Dunsany can put an end to years in the wilderness

Dunsany have been perennial contenders for the JFC title for more than a decade now. At this stage, nobody really expects them to ever bring the Matthew Ginnity Cup back to the parish. It's like as if they are expected to run a good race, but they always tend to falter at either the last or second last obstacle. It's almost a tradition. The club has survived in the shadows of football giants - the great Skryne teams of the past and present, Dunshaughlin, and, to a lesser extent in more recent times, Moynalvey who also went through the doldrums for a few years. Dunsany's hard-working officials, in what is a fairly sparsely populated area, have kept the red flag flying, maybe not high, but at least above the surface. And this year that flag will make it to the top of the pole sometime around next September or October. As the club heads towards its 50th anniversary, the players, officials and supporters will be buoyed by the fact that silverware materialised in the form of the inaugural Tailteann Cup a couple of weeks ago. An old Dunsany trait surfaced in the second-half of that game, the winning post was in sight, but it was as if the players got lonely out in front and invited the opposition, Curraha, to keep them company. The proof, if any was needed, that Dunsany have added a bit of steel to their game came in the form of a late flourish which helped them over the winning line. "We were afraid of winning, but we survived," manager Gerry O'Donohoe told the Meath Chronicle amidst the victory celebrations. Dunsany also showed last year that they have an ability to recover. In the final group game, ironically enough at Skryne, they fashioned a sensational recovery against Duleek / Bellewstown which got then to the knock-out stages. Eventual champions Ballinabrackey deprived them of a place in the final against Ballivor, that's how close they were to success. All that was achieved with the added problem of having to cope with the requirements of the Kilmessan hurlers which surely complicates training schedules. Dunsany will face a difficult test at every hurdle, but they can qualify from the group along with Meath Hill for the quarter-finals. Ollie Murphy will combine his playing duties with Carnaross in the IFC with guiding the fortunes of Meath Hill and his arrival will boost the troops. Ratoath will also harbour genuine prospects of success, but they could be described, perhaps, as something of a yo-yo team. Ratoath probably need another year or two at this level to build more solid foundations, but with a new manager in PJ Cudden they will make the knock-out phase. That would represent an improvement on last year's abysmal form. Kilmainhamwood will be quietly playing down their prospects, but they must be considered as genuine contenders also and could make it as far as the final. Moylagh, Ballivor, Drumbaragh and Kilmainham will each make a strong bid for the title and of that quartet Moylagh and Ballivor will stay the trip to the penultimate hurdle. Dunsany appear to have some strength-in-depth at this stage. They have a fine target man at full-forward in Sean Stephens and a number of attacking options from the half-back line. The performance of Meath minor Declan Smyth will be a key factor and he certainly looks like a player for the future. He got forward to score a vital late point in the Tailteann Cup final, it was eclipsed by an even later goal. However, it was Smyth's score that restored a sense of calm that I haven't seen in a Dunsany team for many years. The omens are looking good?