsuns into a all conquering force in Meath and they had won all before them in Meath Hurling up to and including the Minor Hurling Championship in 1985.
There was no adult hurling team in Dunderry then and Kilmessan and Trim were licking their lips at the prospect of recruiting our young stars into their hurling set ups.
I joined up with Dunderry GAA Club on arrival to live here on January 1st.1986.A number of hurling men had approached me before the Annual General Meeting that year asking me if I would propose the formation of an adult hurling team .I did and after fierce opposition being expressed from many that it would destroy football the proposal was narrowly carried.
And then the hurling ship was relaunched.
We won the Junie B and Junior A championships in short order and in 1991 won the Intermediate .
I was 35 years old when I moved here and played at full back for both the Junior campaigns.Father time and bad knees had caught up with me by the time the Intermediate came around and my future son in law Terry Mac Donagh had very properly taken my place.I was delighted to be a sub.
My son Evan is full back and Captain today .Daithi Og is corner beside him.Tradition.
Dermot Dempsey was on that adventure.His sons Liam and Connor are on the present team.John Henry on their mother's side played with us then too,Likewise Gerry Doherty's sons Thomas and Bob figure presently .Thomas mac Cormack was on the 1980.s crew when he wasn't working in England ,.His nephew David is on the present crew.Noel ,Thomas's brother is David's father and my first cousin.
In the early 1990's Ned Howley .after a lifetime of service,threw in the towel on his stewardship of the Juveniles and landed a manure bag of hurleys and a few sliotars at my doorstep.
I took up the challenge and started the long slog on the road to hurling Valhalla.Along the journey we had willing help from several true and doughty servants,Unheralded men like Noel Mac Cormack,Michael Mac Cormack,Dessie Fagan ,Jerry Doherty,Tommy Garry,Eileen Bruton,Davy Marree, Bomber Farrell and the late and very respected Father Malachy Lynham .
And George Herterich and Oliver Travers who shyly bought helmets when money was as scarce as hens teeth.(bit like today )
And thanks to the Japanese who invented the Hi and Lo Ace vans ,which lined with square bales of straw, transported numerous players around the County.
We actually had not the numbers to fill legal minor teams when Ted was a minor and conceded walkovers that year but played each match with our Mags,my daughter , .Lettie Rowan and Jaffa Mulligan ,as far as I remember making up the numbers.
I was Sec.of the Juveniles for yonks ,Noel was Treasurer likewise.As devoted a club man as Dessie Fagin you would travel far to find.
All these men and women kept the show on the road for decades winning little except a minor C championship about 13 years ago ,despite appearing in numerous finals through out the decades.
Evan,Davy Mac,Daithi Og,Thomas and Bob Doherty ,Joey Martin, and Kevin and Damian Bruton are the die hard legatees of this era and I take off my hat to them all.
And I regret that emigration,injury ,austerity and factors stemming from these causes and sheer exhaustion have left us short of men such as Keith Callaghan,Ivan Mac Cormack,Darren Callaghan,Razor and Kenny Fagan,Cyril Halton Darren Murtagh.Lee Mulligan,Tosh ,T;J and Alan Garry,Ciaran Mulvenna,Paddy Gorey,Paudge Carroll and a host of others. I know these people and I know they are made of the right stuff.
And the guys on the pitch will not be found deficient in the liathroidi department.
All these thoughts went through my head in the weeks running up to the final.
And I was not alone in my desire for victory .The support for the team and the lads permeated all arteries of the Parrish.The GAA Club as poor as a Church mouse,but with a pavilion to die for and a training pitch bought and paid for ,found the wherewithal to fly the flags,And individual families defied the austerity gloom to sport homemade flags and paint their support on bales of silage and whatever you are having yourself.
And Dot Rattigan went into overdrive baking homemade bread and boiling beef to fill the real butter sandwiches.And Johnnie got arthritis of the left arm screwing the tabletops from the Orange squash bottles to make drinks for the boys after training.
Vinny R,adores hurling.He holds a championship with O Mahony's
And working men and women put it all in for the Team.
And we prayed for the proper result at the Friday rosary.
The day was upon us.I was there bright and early and determined not to talk to strange women.
Dunderry had the biggest support of the four finalists,Easily.And the Trim support cheered us to a man,woman and child.And the tension was unbearable.
And many had tears in their eyes as a result of the guard of honour formed by members of the Dundrry High Nellie Club all the way from the village to the Showgrounds.Francie mac dilis Nailer was on his game.Afterwards he would perpetuate his Father's memoryr with the Scania song and mention of the Nailer's shoe to the pedal as it climbred mont Blanc,
We lined out as follows.
Thomas Doherty
Davy Stephens Evan Stephens Davy Mac Cormack
C,Minogue Conor O Shea Conor Dempsey
Bomber Farrell Liam Dempsey
Davy Gilkinson Jordan Martyn Alex Walsh
John Moran Luke Martin Ted Dowd.
Subs.
Mickey Dowdall.
Garrett Dooley
Stephen Coogan
Brendan Wright
Stefan Clarke
Aaron Feeney
Chris Harrington
Catha Ryan
Joey Martin
Alan Casey,
Kevin Bruron,
Dylan Keenan
Cillian Leonard
Damian Bruton.
Simon Carty
Manager .Ted Dowd,Selectors.Dara Flanagan,Gerry Mac Loughlin and ,Mick Minogue.
Dermot Dempsey started our the year as a selector but the burdens of State service weighed so heavily on his shoulders and his time that he had to relinquish his position.
Damian Bruron was out of action with a recent operation and Brendan Wright was merging from a period of suspension,
The management must have burned the midnight oil often in selecting the team as any combination from at least 20 players would have met approval.
Dara Flanagan ,a Dub.and that is a good thing. was added to the mix at the start of the year and took on the job seeking redemption for plotting our downfall against a combined Drumree /Blackhall selection in the under 21 final two years ago.Boy are we glad he came our way.
His fresh eyes proffered a new insight into our strategies and with Ted on the field he has the final call on switches and replacements.
Referee is Killian Jones from Kilcock.Hardly the home of hurling but he plays in goals for their Intermediate hurlers,so he should have some empathy for the ancient game.In any event as my late uncle Tommy Mac Cormack used say "You don't have to be a bullock to judge one".I judge that on balance he was fair to both sides at the end of the day.
The ball is in the game is on.For the first ten minutes we are the better team marginally.We get two long distance frees and Gilky is put in the frame.He misses and I privately pray that he is not going to shite on the traces,And pray that he holds his nerve.We presumably have alternatives if this happens ?
For all our attacking Kilskyre draw first blood with a point.I am worried.
Then Ted wins a ball he should not in front of where I am sitting in the stand.He shrugs off his man ,takes aim and fires.From his shooting position and angle target there is about a foot of space between the posts to get a minor.Sweet Jesus he gets it bang on.Never did he score a more important point.Hope rises.Omens good.
Then our Alex ,a 17 year old Dunderry Dub ,again draws from his bottomless reservoir of bravery and doggedly and legitimately harasses a much bigger opponent and wins a ball he should not get near and makes a direct line for the onion bag.He falls.he gets up ,he pulls the trigger ,The stand erupts .Goal.
But KIlskyre are made of doughty stuff ,as we well know and pull one back,Gilky gets a decent free and points.This settles him as it subsequently transpires.We are back on track.Johnny Moran is getting the better of his man and crosses a few balls to the edge of the square.He is creating a degree of panic .He follows up on a ball broken by Lukie and finishes to the net.Jubilation.We are buzzing,Sprog has the measure of Shine,Finn is the master of the square,Spongee is fearless the all half backs are at least holding their own and the midfield are as game as could be.But Kilskyre are no daws either,Peadar Byrne,a powerful man ,makes a forceful foray goal wards and offloads at the last minute .It is smacked to the back of the net. Jordan scores a class point and KIlskyre tack on two more to keep in the hunt and the whistle blows to close the first half on the scoreline of 2-3 to their 1-4.
Ted has taken a vow of Trappists silence for the day.I know.I administered the oath.It has been reputed that he sometimes protests too much.There is a view that he is a handy target for line by certain referees who wish to put down markers.
His passion is unquestioned.He is more sinned against than sinning.He is as open as the Bible.Nothing sly about our Ted.Today he is grounded surreptitiously off the ball.In the head and through the helmet.I know because like Saint Thomas I felt the lumps afterwards.
I didn't see it.I was following the play.Neither did the referee nor any of the other officials.
No Dowd ever lay down unless he was hurt.And Ted is a Dowd .His mothers people the Campbeklls from Carnaross don#t do theatricals either.
Anyhow he recovered.
I feel the game is in the lap of the Gods.If we can hold our lead we have a chance ,I pray but feel we should be more ahead.
Kilskyre move Byrne to the forty for the second half.O Shea is a battler and has full confidence in his own ability.We shall see,,They score first.We score second.Then the incident which I believe saved our day.Byrne got possession ,brushed aside all before him and bore down on the goal with only one thing on his mind.Finn went out to meet him and I believe Byrne blinked and pulled the trigger too hastily.The sliotar flied harmlessly wide.Relief all round.Byrne ,by the way was probably Kilskyres most dangerous player and the new Meath management could do worse than incljde him in their plans.Encouraged by this near miss KIlskyre kicked on and a series of frees and scores flowed their way.The force was with them.With ten to go they went a point up.
Our backs .especially Finn and Sprog held their nerve and kept the juices flowing.WE readied the ship and Wright replaced Moran who had clocked upon a good day;s work;
He steadied the ship more and the tide Begin to ebb our way.Gilky scored a vital point from a difficult angle near the sideline at the Pavilion end to level .Lukie came more into it at this vital stage and a frustrated Kilskyre were blown for over exhibitions a further three times before the end of the added three minutes.Gilky put them over with aplomb.
Thea place went maniac.Grown men cried.Women hugged each other with delight.Kids screamed at their heroes as our Finn took the cup thanking everybody he could think of and commiserating with a forlorn and gallant Klskyre.
Toochaid a la .Ach Buiochas le DIa ta ar La tagaithe.
The Parish wept.Winners by 2-9 to 1-9.
Scorers were :Gilky 0-5 .All frees.Lukie 0-1.Bomber 0-1,Moran 1-0.
Jordan 0-1.Alex 1-0Ted 0-1.
The High Nellies led the team into the village on auld Raleighs with The Dunderry Flag and Hurleys taped to the bikes.The lead outriders were the Gonk and the Hatchet,The Lord Mayor met them first and gave the freedom of the Parish.
Very appropriately Dunderry fanatic and wild boy of yester year Frankie the Volks drove the flat backed lorry carrying in the team to a rapturous homecoming.
And the Bondie was lit at the crossroads.A bale of straw and a hape of cardboard.
And the celebrations began.
Then to Lodge at 6.30 for a feed. And some light refreshment.The Club forked up for a main course and a desert and a cup of coffee.
It was appropriate for me at any rate that the auld Bomber was there ,by coincidence.He had done his thing over the years and the young Bomber is a fitting testimony to his stewardship.
And Josie and Denise and Yong Garry spoiled us with kindness and we all got emotional all over again.
And the speeches began.And the Flan man and Mick Minogue ,who took up the juvenile hurling mantle from me about 7 years ago and who has laboured hard and successfully at the hurling coalface and whose efforts resulted in all under twenty two on the team making the grade was cheered to the rafters.And Ted and Finn made their places in Dunderry folklore.And all involved with the team were cg cheered to the rafters.
Then back to hard celebrating in Horans and Geraghtys,
The less said the better.
Except to say that it is no wonder these guys won out.They are genuinely brothers in arms and know how to celebrate,A testerone cluster bomb.
And the ladies surely stand by their men.
Owen Brislane brought a few of his friend from Toom to the Pubs to help us celerity. He played with Meath in 2007 in the Christy Ring and did his bit and more to help prepare us for the victory.Aimee Treacy's father, Offaly's first All Star goalie Damian Martin ,not for the first time .honoured us with his presence and Shane Dooley of the famous clan of that name joined in the celebrations,
Whaco Mc Gourty,a man of his word who led the team to Div,2 League victory two years ago joined in the celebtationd as did Tommy Dowd and wife Geraldine and lovely daughters Mandy and Emma.
They are Dowds by the way and they sang Amhran na Fiann in Horans midweek before being ushered to safety in Gibbstown.
Tommy Shine and Peadar Byrne made their appesarance much to their credit and had a few jocuroms with us.
And there were photographs all over the shop,selfies and families ,including the three living generations of my family who wear or wore the Dunderr jersey,myself the two lads and Pauric ,Finns and Aoife's son.And Jacinta;s daughter Aisling and son Cormac have also wore the jersey.Their dad Terry was no mean hurler and footballer in his day and was overwhelmed with delight.
I cannot stick the pace as good as in days of yore.I loved a pint of Guinness in my days of full health but the stroke that nearly whipped me has left several hateful side effects,one of which is that I can't stand the taste of Guinness.Sadly A Bacardi and Coke is all I am up to now,and there is only so much of these you can stomach.Thea younger guys leave me at the starting line in the arts of celebrating.
A hoarse Finn and his players did the rouds of the primary schools on Monday to their eternal credit and succeeded in getting the kids off homework ,a feat which further endeared them to the the adoring youngsters.
I discussed this incapacity to celebrate hard with old friend and great club man,Mickey Daly ,with whom I was fierce great (And still am ) during the late eighties and indeed afterwards.
He is in the same boat for different reasons.His philosophical view of our changed circumstances is to thank God we filled ourselves when drink was cheap,.Now that's what you call an optimist.
I am fierce happy with the team and its management and all the players.I am as proud as a man could be of my sons and cousin who are plying their trades.
All four daughters and three sons wore the clubs jerseys with distinction,My brothers Martin and Cecil were at the match and joined the celebrations.Poor Robert would have been here if he lived.
If only my mother and father and all my Mc Cormack uncles and aunts had lived to see this day I would be overjoyed.
WE play the KIlkenny champs in Meath on 16/11/2014.
We need have no fear.
Dundoire Abu,
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